Complexity is exhausting.
Look around. Every device, every dashboard, every digital assistant feels like it’s screaming for your attention, demanding you speak its language so some “agentic AI” can process your request.
It’s tiresome.
Sometimes you just want to drive.
Not be driven.
The 2025 Porsche Tay 4 fits this mood perfectly. It strips away some of the highest-tier tech bloat. No active ride height suspension? Fine. It means you get to focus on the road.
On the asphalt.
Away from the algorithmic noise of Gemini or whatever is trending this week. It’s a clean break. A reset button in electric car form.
The Entry Ticket
Introduced for 2025, the Taycan 4 serves as the more affordable gateway to all-wheel-drive Porsche electrification.
Compared to the sharper 4S, at least.
“Affordable” is doing heavy lifting here.
Starting at $108,990 is hardly small change. It won’t fit in a couch cushion. It probably requires a mortgage discussion.
Still. It’s the second-cheapest Taycan.
So don’t expect the specs to dazzle like the thousand-plus-horsepower Turbo GT. The numbers are solid, but they’re not fireworks.
Performance That Delivers
Two motors. Front. Rear.
Together they make 429 horsepower and 449 pound-feet of torque.
It’s quick. Really quick.
The quarter mile passes in 12.4 seconds, topping out at 113 mph on the clock. But the real story is in the everyday metrics.
We beat Porsche’s 0-60 estimate by a significant 0.4 seconds. 4.0 seconds flat.
That feels immediate. Violent, even, for a sedan.
- 5-to-60 mph: +0.3 seconds
- 30-to-50 mph (on-ramp pass): 1.6 seconds
- 50-to-70 mph: 2.2 seconds
And here is the kicker. You won’t feel the two-speed transmission shifting.
It’s invisible. The power is just there.
Range Reality
Batteries have improved for the 2025 lineup.
Our test car wore the 97-kWh Performance Battery. That was a $5,980 upgrade.
It buys you cells. It buys you range.
EPA estimates put it at 294 miles.
Don’t compare this to the Lucid Air. Or the defunct Model S plusses. It’s not that efficient.
But in our highway testing? The numbers stretch. We squeezed 330 miles out of the sharper Taycan 4S in similar conditions. We bet the 4 follows suit. It will likely overachieve.
DC charging caps out at a robust 320 kilowatts.
The Drive
Here is the truth.
The Taycan 4 is a joy to drive.
You can’t get Porsche’s Active Ride suspension on this model. You have to step up to the 4S for that.
Does it matter?
The standard adaptive air suspension keeps things flat. It absorbs Ann Arbor’s rough roads without feeling stiff. Without feeling disconnected.
Shod in Hankook summer rubber (21-inch wheels front and rear), we pulled a respectable 0.96 g on the skidpad.
Corner entry? Confident.
Corner exit? Smooth.
Steering is sharp, with a natural feel. No twitchiness on the interstate. No vague center zone.
Throttle control is nuanced. Want instant reaction? Toggle Sport+ mode. It wakes up.
Braking is… traditional.
You press the pedal.
There is a “coast” setting for regen that mimics combustion engines. But there is no one-pedal driving.
Some people will hate this. Some will find it refreshing.
We find it refreshing. You don’t need a foot brake that jerks the passenger forward to call it a good drive.
The Taycan 4 proves that less technology can sometimes mean more fun.
Looks and Cabin
Inside, it’s quiet. Not loud tech-wise. Quiet, as in restrained.
Outside, the curves are aggressive. The front fenders bulge near your windshield. It looks fast standing still.
Rear visibility is terrible.
Look out the back window and it’s like staring through a medieval arrow slit. Don’t even try it.
Cargo space? Tight.
It’s a car-sized box. Not a minivan.
Between the frunk, the trunk, and split-folding rear seats… we moved six hanging baskets home from a garden center. With room to spare for a seventh.
Impressive for a sports sedan.
The Verdict on Value
The interior feels better than recent Porsches. Less plastic. Less screen clutter.
Though the second screen for climate controls feels unnecessary. Absorb it into the main interface. Clean up the dashboard.
Here is where we get serious about the price.
Our test car cost $138,005.
Why?
- 21-inch Aero wheels added $4,850
- Leather-free interior added $2,280
- Premium Package added $7,140 (includes soft-close doors, Bose audio, ventilated seats, surround cameras)
This car is more expensive than the 590-hp Taycan 4S.
Think about that.
If you have the cash? Buy the 4S. The power difference is massive.
The Taycan 4 makes no financial sense if you load it with every option Porsche sells. Skip the aero wheels. Buy the options individually.
So, Is It For You?
Maybe not.
If you are on the fence between this and a 4S, buy the 4S. Get the Active Ride. Get the extra juice.
But if you want a Porsche that feels like a car? Not a data center with wheels?
This works.
It’s efficient enough. It looks sharp. It drives sharper than it has any right to.
And you get to drive it. Without asking Siri to turn up the heat.
Note: Car and Driver helps you find inventory, but the math above is up to you.
