amelen
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Alex
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- Dec 15, 2020
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- Location
- North NJ
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- 2021 Taycan Turbo
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- #1
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! As some of you might know, I recently sold my 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo and got a 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580. I had a brief time that I had both cars, so I did a video review and wrote up a comparison below. I’m not a professional video/youtube person, so it’s not perfect, but should give you guys a good overview of both cars - especially if you’re considering either. Surprisingly, they MSRP right about the same right now and are more similar than you’d think. Check out the video review and my detailed comparison below:
HD Video:
Car Specs:
2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo, Mamba Green
Wheel Caps Colored Porsche Crest, Heated GT Sport Steering Wheel, Interior Accents in Neodyme, On-Board 150kw/400V DC Charger, Window Trim in High Gloss Black, Performance Package (Sports Chrono, Porsche Electric Sport Sound, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport, Rear Axle Steering), Premium Package (Surround View, Storage Package, Fixed Panoramic Roof in Glass, Lane Change Assist, Seat Ventilization, Thermally & Noise Insulated glass, Ionizer).
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580, MANUFAKTUR South Sea Blue Magno (matte)
Edition 1: BS6 Brake callipers at front and rear painted in blue, CE6 Exterior protective strip with trim insert and blue accent, GK2 MANUFAKTUR Logo Package in black, L5C Multifunction sports steering wheel in nappa leather, P55 Night package, P77 SUPERIOR Line Interior
PEA EDITION ONE, PK2 Active Multicontour Seat package Plus, RS2 Design box, S45 MANUFAKTUR seat belts in magma grey, V36 MANUFAKTUR grab handles in leather, V42 AMG floor mats in black with contrasting blue topstitching, VA9 Blue carbon-fibre trim elements
Performance
Taycan Turbo (670hp / 626 lb-ft torque) - 9/10
With a 0-60 of just 3 seconds, the Taycan is one of the fastest production cars out there. 30-50mph clocks in at 1.1 seconds and 50-70mph at 1.6 seconds. The only reason I didn’t give it the full 10/10 is that the Turbo S and Turbo GT have taken it one step further now in terms of performance. Additionally, being a Porsche, and optioning it with the Performance Package (which included Rear Axle Steering, etc..), it always felt planted, fast around the corners, and excelled in any and all driving conditions.
MB G580 - 6/10
Mercedes (579hp / 859 lb-ft torque)
Owning exclusively only performance sedans over the last few decades, I was worried the G580 would feel slow or not sporty enough. Mercedes quotes the 0-60 as 4.6 seconds but my gut-feel is that it’s a little bit lower. Being an EV, the car has an instant response and the 859 lb-ft of torque makes it feel a lot faster than it is. I haven’t seen any magazines reviewing the 30-50 or 50-70 yet, but I’d imagine it’s not that far off from the Taycan. Also, as opposed to the AMG G63, the G580 felt more planted and sporty (probably due to the battery providing a lower center of gravity).
Range & Charging
Taycan Turbo (‘21 201 miles, ‘25 365 miles) - 7/10
The 2021 Taycan Turbo (tested here), had an EPA range of just 201 miles. In actual day-to-day driving, I was averaging a little bit more (and other magazines cited this as well). Charging speed was “up to 320kW” - the most I was able to get, on an empty battery, pre-conditioned, at a charging station that supported 300kw, was around 280kw.
MB G580 (‘25 239 miles) - 6/10
The range on the G580 is rated as 239 miles - I haven’t driven it much, but similar to the Taycan I”m getting slightly better-then-rated results. Around town, it seems I can get close to 280 miles - on the highway, it’s around 230. The Maximum charging speed here is only 200 kW. In real-world-usage, with the charging networks mostly being capped at 250kW (even the newest and best ones), I believe both the Taycan and G580 would charge at similar rates).
Interior Quality
Taycan Turbo - 7/10
For the Taycan, I had the 18-way seats and the middle-of-the-road interior (meaning the full leather, but not the higher end leather). The interior is nice but somewhat basic-feeling (for a car at this price point). The neodyme accents help add some detail, but in the future, I would probably get a more interesting Porsche interior color and explore some of the other interior options.
MB G580 - 8/10
The G580, mostly a product of the “Edition 1” comes with a lot of nice touches. Two-tone seats, blue carbon fiber accents, blue stitching on the seats and steering wheel and a couple of other extras. The interior feels more interesting to me and seems a little bit more luxurious vs. the Taycan.
Technology & Features
Taycan Turbo - 7/10
Being a high-tech high-performance EV, I was actually a little bit surprised at the lack of technology features. Android / Apple integration didn’t happen until recently. The primary screen is somewhat small and isn’t very sharp. The backup camera is worse than what I’ve seen in budget cars. I would also expect a car, at this price point, to come with some more things standard, like the lane change assist (it was an extra option) and dynamic cruise control (which I didn’t option).
MB G580 - 8/10
I got the Mercedes not knowing the full array of features that came as “standard” on this G580 Edition 1. Surprisingly, the backup and surround camera is very good. It does come with dynamic cruise control. The monitor is bigger and shaper then what’s on the Porsche. Android Auto worked flawlessly from the first try (similar to what I got on the Taycan with a software update a year ago). The audio system also seems a tad bit better then the middle-of-the-road Bose option I got on the Taycan.
Off-Road Capability
Taycan Turbo - 2/10
Okay, so I just put this in just because the G580 excels at this, almost like the Taycan excels at performance. Given that I had to lift the car just to get into my driveway, I’ll give the Taycan a 2/10 on this. The AWD of course is helpful (that’s why it’s not 1/10 lol).
MB G580 - 10/10
The G580 is built for off-road. Sure, most people won’t use it for that, but it has a lot of cool features like a camera under the car, low-speed transmission modes for crawling mountain trails, and of course the g-turn.
Cool Show-Off Features
Taycan Turbo - 10/10
The best “show-off” feature here of course is the launch control. I honestly only used it once, but if you ever want to show your car off to someone, take them down an empty road and use launch control. What a blast!
MB G580 - 10/10
For the G-Wagon, it’s for sure the G-Turn. I haven’t used it yet, but it looks really cool from the videos I’ve seen online.
Comfort & Practicality
Taycan Turbo - 6/10
The Taycan was surprisingly comfortable to drive, especially with the air suspension. However, trunk space is somewhat limited and I struggled packing taller items (the trunk area is very short). There is a front trunk (frunk), but I was always worried to use it since I saw horror stories from the 911 forums where people put something too tall in there and damage their hood.
MB G580 - 8/10
It’s not as sporty, but for a daily drive, the G580 feels more comfortable. There is no front trunk (frunk) but the rear trunk is fairly big and very tall. It’s a very convenient size (you can place suitcases on their feet vs. on the side, etc..). The seats also feel just-as comfortable, if not more-so, than the Taycan 18-ways. There is of course no air suspension here and the rear is a solid axle, but with its height, it feels almost as comfortable over bumps, etc..
Sound
Taycan Turbo - 5/10
I did have the sports sound in my Taycan, and did keep it on most of the time. However, the sound wasn’t great - it really sounded like a space ship more than a car. The Taycan GTS has a slightly different/better sound, but it’s still sub-par in my opinion.
MB G580 - 7/10
The G-Wagon has what they are calling the G-Roar. There are two things I like about it over the Taycan. Number 1: It plays a sound when you open the car. It creates a very cool ambience. The sound is played from outside-of-the-cabin speakers. Number 2: The actual sound when driving is very close to the sound of a real engine - not a spaceship like the Taycan. However, I still think it could be louder and deeper and wish there was an option to customize it a bit.
Use as a Daily Driver
Taycan Turbo - 7/10
Even though it’s an EV, with a lower-then-what-you-would-want range, it’s been one of the best daily drivers I've ever had. It’s super sporty when you want it to be (ie: almost like a 911), but also a relaxed and super quiet cruiser when you rather have that. I would ding it for the small trunk, tight cabin, low clearance (for a daily driver). However, if you fix those things, you’d wind up with a Panamera, so I get why Porsche made it the way they did.
MB G580 - 8/10
I haven’t had the car for long, but it’s been a lot easier to get in and out of, a much more usable truck, a more comfortable drive, and the better technology (including the dynamic cruise control) makes it a better daily driver for me. There are of course times, around tight corners, that I do miss the Taycan. For now, it’s close, but I give the G580 a slight nod in this category - especially since I was rarely using the full power and sportyness of the Taycan (for others this might be different).
Porsche Taycan Turbo (Total 60/90):
Mercedes-Benz G580 (Total: 70/90):
HD Video:
Car Specs:
2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo, Mamba Green
Wheel Caps Colored Porsche Crest, Heated GT Sport Steering Wheel, Interior Accents in Neodyme, On-Board 150kw/400V DC Charger, Window Trim in High Gloss Black, Performance Package (Sports Chrono, Porsche Electric Sport Sound, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport, Rear Axle Steering), Premium Package (Surround View, Storage Package, Fixed Panoramic Roof in Glass, Lane Change Assist, Seat Ventilization, Thermally & Noise Insulated glass, Ionizer).
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580, MANUFAKTUR South Sea Blue Magno (matte)
Edition 1: BS6 Brake callipers at front and rear painted in blue, CE6 Exterior protective strip with trim insert and blue accent, GK2 MANUFAKTUR Logo Package in black, L5C Multifunction sports steering wheel in nappa leather, P55 Night package, P77 SUPERIOR Line Interior
PEA EDITION ONE, PK2 Active Multicontour Seat package Plus, RS2 Design box, S45 MANUFAKTUR seat belts in magma grey, V36 MANUFAKTUR grab handles in leather, V42 AMG floor mats in black with contrasting blue topstitching, VA9 Blue carbon-fibre trim elements
Performance
Taycan Turbo (670hp / 626 lb-ft torque) - 9/10
With a 0-60 of just 3 seconds, the Taycan is one of the fastest production cars out there. 30-50mph clocks in at 1.1 seconds and 50-70mph at 1.6 seconds. The only reason I didn’t give it the full 10/10 is that the Turbo S and Turbo GT have taken it one step further now in terms of performance. Additionally, being a Porsche, and optioning it with the Performance Package (which included Rear Axle Steering, etc..), it always felt planted, fast around the corners, and excelled in any and all driving conditions.
MB G580 - 6/10
Mercedes (579hp / 859 lb-ft torque)
Owning exclusively only performance sedans over the last few decades, I was worried the G580 would feel slow or not sporty enough. Mercedes quotes the 0-60 as 4.6 seconds but my gut-feel is that it’s a little bit lower. Being an EV, the car has an instant response and the 859 lb-ft of torque makes it feel a lot faster than it is. I haven’t seen any magazines reviewing the 30-50 or 50-70 yet, but I’d imagine it’s not that far off from the Taycan. Also, as opposed to the AMG G63, the G580 felt more planted and sporty (probably due to the battery providing a lower center of gravity).
Range & Charging
Taycan Turbo (‘21 201 miles, ‘25 365 miles) - 7/10
The 2021 Taycan Turbo (tested here), had an EPA range of just 201 miles. In actual day-to-day driving, I was averaging a little bit more (and other magazines cited this as well). Charging speed was “up to 320kW” - the most I was able to get, on an empty battery, pre-conditioned, at a charging station that supported 300kw, was around 280kw.
MB G580 (‘25 239 miles) - 6/10
The range on the G580 is rated as 239 miles - I haven’t driven it much, but similar to the Taycan I”m getting slightly better-then-rated results. Around town, it seems I can get close to 280 miles - on the highway, it’s around 230. The Maximum charging speed here is only 200 kW. In real-world-usage, with the charging networks mostly being capped at 250kW (even the newest and best ones), I believe both the Taycan and G580 would charge at similar rates).
Interior Quality
Taycan Turbo - 7/10
For the Taycan, I had the 18-way seats and the middle-of-the-road interior (meaning the full leather, but not the higher end leather). The interior is nice but somewhat basic-feeling (for a car at this price point). The neodyme accents help add some detail, but in the future, I would probably get a more interesting Porsche interior color and explore some of the other interior options.
MB G580 - 8/10
The G580, mostly a product of the “Edition 1” comes with a lot of nice touches. Two-tone seats, blue carbon fiber accents, blue stitching on the seats and steering wheel and a couple of other extras. The interior feels more interesting to me and seems a little bit more luxurious vs. the Taycan.
Technology & Features
Taycan Turbo - 7/10
Being a high-tech high-performance EV, I was actually a little bit surprised at the lack of technology features. Android / Apple integration didn’t happen until recently. The primary screen is somewhat small and isn’t very sharp. The backup camera is worse than what I’ve seen in budget cars. I would also expect a car, at this price point, to come with some more things standard, like the lane change assist (it was an extra option) and dynamic cruise control (which I didn’t option).
MB G580 - 8/10
I got the Mercedes not knowing the full array of features that came as “standard” on this G580 Edition 1. Surprisingly, the backup and surround camera is very good. It does come with dynamic cruise control. The monitor is bigger and shaper then what’s on the Porsche. Android Auto worked flawlessly from the first try (similar to what I got on the Taycan with a software update a year ago). The audio system also seems a tad bit better then the middle-of-the-road Bose option I got on the Taycan.
Off-Road Capability
Taycan Turbo - 2/10
Okay, so I just put this in just because the G580 excels at this, almost like the Taycan excels at performance. Given that I had to lift the car just to get into my driveway, I’ll give the Taycan a 2/10 on this. The AWD of course is helpful (that’s why it’s not 1/10 lol).
MB G580 - 10/10
The G580 is built for off-road. Sure, most people won’t use it for that, but it has a lot of cool features like a camera under the car, low-speed transmission modes for crawling mountain trails, and of course the g-turn.
Cool Show-Off Features
Taycan Turbo - 10/10
The best “show-off” feature here of course is the launch control. I honestly only used it once, but if you ever want to show your car off to someone, take them down an empty road and use launch control. What a blast!
MB G580 - 10/10
For the G-Wagon, it’s for sure the G-Turn. I haven’t used it yet, but it looks really cool from the videos I’ve seen online.
Comfort & Practicality
Taycan Turbo - 6/10
The Taycan was surprisingly comfortable to drive, especially with the air suspension. However, trunk space is somewhat limited and I struggled packing taller items (the trunk area is very short). There is a front trunk (frunk), but I was always worried to use it since I saw horror stories from the 911 forums where people put something too tall in there and damage their hood.
MB G580 - 8/10
It’s not as sporty, but for a daily drive, the G580 feels more comfortable. There is no front trunk (frunk) but the rear trunk is fairly big and very tall. It’s a very convenient size (you can place suitcases on their feet vs. on the side, etc..). The seats also feel just-as comfortable, if not more-so, than the Taycan 18-ways. There is of course no air suspension here and the rear is a solid axle, but with its height, it feels almost as comfortable over bumps, etc..
Sound
Taycan Turbo - 5/10
I did have the sports sound in my Taycan, and did keep it on most of the time. However, the sound wasn’t great - it really sounded like a space ship more than a car. The Taycan GTS has a slightly different/better sound, but it’s still sub-par in my opinion.
MB G580 - 7/10
The G-Wagon has what they are calling the G-Roar. There are two things I like about it over the Taycan. Number 1: It plays a sound when you open the car. It creates a very cool ambience. The sound is played from outside-of-the-cabin speakers. Number 2: The actual sound when driving is very close to the sound of a real engine - not a spaceship like the Taycan. However, I still think it could be louder and deeper and wish there was an option to customize it a bit.
Use as a Daily Driver
Taycan Turbo - 7/10
Even though it’s an EV, with a lower-then-what-you-would-want range, it’s been one of the best daily drivers I've ever had. It’s super sporty when you want it to be (ie: almost like a 911), but also a relaxed and super quiet cruiser when you rather have that. I would ding it for the small trunk, tight cabin, low clearance (for a daily driver). However, if you fix those things, you’d wind up with a Panamera, so I get why Porsche made it the way they did.
MB G580 - 8/10
I haven’t had the car for long, but it’s been a lot easier to get in and out of, a much more usable truck, a more comfortable drive, and the better technology (including the dynamic cruise control) makes it a better daily driver for me. There are of course times, around tight corners, that I do miss the Taycan. For now, it’s close, but I give the G580 a slight nod in this category - especially since I was rarely using the full power and sportyness of the Taycan (for others this might be different).
Porsche Taycan Turbo (Total 60/90):
- Performance: 9/10
- Range & Charging: 710
- Interior Quality: 7/10
- Technology & Features: 7/10
- Off-Road Capability: 2/10
- Cool Show-Off Features: 10/10
- Comfort & Practicality: 6/10
- Sound: 5/10
- Use as a Daily Driver: 7/10
Mercedes-Benz G580 (Total: 70/90):
- Performance: 6/10
- Range & Charging: 6/10
- Interior Quality: 8/10
- Technology & Features: 8/10
- Off-Road Capability: 10/10
- Cool Show-Off Features: 10/10
- Comfort & Practicality: 8/10
- Sound: 7/10
- Use as a Daily Driver: 8/10
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