Besides Its Considerable Price, Active Ride Considerations.

[Fun TC Driving]

We have seen many properly extoll the virtues of the Taycan’s better ride with the Active Ride (AR) option. Others enthusiastically discuss it make egress and entry easier (also so true although with a timingwise caveat below).

The following paragraph however presents two negatives that while many of you have known before, I had not.

Active Ride weighs around 40 pounds more than the equivalent adaptive setup. It also consumes energy. On extremely bumpy roads or during high-performance driving, Active Ride's electrical draw can be as high as 34 horsepower.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a61016882/porsche-suspension-active-ride-dampers/

Lastly re the AR’s near-instantaneous height increase of 3.0” when it raises (though only 2.2” max increase for the Cross Turismo models), I have twice verified that IF time is not of the essence (retired folks, occasionally taking limited-flexibility folks for a ride, etc), IF a Taycan does not have the AR option and but instead one manually puts it into its highest height setting (and waits), that without Active Ride the vehicle would raise to the same highest height than it would have if one had spent the $7,140 to get the AR option plus its required $1,500 PTSV+ partner option.

Just more AR-or-not considerations as to whether to get it, especially since almost all reviewers rave about its ride. But of course we each have different priorities. Our decision will be instead using most of AR’s major cost on other options instead, and separately getting PTV+ as part of the 4S’s “Performance Package.” YMMV.

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[HerrCooles]

When it comes to racing, I understand this consideration.
But how often do you do that?
You don't notice the few horsepower you lose while driving every day.
But the comfort - YES YOU DO NOTICE IT - and it's worth every penny.
Of course, everything needs power, but that's negligible.

 

[W1NGE]

We have seen many properly extoll the virtues of the Taycan’s better ride with the Active Ride (AR) option. Others enthusiastically discuss it make egress and entry easier (also so true although with a timingwise caveat below).

The following paragraph however presents two negatives that while many of you have known before, I had not.



https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a61016882/porsche-suspension-active-ride-dampers/

Lastly re the AR’s near-instantaneous height increase of 3.0” when it raises (though only 2.2” max increase for the Cross Turismo models), I have twice verified that IF time is not of the essence (retired folks, occasionally taking limited-flexibility folks for a ride, etc), IF a Taycan does not have the AR option and but instead one manually puts it into its highest height setting (and waits), that without Active Ride the vehicle would raise to the same highest height than it would have if one had spent the $7,140 to get the AR option plus its required $1,500 PTSV+ partner option.

Just more AR-or-not considerations as to whether to get it, especially since almost all reviewers rave about its ride. But of course we each have different priorities. Our decision will be instead using most of AR’s major cost on other options instead, and separately getting PTV+ as part of the 4S’s “Performance Package.” YMMV.

Extra weight is a given and some power utilisation too but I think the HV battery depending on distance travelled will require to provide a small amount of energy and won't unduly limit range.

Spec the car with all options including PAR and see what the range calc is with / without.

Waiting for the car to be raised would become tedious for most.

Either way AR seems a clever option going well beyond the cited 2 negatives. Do you need it...probably not...would you like it...probably yes!

 

[KenR]

I have been using PAR since last Friday and I am getting used to staying flat and level through the many tight bends on the roads near my home. Also, the looks we get in Tesco car park are worth the cost ? If I hadn’t optioned it, I would have regretted it.

 

[W1NGE]

I have been using PAR since last Friday and I am getting used to staying flat and level through the many tight bends on the roads near my home. Also, the looks we get in Tesco car park are worth the cost ? If I hadn’t optioned it, I would have regretted it.

But then there aren't many GT's around which is also an attraction I'm sure!

 

[tigerbalm]

I have been using PAR since last Friday and I am getting used to staying flat and level through the many tight bends on the roads near my home. Also, the looks we get in Tesco car park are worth the cost ? If I hadn’t optioned it, I would have regretted it.

How fast are you taking those car park corners ?!?

 

[KenR]

How fast are you taking those car park corners ?!?

Not public highway so no legal speed limit right

 

[tophamn]

I have been using PAR since last Friday and I am getting used to staying flat and level through the many tight bends on the roads near my home. Also, the looks we get in Tesco car park are worth the cost ? If I hadn’t optioned it, I would have regretted it.

My 2023 GTS with PDCC corners very flat - is PAR really that much better?

 

[KenR]

My 2023 GTS with PDCC corners very flat - is PAR really that much better?

On normal roads at normal speeds, probably not. I have been thinking of a practical experiment with a pendulum attached to the dashboard to see if I can measure the side-to-side and front-to-back (and vice versa) motion on cornering, acceleration and deceleration. Watch this space...

 

[WuffvonTrips]

On normal roads at normal speeds, probably not. I have been thinking of a practical experiment with a pendulum attached to the dashboard to see if I can measure the side-to-side and front-to-back (and vice versa) motion on cornering, acceleration and deceleration. Watch this space...

A gyroscope perhaps (maybe the car already has one/some installed, for its stability management systems)?

 

[Boss Hogg]

I think it's great and worth it, handling over bumps and high speed motorway stability are both superb. I turned off the comfort entry, a bit gimmicky for me but useful for others. There is a small range cost but not significant.

 

[Mr.Smith]

I test drove the Taycan Turbo S with PAR yesterday and specifically requested twisty roads to test the Active Ride.
Needless to say I was very impressed by the it.
Its only in Normal Mode, but I was driving pretty fast through the short canyon road.
It was planted, very minimal body roll.
You have a very civilized sedan in Normal mode, switch to Sport or Sport + for a sports car. It's very Jekyll and Hyde with the PAR.

The easy entry is a small bonus, but I challenge anyone to find a B Pillar that is not at least scuffed on the current Taycan.
The issue with this platform is the B Pillar is too forward relative to the front seats and you have to fall into the car. Easy entry helps solve this.

The problem I found when driving fast in the canyons with PAR is I was isolated from the road, so there is less feedback on when I could be hitting my limits of grip. This is also why it's not available in Sport & Sport +
It's a comfort luxury feature.

@KenR the GT only has the active ride in Normal mode?

 

[KenR]

I test drove the Taycan Turbo S with PAR yesterday and specifically requested twisty roads to test the Active Ride.
Needless to say I was very impressed by the it.
Its only in Normal Mode, but I was driving pretty fast through the short canyon road.
It was planted, very minimal body roll.
You have a very civilized sedan in Normal mode, switch to Sport or Sport + for a sports car. It's very Jekyll and Hyde with the PAR.

The easy entry is a small bonus, but I challenge anyone to find a B Pillar that is not at least scuffed on the current Taycan.
The issue with this platform is the B Pillar is too forward relative to the front seats and you have to fall into the car. Easy entry helps solve this.

The problem I found when driving fast in the canyons with PAR is I was isolated from the road, so there is less feedback on when I could be hitting my limits of grip. This is also why it's not available in Sport & Sport +
It's a comfort luxury feature.

@KenR the GT only has the active ride in Normal mode?

You nailed it - my B pillar was scuffed to fcuk in my Turbo S. Enable Easy Entry and join the B pillar preservation movement.
I have only been in Normal mode thus far, and nearly lost it on a local tight bend on day 1. Maybe the car’s capabilities are superior to the driver’s...?

 

[RacingDuck]

Active ride is always active. It only switches to different working modes between normal and sport/sport+.

In sport it will keep the car as flat as possible in order to get the best lap times out of it. It's like an advanced PDCC.

Only in normal will it overcompensate (which you can also turn off, if you don't like it). This is to improve comfort.

So far I'm always driving in normal mode and I think it feels great. I just don't have much to compare it to.
I have a spot whith 6 short bumps. In the Civic Type R you were shaken too your bones, in the Ioniq 5 you could easily tell each one apart, with the old air suspension you could still feel them slightly, with active ride I struggle to tell where they are.
There are times where it feels a bit floaty or wrong, where you'd expect the corner to dip but the active ride is working very hard to keep it up, but ultimately loses the fight - then it feels a bit squirmy. This happened only on the quite rough roads of Slovenia and Croatia so far. It was extremely comfortable even on those roads - nothing you'd expect from a low riding sporty car.

 

[Fun TC Driving]

Happy that some of you who posted above that you are pleased with it, though some less so with as you read above one posted saying his is no longer using the “pop up entry” feature. The more half-n-half comments coming in such as the immediate above post — and also some earlier ones presenting some other minor considerations., I know for my wife and me that using its $7,140 cost for other options is our better decision.

Again for us — for every option has its excellent benefits for some.

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