What's the best alternative to the Taycan?

[laua]

I drove the i4 and i5 on one of those BMW hosted experience days. The i5 was noticeably floaty and nowhere near as good as the Taycan or even the gasoline 5 series they also had. Probably still a good family car but I don’t see it as a Taycan competitor. More an EQE competitor.

The i4 was pretty good. It felt nimbler than the i5 and definetly fun to drive. Still feels close to a regular 3 series in a good way, just a touch higher CoG if I had to guess (didn’t have the IC version to drive back to back). Could be a close alternative but doesn’t give me the visceral excitement of the Taycan.

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[Leccy61]

@laua agree on the i4 feels good (for me the 40 over the 50) but with the skateboard deck beneath you it is inevitably a little higher and the steering feel a bit numb to me.

With the i5 assume you didn’t drive a car with DHP as per @bluesky?

 

[AceArora]

I've had enough now so ready to bail out, cut my losses and get rid of this car.

Nav doesn't work, no fix until June if we're lucky. I've had all the recalls, new windscreen from manufacturing fault, it's been in the OPC more than any other car I've owned, there are squeaks and rattles coming, and now the LTE is broken and they can't book me in until mid-March (they said mid-April until I pointed out I'm already booked in mid-March for something else). Porsche service (here in the UK at least) is rubbish, and while the car is a joy to drive the tech backing it up is just woeful. I don't trust the car not to let me down and I'm sick to death of wasting day after day driving to/from the OPC.

So - what do folks think is the closed EV alternative to the Taycan? I'm looking for a similar mix of driving experience/performance and prestige. Money not necessarily an object but in an ideal world I wouldn't lose 70k in 3 years again (though EVs are still developing fast, so they'll all depreciate as tech gets better)

My only other thought is to get in to a 911 GTS with the new T-Hybrid engine, but that doesn't sort the "we can't look at your broken car for 2 months if you want a loan vehicle, or a month if not" issue.

Look at the Lotus eletre. ive had my eye on that for a while. so far my taycan has been mostly trouble free but the lotus eletreis my next car hopefully. looks like a lambo urus. lotus is owned by same parent company who also make polestar and the LEVC so good electric background.

 

[H@wk]

Not responding directly to the OP—just building on what others have shared.

Yesterday evening I drove up to my mountain cabin in the Taycan. Even after five years, I still genuinely enjoy driving it. I’ve attached a short clip done by my wife showing the current conditions here. With Nokia studded tires, the car feels controlled and predictable on icy, snow-covered roads in subzero temperatures. Driving it for nearly four hours straight was simply a pleasure.

That also highlights the “problem”: what other cars truly compare?

Charging, however, was less seamless. I had to try three different chargers before finding one that worked—hardly the car’s fault. Even in Norway, charging infrastructure can be unreliable. Chargers develop faults, and harsh weather takes its toll. Years ago, I never had issues filling up my old BMW diesel.

Last fall I received a new charging card from Stuttgart. I hadn’t paid much attention to it, since networks tend to use different billing systems and juggling multiple apps is usually part of any longer trip. This time, though, I decided to try the Porsche card—and it worked flawlessly across the different charging providers. Credit where it’s due: well done, Stuttgart.

 

[RacingDuck]

For PAR there are very few cars that have anything similar. From EV the Niio ET7 has it, I am not sure what else.

Yangwang U9 can jumpstart with its suspension

 

[laua]

@laua agree on the i4 feels good (for me the 40 over the 50) but with the skateboard deck beneath you it is inevitably a little higher and the steering feel a bit numb to me.

With the i5 assume you didn’t drive a car with DHP as per @bluesky?

That’s probably true. I have no idea what options it had but based on the description I’d guess that’s the case. IIRC it was a standard i5, not the m60.

I’m dying for the neue klasse EV m4. I think that’s going to be the only real Taycan competitor. At least until the neue klasse m5 comes!

 

[bn8959]

Not responding directly to the OP—just building on what others have shared.

Yesterday evening I drove up to my mountain cabin in the Taycan. Even after five years, I still genuinely enjoy driving it. I’ve attached a short clip done by my wife showing the current conditions here. With Nokia studded tires, the car feels controlled and predictable on icy, snow-covered roads in subzero temperatures. Driving it for nearly four hours straight was simply a pleasure.

That also highlights the “problem”: what other cars truly compare?

Charging, however, was less seamless. I had to try three different chargers before finding one that worked—hardly the car’s fault. Even in Norway, charging infrastructure can be unreliable. Chargers develop faults, and harsh weather takes its toll. Years ago, I never had issues filling up my old BMW diesel.

Last fall I received a new charging card from Stuttgart. I hadn’t paid much attention to it, since networks tend to use different billing systems and juggling multiple apps is usually part of any longer trip. This time, though, I decided to try the Porsche card—and it worked flawlessly across the different charging providers. Credit where it’s due: well done, Stuttgart.

Great tune - The XX

 

[Maximilian]

Not responding directly to the OP—just building on what others have shared.

Yesterday evening I drove up to my mountain cabin in the Taycan. Even after five years, I still genuinely enjoy driving it. I’ve attached a short clip done by my wife showing the current conditions here. With Nokia studded tires, the car feels controlled and predictable on icy, snow-covered roads in subzero temperatures. Driving it for nearly four hours straight was simply a pleasure.

That also highlights the “problem”: what other cars truly compare?

Charging, however, was less seamless. I had to try three different chargers before finding one that worked—hardly the car’s fault. Even in Norway, charging infrastructure can be unreliable. Chargers develop faults, and harsh weather takes its toll. Years ago, I never had issues filling up my old BMW diesel.

Last fall I received a new charging card from Stuttgart. I hadn’t paid much attention to it, since networks tend to use different billing systems and juggling multiple apps is usually part of any longer trip. This time, though, I decided to try the Porsche card—and it worked flawlessly across the different charging providers. Credit where it’s due: well done, Stuttgart.

Looks amazing) went to Bergen this summer and do remember having to wait a few times at the charging stations) at least you guys have loads of them compared to places like south of Italy of some parts of eastern Europe

 

[Mikegrr]

How about the Chinese Xiaomi SU7, too bad it’s not available outside China yet. Half the cost and same performance

 

[Bognar67]

How about the Chinese Xiaomi SU7, too bad it’s not available outside China yet. Half the cost and same performance

Taycan is "half a cost" already: 20-25% discount + 20-25% depreciation as soon as rolls out on the door of the dealership.

 

[mystermykee]

How about the Chinese Xiaomi SU7, too bad it’s not available outside China yet. Half the cost and same performance

I think you accidentally shared a picture of a Taycan. Or....McLaren? I can't tell.

 

[Jasper4S]

I think you accidentally shared a picture of a Taycan. Or....McLaren? I can't tell.

To me, it feels like comparing a Suzuki Jimny to a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. They share some design similarities, but they are entirely different cars catering to different budgets and preferences. I don’t believe a Taycan customer would choose between these two options.

 

[Mikegrr]

In China they would. Taycan sales in China are way down.

 

[sbarker108]

I'd consider a Polestar 5. Direct competitor in terms of format, size, and power, for the lesser models anyway. Looks really nice, interior typical minimalist affair. I have a 3 and it's a great car.

 

[logic]

Well, ain't that something. Twelve pages of searching without finding an alternative? Makes you wonder why many people have jumped ship.

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