Driving modes - is there an actual difference?

[thefunkygibbon]

Hiya,

Just wondering, outside of Range mode where it apparently only uses rear wheel motors (?) is there any actual difference between normal/sport/sport+ or are they all just predefined chassis/suspension/sport-sound etc which you can edit in the menus anyway?

Also , what is the point in being able to change those settings within the car menu for the different modes, when they don't save those settings, only individual saves?

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[figure1a]

Sport+ uses both gears in the transmission. Also, seems like more power is available as my battery drains faster in Sport+ or maybe that's just the effect of the car using the lower gear.

 

[chun]

Yes, there is a difference in how strong the cooling/heating system works to get the battery to optimal temperature. There is a difference in how much power is pulled from the battery.
There is also a difference in brakes and acceleration curve.

 

[Spyerx]

What I notice:
Normal - starts in 2nd unless you mat it (you can feel it downshift to first), regular height, soft suspension
Sport - uses first at start, sport chassis, more aggressive throttle mapping, I think it might lower it and put it in sport suspension
Sport + same as above but I can hear the cooling system go hard, sport + shocks, regen is turned on, etc.

So basically, the car does some more things with the knob vs. just changing in the PCM a few things like chassis.

Many of the changes are described in the owner manual under "Drive Mode"

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Sport & Sport+ use the lower gear from 0 up to about 65mph. Normal only uses the higher gear unless you accelerate hard. So it will take off more quickly without the need to change down if you use a sport mode. Sport+ also seems to deliver more power more smoothly with a more sensitive accelerator although I don’t use it much. Also pre set chassis tweaks and lift off regen in sport modes

 

[thefunkygibbon]

cool thanks guys. yeah I get that the options which are able to be changed are ...changed from mode to mode ride height and suspension stiffness etc. but knowing it changes the mapping and other bits might make it so that I'd be more inclined to base my "individual" off of normal rather than sport etc to get slightly better range at the detriment to other, more fun, aspects. . I'll have a bit more playing about to find out what works best then

 

[chun]

cool thanks guys. yeah I get that the options which are able to be changed are ...changed from mode to mode ride height and suspension stiffness etc. but knowing it changes the mapping and other bits might make it so that I'd be more inclined to base my "individual" off of normal rather than sport etc to get slightly better range at the detriment to other, more fun, aspects. . I'll have a bit more playing about to find out what works best then

My individual is based of of sport mode, and I achieve similar consumption to normal mode driving.

Maybe 10km less range if even that.

Sport power, lowered all the way, suspension on the most comfortable setting possible

I never fiddle with the air; it’s been on 22 degrees since it got shipped ?

 

[thefunkygibbon]

My individual is based of of sport mode, and I achieve similar consumption to normal mode driving.

Maybe 10km less range if even that.

Sport power, lowered all the way, suspension on the most comfortable setting possible

I never fiddle with the air; it’s been on 22 degrees since it got shipped ?

pretty much exactly what I've done!

 

[AnloTaycan2022]

cool thanks guys. yeah I get that the options which are able to be changed are ...changed from mode to mode ride height and suspension stiffness etc. but knowing it changes the mapping and other bits might make it so that I'd be more inclined to base my "individual" off of normal rather than sport etc to get slightly better range at the detriment to other, more fun, aspects. . I'll have a bit more playing about to find out what works best then

In Sport+ you also stay longer in the first gear before it shifts to second than in Sport mode

The one mode that is now with not much change is between Normal and Range. Both now stays in propulsion mode and starts in second gear unless you press it hard, and both will downgrade to first gear if you press it hard under approx 60 or 70km/hr. The interior heating/air conditioning system goes to eco automatically in range which is now most of the difference. When they introduced the Taycan the Normal mode was always 4 wheel drive but starting in second gear. They changed the software of that in summer 2022 to improve range if my memory is correct such that the normal mode is now only propulsion unless you press it hard on the accelarator.

 

[thefunkygibbon]

what do you mean by propulsion mode? rear wheel drive only (or front?) rather than all 4? so if I'm a my22 (late 2021) will that mean that my car doesn't go into 2 wheel only in range mode?

 

[AnloTaycan2022]

what do you mean by propulsion mode? rear wheel drive only (or front?) rather than all 4? so if I'm a my22 (late 2021) will that mean that my car doesn't go into 2 wheel only in range mode?

Yes rear wheel drive = propulsion

 

[mystermykee]

Some things outside of what you can see/feel like throttle response, suspension, ride height, A/C etc....

Drive mode also affects PTM, PTV/RAS if optioned, your headlights if you have PDLS+, and the spoiler (@chun ?)

 

[AnloTaycan2022]

If you are up to date with all software updates done at the dealer your car is the same as mine and range and normal are as described

 

[W1NGE]

what do you mean by propulsion mode? rear wheel drive only (or front?) rather than all 4? so if I'm a my22 (late 2021) will that mean that my car doesn't go into 2 wheel only in range mode?

Range mode is not what it used to be in the early days where the front motor (being smaller) provided the drive.

Porsche then messed around with it to the point where all AWD Taycans are rear wheel drive biased and the front motor in standby when in Range mode.

Note that Range mode lowers the car to the lowest setting, sets AC to Eco Plus (or can be configured to Eco), caps the max speed to a value of your choice, disables rear AC if no occupants and will dim the headlights if running on vapour.

Depending on state of charge it can alter reported range by a few miles. Factor in ambient temp, weather, battery health and driving conditions you'll quickly wonder what the point of it is.

Coasting is more efficient.

 

[f1eng]

I never use range mode, the extra range is too small to put up with the poor low speed ride.
Normal on my CT4S is an excellent compromise for my daily use around here, with the ride/body control compromise being excellent (bravo Porsche engineers).
I use Sport infrequently and have only used Sport+ on a circuit.

I haven't used any individual modes having set up racing cars for multiple World Champions I know neither my driving talent nor my ability to optimally set up a road car makes it very unlikely I would do better than the supplied settings

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