Pick Two: RAS, Surround View, Upgraded Seats

[MTGBUK]

As many have said they mainly use the overhead view surround view definately. Choosing the standard only get you a rear view camera. Surround also gives you view of your wheels so you know how close to the curbs you are.

Seats you need to try for yourself. If you can get perfectly comfortable in the standard 8 way then you've saved yourself some money. I've got 18 way but if you're fairly big bodied I can see it feeling a little tight.

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[W1NGE]

Delays in my lock date have made me more in my head about my option choices. Currently have upgraded seats (either 14 or 18 way, TBD) and surround view spec'd. Wondering if I should drop one of these for RAS given somewhat comparable prices for each of these options. Separately, if I keep the upgraded seats, anyone have any thoughts on comfort between 14 and 18 ways (and 8 way for that matter)? I'm 6"2 190lb so wondering if I'd benefit comfort wise from the wider shoulders of the 18ways. Not as concerned about how well they support in hard cornering as ease of entry

Surround a must, Rear Axle Steering is highly desirable but less convinced on comfort Vs adaptive (egress is harder due to the higher seat bolsters).

 

[Jhenson29]

I have all three, but I have to admit I am not sure what comes in the Surround View package. There is a 3D view of the car and its surroundings that I find totally gimmicky and useless, and there is the overhead view that I find absolutely essential.

Surround view is the overhead view.
3D view is called “3D surround view” and I believe is part of remote part assist.

 

[Ross]

I had a 4S without any of those 3 options.....
The basic seats are immaculate. I am tall and skinny and they supported me fine
No one gets to try them as no Porsche dealer in the known universe has ever had a showroom
or demonstrator Taycan with basic seats.
The 14 way and 18 way are of course gorgeous but they are clickbait!

I kerbed my inside rear wheel (20") TWICE turning left. Really spoilt my day.
RWS would have definitely prevented this in my situation as the rear wheels would have 'followed' the front at slow speed.
Surround view is helpful and can also preserve wheels - Especially fragile 21" wheels

Any performance/handling advantage of RWS would be marginal at best.
Taycans handle beautifully without it
Power steering plus nice to have on 4WD Taycans with 300kilos of extras and 21" wheels

None of these features are essential

My GTS is locked with standard 18 way seats but NO surround or RWS or Steer plus
You will hear the scream of frustration in Marin County all the way from the UK if I curb the beautiful 21" spyder wheels

 

[KensingtonPark]

Surround view is the overhead view.
3D view is called “3D surround view” and I believe is part of remote part assist.

Thanks! Totally agree with everyone else, then! I would lose both the seats and the RAS before losing the Surround View.

 

[XLR82XS]

Seats & RAS

 

[whan]

Thanks everyone for the feedback - sounds like 14 or 18 way seats are recommended unless for some reason I find I fit well in the 8 ways. May be taking too much a risk if I can't find one to sit in

Still seems everyone is split between SV and RAS. I'm curious if people notice the performance benefit as well, or if they mostly notice the difference in maneuverability. It looks like Taycan without RAS actually has a pretty reasonable turning radius of 19.2 feet, which is 0.2 feet less than a Tesla Model 3 (surprisingly) and 0.2 feet more than an Audi A4.

 

[ThePaddyWan]

I have all three. Parking can get tight, so I love the surround view. To me, it's essential. RAS is hard to judge since I haven't driven a Taycan without it. I'm quite happy with my turning radius and handling in twisty roads. The 18-way seats are super comfy.

I would say test all the seat options if you can and if you feel more comfy keep the seats and drop the RAS. If it's not difference, drop the seats. RAS you'll appreciate sometimes, seats are something that is experienced all the time.

 

[whan]

Update, dropped by dealer and happened to be able to sit in an 18 and 14 way. Found the 14 ways were better for me - 18 were more secure but pushed my shoulders forward a bit which I didn't find as comfortable. Even though the 8 way is similar to 14s, don't think I can take the risk to just so 8 way and get both RAS and SV

 

[bsclywilly]

These cars have front parking sensors - do they automatically turn on at low speeds pulling into a spot, and will they detect low curbs? Mostly wondering if they'll help not crunch the front end on a parking curb.

I don't have SV and can say the parking sensors do turn on automatically at low speed and can sense curbs as low as 2.5" high from my experience. It's not as reassuring as seeing an image but I think it works just fine for judging distances in front.

 

[Ross]

Update, dropped by dealer and happened to be able to sit in an 18 and 14 way. Found the 14 ways were better for me - 18 were more secure but pushed my shoulders forward a bit which I didn't find as comfortable. Even though the 8 way is similar to 14s, don't think I can take the risk to just so 8 way and get both RAS and SV

Just to add further doubt…..
The 8 way and 14 way seats are not just similar, they are structurally identical.
Exactly the same EXCEPT added
Lumbar (+4) and a slidy in and out headrest (+2)
14 way also gives you memory setting for both front seats (Driver memory pack is drivers seat only) mirrors and electric steering column but the seats remain exactly the same shape.
I felt the headrest was in the right place and I never felt the need for lumbar adjustment as the seat was ergonomically perfect as you would expect from Porsche!
You also need 14 way if you want your bum either massaged or wafted with cool air!

 

[whan]

I don't have SV and can say the parking sensors do turn on automatically at low speed and can sense curbs as low as 2.5" high from my experience. It's not as reassuring as seeing an image but I think it works just fine for judging distances in front.

Thanks very much! On my Ferrari they don't turn on automatically so the front sensors end up being a lot let useful

Just to add further doubt…..
The 8 way and 14 way seats are not just similar, they are structurally identical.
Exactly the same EXCEPT added
Lumbar (+4) and a slidy in and out headrest (+2)
14 way also gives you memory setting for both front seats (Driver memory pack is drivers seat only) mirrors and electric steering column but the seats remain exactly the same shape.
I felt the headrest was in the right place and I never felt the need for lumbar adjustment as the seat was ergonomically perfect as you would expect from Porsche!
You also need 14 way if you want your bum either massaged or wafted with cool air!

Thanks - I didn't spec massage or cooled seats, but did order full leather which seems to be available on the 8-way. I think I can forgo the headrest movement (most cars I've had in past can't do this), and probably even thigh support (some of my cars couldn't do this either), but lumbar could be risky to not have...

 

[fullmetalbaal]

In order of priority:

Seats really depend on how they fit _you_.
Try them both. For me personally, 18 way are a strict must-have.

Surround view: depends on where you'll be driving. Personally I feel that most roads in the US have plenty of space. In Europe, I think that's maybe a good option to have.

Same for RAS. In very tight spaces it's useful. The benefits at higher speeds to me were harder to really confirm, even going back and forth between two otherwise almost identical vehicles.

 

[whan]

Once again, thanks everyone for the input. I've decided since I'm saving money going with the 14 way over 18 way, I'll just delete the ambient lighting, and get all 3 options: 14-way, RAS, SV. Realized I don't drive much at night, and not as big a fan of the ambient light implementation as a BMW X5 for example

 

[TXAG]

Update, dropped by dealer and happened to be able to sit in an 18 and 14 way. Found the 14 ways were better for me - 18 were more secure but pushed my shoulders forward a bit which I didn't find as comfortable. Even though the 8 way is similar to 14s, don't think I can take the risk to just so 8 way and get both RAS and SV

Apologies for not responding sooner. I'm 6' 3" (190 cm) and 170 lb (77 kg) and can definitely relate to your tall and skinny dilemma. I'm driving a Lexus RX 350 while waiting for my 2022 RWD (with SV, RAS, and 18-way ventilated) to arrive. The Lexus driver's seat is leather and is designed for bodies wider than mine. I put a pillow behind the base of my back to keep from sliding around - especially on drives over 30 minutes. When I test drove a Taycan (thanks to Turo) three months ago, I liked how the side bolsters enveloped me and kept my back straight. My $0.02. Good luck!

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