Back to Taycan CT from Panamera & Macan EV

[DES_MX]

After owning the Mamba Green Taycan 4CT (stil in profile pic), I've went onwards to:
- Panamera 2025 RWD, V6, non-hybrid (still have it, its my Dubai ride)
- Macan4 CT (many posts over at Macan EV forums)

Now I have decieded to sell (as trade-in from Porsche isn't great) the Macan 4 (prices very good still since the model is new and popular) AND... venture forth to re-do my Taycan 4CT "Green Dragon" only this time the J1.2 refresh of course, more options and go for the more classic Oak Green Neo build.

Below the specs:
http://www.porsche-code.com/PS1RZ1F0

Some questions to the audience, since I haven't lurked in these forums for over a year:
1. The new video capability, its YouTube + something else right? Do you need your phone as access point or it works off of car's 4G/5G built in SIM (like in Macan EV)?
2. Back when I did my MY2023 Taycan4 CT build, I hadn't specced Comfort Access, and got it anyway (somehow), I've read many more people got it as well same way (except for the physical car lock button in the trunk next to normal close trunk button). Does this "trick" still apply for MY2025? Anyone that got a new Taycan (CT) without comfort access and automatic car unlock on approach, plus frunk swipe to open works anyway?
3. If anyone upgraded from the previous J1.1 to J1.2 build, what are the most things you notice / love / hate about the car?

Cheers!

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[W1NGE]

After owning the Mamba Green Taycan 4CT (stil in profile pic), I've went onwards to:
- Panamera 2025 RWD, V6, non-hybrid (still have it, its my Dubai ride)
- Macan4 CT (many posts over at Macan EV forums)

Now I have decieded to sell (as trade-in from Porsche isn't great) the Macan 4 (prices very good still since the model is new and popular) AND... venture forth to re-do my Taycan 4CT "Green Dragon" only this time the J1.2 refresh of course, more options and go for the more classic Oak Green Neo build.

Below the specs:
http://www.porsche-code.com/PS1RZ1F0

Some questions to the audience, since I haven't lurked in these forums for over a year:
1. The new video capability, its YouTube + something else right? Do you need your phone as access point or it works off of car's 4G/5G built in SIM (like in Macan EV)?
2. Back when I did my MY2023 Taycan4 CT build, I hadn't specced Comfort Access, and got it anyway (somehow), I've read many more people got it as well same way (except for the physical car lock button in the trunk next to normal close trunk button). Does this "trick" still apply for MY2025? Anyone that got a new Taycan (CT) without comfort access and automatic car unlock on approach, plus frunk swipe to open works anyway?
3. If anyone upgraded from the previous J1.1 to J1.2 build, what are the most things you notice / love / hate about the car?

Cheers!

Taycan upgrade is pointless for the marginal gains to be derived.

 

[DES_MX]

Taycan upgrade is pointless for the marginal gains to be derived.

That’s the thing - I don’t have the old Taycan anymore. I traded it in for the Macan 4, which is a decent EV, but doesn’t give the thrills that Taycan did. And seeing the new 4CT is now 4.7 sec down from old one 5.1sec plus 120-140km extra range it might be the perfect fit.
Obviously this transition works on premise of good resale for Macan and huge discounts on new Taycan (which so far both are being granted)

 

[W1NGE]

That’s the thing - I don’t have the old Taycan anymore. I traded it in for the Macan 4, which is a decent EV, but doesn’t give the thrills that Taycan did. And seeing the new 4CT is now 4.7 sec down from old one 5.1sec plus 120-140km extra range it might be the perfect fit.
Obviously this transition works on premise of good resale for Macan and huge discounts on new Taycan (which so far both are being granted)

Discounts will come soon enough to the Macan EV - stock cars already arw showing £4K markdown.

I have a Macan 4S EV this weekend and won't be surrendering my Taycan GTS any time soon. Two entirely different propositions but I found the Macan disappointing if I'm honest and had expected more. Consumption was disappointing 2.5 mi/kWh and if it weren't for the bigger battery there would be little range advantage.

New Taycan GTSs are now landing in the UK so potentially a deal to be done.

 

[Speuk]

I went from a MY23 4SCT to a J1.2 4S ST. Mainly for the extra range, which is around 70 miles and there was some decent discounts to be had in the uk which combined with tax relief made the man maths work. The CT like yours came with the "free version of comfort access" and I've heard some J1.2s have also landed with the same. My new one had it as specified.
I got a lightly used 800 miles demonstrator with £36k off. Similar discounts were available on brand new cars but not with the spec i wanted.
Other than the range, slightly better pcm/ dash graphics and slightly quicker pcm you won't notice the difference.

 

[W1NGE]

I went from a MY23 4SCT to a J1.2 4S ST. Mainly for the extra range, which is around 70 miles and there was some decent discounts to be had in the uk which combined with tax relief made the man maths work. The CT like yours came with the "free version of comfort access" and I've heard some J1.2s have also landed with the same. My new one had it as specified.
I got a lightly used 800 miles demonstrator with £36k off. Similar discounts were available on brand new cars but not with the spec i wanted.
Other than the range, slightly better pcm/ dash graphics and slightly quicker pcm you won't notice the difference.

More power surely? 4S J1.2 will have GTS J1.1 power.

Are you getting 70 miles extra range?

What consumption are you getting

 

[Speuk]

More power surely? 4S J1.2 will have GTS J1.1 power.

Are you getting 70 miles extra range?

What consumption are you getting

Yep, definitely quicker and the push to pass button is fun. As you say it has the J1.1 GTS rear motor.

Consumption is around 2.85 to 3.1 miles per kwh

 

[W1NGE]

Yep, definitely quicker and the push to pass button is fun. As you say it has the J1.1 GTS rear motor.

Consumption is around 2.85 to 3.1 miles per kwh

Thanks for the data points. I get 2.7 with my GTS ST J1.1 (less this time of year) - so not really a reason (for me) to upgrade at this point unless there's another firesale.

Shame Porsche didn't launch with the net 97 kwh battery from day 1.

 

[Speuk]

Thanks for the data points. I get 2.7 with my GTS ST J1.1 (less this time of year) - so not really a reason (for me) to upgrade at this point unless there's another firesale.

Shame Porsche didn't launch with the net 97 kwh battery from day 1.

I nearly changed my J1.1 for a GTS last year when there was a firesale in December 23 but couldn't find the colour/spec I wanted. Definitely no rush to change from a GTS!

 

[SergeyIndy]

Better get out of the Macan EV train quickly and get back into the Taycan.

Not sure what's happening in the EU, but here in the heartland of the USA, the market has spoken, as discounts already at 10% for lot cars, they are piling up, no line to get RWD/4/4S and only 2 people at my dealer waiting on Turbo slots and this is after 80 people list to get one, with me #1 on the list 2 years ago.

I drove RWD/4/4S for a day and returned each one early as it was a big disappointment with a list of issues, I lost count, but happy to provide some examples. And given, 2026 BMW iX out there, Macan EV is now way behind of the competition right out of the gate.

Range has been the biggest shocker, as Porsche has been very hush hush about it, letting youtubers drive it in perfect conditions at 70mph and claim 300-mile range. Not so fast, when the real world happens. One owner now, with worst possible setup and conditions, in Boston, Macan EV Turbo 22-inch, winter tires, wants to drive it like a Porsche at 80mph+ cannot even cover 150 miles on full charge. Then, get this, at 10% SoC it goes into full Turtle mode with aggressive power reduction, lights everywhere as it is end of the world, and limited speed to 50mph.

 

[SergeyIndy]

Given that I got a good reaction from @Speuk, let me provide some real-world data.

After driving 3 Macan EVs with issues that happened to me:

Body gaps, uneven paint, interior perforations do not match as if rear seats from another car
Doors do not close well and need multiple attempts
Charging port cover is not aligned
Plug and Charge does not work on any on the lot (even Porsche rep at dealer could not fix)
Full Charging Speed not available in the US across all Macan EVs (9.6kWh only vs. 11kWh)
2 Headlight setups: LED and Matrix LED with Auto High Beam standard but no Dynamic Cornering function (headlights do not swivel when turning) - are you kidding me!
Assistance Systems permanent error code light - cannot read speed limits!
ACC not able to engage falsely reporting Seat Belt not buckled
Only recall now is to reprogram headlights to US standard, but this cannot be done via OTA that previous Tesla owners are expecting

I did not experience this that others reported:
2 cases of smoke from vents. One was taken to Germany and not returned back with full money back.
Rear hatch rattle with no fix at this time. Some able to wrap a paper napkin around the latch to stop it.
Rear doors do not open with fob or handle from outside.
12v battery dies after 10-days.
PDI not able to be completed, stuck at dealer for 2+ weeks.
Random error lights would come up in large numbers, requiring, lock and walk away.

 

[Speuk]

Given that I got a good reaction from @Speuk, let me provide some real-world data.

After driving 3 Macan EVs with issues that happened to me:

Body gaps, uneven paint, interior perforations do not match as if rear seats from another car
Doors do not close well and need multiple attempts
Charging port cover is not aligned
Plug and Charge does not work on any on the lot (even Porsche rep at dealer could not fix)
Full Charging Speed not available in the US across all Macan EVs (9.6kWh only vs. 11kWh)
2 Headlight setups: LED and Matrix LED with Auto High Beam standard but no Dynamic Cornering function (headlights do not swivel when turning) - are you kidding me!
Assistance Systems permanent error code light - cannot read speed limits!
ACC not able to engage falsely reporting Seat Belt not buckled
Only recall now is to reprogram headlights to US standard, but this cannot be done via OTA that previous Tesla owners are expecting

Given the fours years of experience on the Taycan it is shocking that Porsche cannot make a better job of the next EV ?

 

[SergeyIndy]

Given the fours years of experience on the Taycan it is shocking that Porsche cannot make a better job of the next EV ?

That is why it is so shocking. They should have so much experience and technology advancements at building a great car and a great EV. However, this 2-year delay, did no good, resulting in them rushing these things out the door like VW Tiguans. Where is AI to detect body gaps, paint issues, and sticking out charge covers?

Body gaps, paint mismatch, charge cover sticking out, and seat perforation mismatch are directly out of the Tiguan playbook that is acceptable on a VW product. However, the Range is something they could not overcome given pure physics of weight, size, and driving dynamics, but BMW 2026 iX just brought in a hulk of a battery at 113kWh and say people need range most.

Then come on, all this fancy lighting in the bumper, and no Dynamic cornering feature on a 2025 modern Porsche, a total cheap out of a move, and loads of confusion calling the Matrix LED setup a PDLS, which it is not without swiveling light beam.

 

[W1NGE]

Better get out of the Macan EV train quickly and get back into the Taycan.

Not sure what's happening in the EU, but here in the heartland of the USA, the market has spoken, as discounts already at 10% for lot cars, they are piling up, no line to get RWD/4/4S and only 2 people at my dealer waiting on Turbo slots and this is after 80 people list to get one, with me #1 on the list 2 years ago.

I drove RWD/4/4S for a day and returned each one early as it was a big disappointment with a list of issues, I lost count, but happy to provide some examples. And given, 2026 BMW iX out there, Macan EV is now way behind of the competition right out of the gate.

Range has been the biggest shocker, as Porsche has been very hush hush about it, letting youtubers drive it in perfect conditions at 70mph and claim 300-mile range. Not so fast, when the real world happens. One owner now, with worst possible setup and conditions, in Boston, Macan EV Turbo 22-inch, winter tires, wants to drive it like a Porsche at 80mph+ cannot even cover 150 miles on full charge. Then, get this, at 10% SoC it goes into full Turtle mode with aggressive power reduction, lights everywhere as it is end of the world, and limited speed to 50mph.

Not surprising given my weekend experience.

 

[DES_MX]

Better get out of the Macan EV train quickly and get back into the Taycan.

Not sure what's happening in the EU, but here in the heartland of the USA, the market has spoken, as discounts already at 10% for lot cars, they are piling up, no line to get RWD/4/4S and only 2 people at my dealer waiting on Turbo slots and this is after 80 people list to get one, with me #1 on the list 2 years ago.

I drove RWD/4/4S for a day and returned each one early as it was a big disappointment with a list of issues, I lost count, but happy to provide some examples. And given, 2026 BMW iX out there, Macan EV is now way behind of the competition right out of the gate.

Range has been the biggest shocker, as Porsche has been very hush hush about it, letting youtubers drive it in perfect conditions at 70mph and claim 300-mile range. Not so fast, when the real world happens. One owner now, with worst possible setup and conditions, in Boston, Macan EV Turbo 22-inch, winter tires, wants to drive it like a Porsche at 80mph+ cannot even cover 150 miles on full charge. Then, get this, at 10% SoC it goes into full Turtle mode with aggressive power reduction, lights everywhere as it is end of the world, and limited speed to 50mph.

Interesting feedback, I've driven my Macan4 in Amsterdam for about 2600km since September 2024 (travelling a lot and mainly driven my 2025 Panamera in Dubai). Have to say if comparing to the old Taycan and the Panamera - the Macan feels made of cheap plastic. While I haven't experienced full list of issues, here are some major ones:

- Bose speakers in Macan are way worse comapred to my 2025 Panamera., can't compare to old Taycan as it had full custom audio setup. In the Panamera (and old Taycan) I feel like sitting in a premium interior. In Macan I feel like sitting in a Q6 e-tron (test drove one recently) with base trim.

- Materials... door padding (below the arm rest) are made of thin plastic film, I grabbed it slightly with my watch by accident and it immedeately ripped a hole - seriously worse than KIA (and Kia isn't a bad brand lol). Maybe full leather fixes this, but the base one is horrible

- Doors indeed don't close. All 4! Not like 1 door, all of them. I have to slam them like on an old Opel for them to actually be shut. My 3.5 year old has better success than me, since he kinda slams everything at this age.

- Macan4 is relatively slow to accelerate. Its advertized as 408HP 650NM (so 150 NM more than my old Taycan4 and my 2025 Panamera), but in reality it takes forever to even reach 100kmh. All my Porsches accelerate 0.2-0.3 faster than factory speficiation. i.e. 2023 Taycan4 did 4.9 - 4.95 vs 5.1 and the Panamera is good 0.4 faster than factory spec since it hits consistently 0.7G on G-meter, and Macan 4 barely hits 0.64G. I think it just matches factory spec at 5.1-5.2

The good things are - its still the best SUV I actually drove still from the agility and stability on the road perspective, yet its playful and you can easily drift it without even disabling assists. HOWEVER - its far from what the 2023 Taycan4 could do - I remember just sending it into corners on highway exits or roundabouts, and it was a pure joy. Surely the 2025 model will be more of that.

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