A Taycan Owner Buys a Tesla: Informal Battle of Two (Very Different) EVs!

[Marcad80]

I’ve been a “car guy” since I was 10 years old. Became a Mechanical Engineer at a Michigan University so I could design and build cars. Was an Automotive Design and Manufacturing Engineer for 20 years (now Aerospace). I used to work with Porsche. I have a Tesla Model S and a Porsche Taycan. I do really like the Model S, but I never drive It anymore.

The Taycan was designed by people who find reasons to drive when they have no where to go. As a driver, that’s me.

 

[wurzitup]

I love this review and had a good laugh.
I've had my Taycan now for 5 months and 9000 trouble free miles. Looks fantastic, great speed, comfort and economy, gets tons of compliments. Can't wait to drive it every day.
My neighbor bought a Model 3 a year ago and drives it around like a NHRA dragster. I see so many driving around here in NorCal and honestly see Tesla owners looking at mine green with envy. They may be a reasonably good choice over an ICE car in this day and age, but leave me completley flat in their looks and soul, and honestly don't regret for a second paying twice that of a Tesla for the driving experience of the Taycan. Seems more like a car designed as an appliance than anything else to me IMHO.

 

[RCorsa]

I’ve owned 5 teslas (2 model s one model x and 2 model 3 and 2 taycans (4s and a TTS) Aside from the fact they both are EVs they couldn’t be more different. Tesla is cheep feeling, taycan is premium Tesla has crazy loud road noise and Taycan is quiet/peaceful. Handling feels skittish on the model 3 (performance) and planted on the Taycan. Range is slightly better on the tesla but unless I’m on a road trip it doesn’t matter. Autopilot is better for road trips (set it and nearly forget it) but for day to day commuting I find the 2022 Innodrive nearly as useable on the highway. Lastly tesla are literally a dime a dozen (( I generally see 30-50/day)) and the taycan is still pretty special. Probably seen less than a dozen in the last 2 years.

Currently I’m keeping a model 3 performance for an extra car or for out of town guests. I’ll give it to my son when he turns 16 next year as they are generally safer than nearly all ICE cars

 

[Archimedes]

How is a car that you could go from deposit to delivery in three months flippable for a profit?

 

[npx]

My preferred way of looking at the Tesla is similar to how I encourage people to look at a Prius.

You don't buy a Prius for engagement and fun. If you judge it by those metrics, it's a failure, and you are a fool. But the prius was designed to be the perfect practical and fuel sipping commuter car that can handle almost any daily task. In that regard, it is PERFECT. Most people don't give a fuck because they've never driven something fun. My good friend bought a 2020 ND Miata, even in automatic, and she told me "I didn't know it was possible to actually enjoy driving".

Similar to Model 3... They didn't design it for engagement or soul or driving fun or to carry on a tradition of a brand that has a sportscar pedigree. It's an efficient, practical, and approachable easy to live with car. They have the Performance model that is quite fun, but it's not a Porsche and frankly, it's not trying to be one. When it's half as much as a Taycan 4S, that's probably a good thing.

Frankly, you can do a lot worse for a daily than a Model 3. Steering is pretty good and it can be quite fun on a backroad, and even the RWD base sends it off the line well. Trust me, I've driven shit cars. Model 3 is damn good driving for the price point.

Dunno what the hell they did with the Model Y. Absolutely dead to drive. My mom has a 2021 LR Y, just got a Mini (long story) and went on for a full minute gushing about how much more fun it is to drive and how much better the steering is and so on.

I just told her to wait until she can try the Taycan

 

[buhhy]

Model 3 at 56k without incentives isn’t really a bargain anymore…
Especially when they burst into flames and your back passengers have no way of getting out. I wouldn’t trust a manufacturer that’s known for using non-automative grade parts and poor castings no matter how nice the software is :/

 

[B61]

o Road noise is really unacceptable for a car that costs this much. I measured 90db at 80km/h (~57 mph) on the freeway. Way too loud.

That‘s a lot…like my JohnDeere 3039R without a cabin
btw: did you measure in taycan?

 

[LLA53]

I’m sorry but Tesla wins 100% outright vs Taycan………… in the extremely UGLY stakes! And don’t get me started on boring. MY21 Taycan sat nav search bar comes up in German every time I turn it on, so what? As soon as I press the search it switches to English every time. The pleasure I get from simply looking at it is immense and then driving it is on another level. I have never had a car without some sort of niggly software issue, embrace it, adapt and overcome, then go enjoy that driving experience ?

 

[dutchcourage]

I didn’t spend that kind of cash to be a beta tester!

I am also driving a 2018 Tesla Model S. Have to say I don't just feel like a Beta tester in it , Tesla even tells you that their software, which you pay heavily for, is beta.
FSD is still beta and really full of bugs, and on top of that the wiper rain sensor is even beta!!!

 

[Ross]

I’m sorry but Tesla wins 100% outright vs Taycan………… in the extremely UGLY stakes! And don’t get me started on boring. MY21 Taycan sat nav search bar comes up in German every time I turn it on, so what? As soon as I press the search it switches to English every time. The pleasure I get from simply looking at it is immense and then driving it is on another level. I have never had a car without some sort of niggly software issue, embrace it, adapt and overcome, then go enjoy that driving experience ?

Two completely different problems!
Car not starting is one thing.
Not acceptable.

A bit of German is great fun however!
I love it that in German the Sat Nav says Find Target instead of find destination.
A reminder of Ferdinand Porche’s rich heritage.
He designed tanks for the Wehrmacht in WWII !

 

[f1eng]

I have never had a car without some sort of niggly software issue

Sh!t, I've never had a car with a niggly software issue.

Hope the Taycan doesn't turn out to be an unreliable disappointment.

 

[B61]

Sh!t, I've never had a car with a niggly software issue.

Hope the Taycan doesn't turn out to be an unreliable disappointment.

Don’t worry.
sometimes, it might be annoying (carplay), but all driving-related stuff works!

 

[WuffvonTrips]

A reminder of Ferdinand Porche’s rich heritage.
He designed tanks for the Wehrmacht in WWII !

Most notably, the "Ferdinand" aka "Elefant" Tank Destroyer (based on the unsuccessful Porsche candidate for the Tiger requirement), had an electric drivetrain, powered by 2 petrol engines driving generators.

 

[FlyingPoint]

Sh!t, I've never had a car with a niggly software issue.

Hope the Taycan doesn't turn out to be an unreliable disappointment.

I would not fret too much about it. Many of the early issues have been resolved. After a year of ownership (RWD), the recurring annoyance I experience is the how long it sometimes takes satellite radio to load and play. Other than than, no recurring issues that cause me doubt my decision.

 

[daveo4EV]

there are worse cars to daily than a Model 3/Y…

If I could have Tesla's software/charging network and the Taycan's mechanicals - I think we'd all be pretty happy.