Porsche Taycan Turbo, Turbo S facelift review: Turbo-charged

    Porsche’s EV gets subtle styling changes, but there are some significant updates hidden under its sleek skin.

    Published on Mar 14, 2025 08:00:00 AM

    2,220 Views

    Make : Porsche
    Model : Taycan
    We Like
    • Staggering straight line performance
    • Ride and handling balance
    We Don't Like
    • Pricey post optional extras

    Then Porsche first introduced the Taycan, the enthusiasts said it was sacrilege. How could Porsche, renowned for some of the best ICE sports cars in history, slap its crest on a four-door, two-tonne electric sedan? But as usual, Porsche has proven naysayers wrong, as the Taycan is now known as the enthusiasts’ EV of choice.

    We can attest to that after setting the fastest lap time by an EV at the Buddh International Circuit in it, racing it against a sailing boat, and even drag-racing it against its petrol-powered stablemates. But Porsche is not one to rest on its laurels. There’s an updated version with even more performance now, and we sampled its Turbo and Turbo S variants in and around Dubai to see what to expect.

    2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo facelift exterior design

    The rear bumper and light signature have been mildly altered.

    You’ll have to be a real Porsche nerd to spot the design differences on this facelift; they are so subtle. It has more aero-efficient bumpers on the front and back, tweaked headlamps that now get LED Matrix tech as standard, a revised rear light bar and new colour and wheel options.

    Porsche Taycan Price, Mileage, Specifications, Features and Variants
    BrandPorsche
    Model NameTaycan
    Porsche Taycan Price₹ 1.75 - 2.68 crore
    Porsche Taycan Range/MileageElectric : 408 - 453km
    Porsche Taycan SpecificationsSedan | 4 doors | 4 seats
    View All Specs
    Porsche Taycan FeaturesLED headlight | 10.9-inch Touchscreen display | 10 airbags
    View All Features
    Porsche Taycan VariantsEV | EV 4S | EV Turbo
    View All Variants

    Porsche lettering on tailgate lights up

    There’s even an option to illuminate the Porsche lettering at the back, which looks quite cool, and the Turbo and Turbo S also get the new ‘Turbonite’ satin-matte accents, which feature on the logo, too.

    2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo facelift interior and features

    Active air suspension aids cabin entry

    There’s good room behind, but you’re seated in a low and knees-up position.

    Before I even got inside, the Taycan showed off one of its party tricks. Air suspension is standard fit, but Taycans can now be equipped with the optional Porsche Active Ride system, which instantly lifts it off the ground by 55mm to ease entry into the cabin. While 55mm may not sound much, it makes a big difference, given how low-slung the Taycan is.

    The updated UI is more user-friendly; there are ‘Turbonite’ Porsche badges inside and on the exterior.

    The interior is more or less the same, but there are changes to the interface for the infotainment screens to make it more user-friendly. The Turbo and Turbo S also get the Porsche emblem finished in ‘Turbonite’, much like on the exterior, and buyers can opt for a fully leather interior or one with sustainable materials, in line with the EV’s green cred. The car retains its four-screen layout, including one for the passenger, which gets a special coating so that it can’t distract the driver. The rear seat has good room, but the seating position is low and knees-up.

    2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo facelift ride and handling

    'Leans' while cornering to minimise body movement

    The Taycan's handling belies its near-2.3-ton kerb weight.

    Circling back to the new Porsche Active Ride, this system is a technological marvel. Sure, Dubai’s pristine roads aren’t the best place to judge a car’s ride, but the Taycan walks the tightrope between handling and comfort with precision like few others. Around bends, it ‘leans’ like a motorcycle to maximise corner speed, and it also compensates for body movements like squatting and diving while accelerating or braking. The entire system is so clever that it does without anti-roll bars. And despite sitting on huge 21-inch wheels (Turbo S), the ride feels quite supple.

    Carbon ceramic brakes are standard fitments

    Handling is typical Porsche, which means the Taycan corners flat, and there’s tremendous grip, too. With the way it changes direction, you won’t be able to tell it weighs nearly 2.3 tonnes. That, coupled with the sharp and responsive steering, makes it the best-handling four-door EV on the market. The brakes are immense as well, and you get a good feel from the pedal. It’s worth noting that the Turbo S gets carbon ceramic brakes as standard.

    2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo facelift performance

    0-100kph takes 2.7 seconds

    Immediate power delivery helps the Taycan Turbo S match the 911 Turbo's performance.

    On the move, the Taycan Turbo feels absolutely manic. With a max output of 884hp and 890Nm from its dual-motor setup, there’s always so much power in reserve that you can barely floor the throttle for a couple of seconds before doing illegal speeds. Mind you, the limit is 120kph in certain parts of the UAE. From a standstill, 100kph is dismissed in just 2.7 seconds – that’s as quick as the 992-gen 911 Turbo!

    And as it’s an EV, there’s no delay or lag in performance. Moreover, the clever Porsche Torque Vectoring system keeps all wheels in check without losing traction. That makes acceleration almost a non-event, aside from the ferocity with which it launches forward – that simply scrambles your brain. But there’s no getting away from the distinctive lack of sound, which, in a Porsche of all the cars, is essential to the driving experience.

    Taycan Turbo S develops 952hp and up to 1,110Nm

    Next up is the Turbo S, which dials things up even further. Power is now up to an eye-watering 952hp (from 761hp) while torque is up to 1,110Nm (from 1,050Nm) with the ‘Overboost’ or push-to-pass function, which gives you full power for up to 10 seconds. The difference in performance between the Turbo and Turbo S is like splitting hairs. Porsche will tell you that the S does 0-100kph in just 2.4 seconds, 0.3 seconds quicker than the Turbo, but the truth is that both feel equally relentless.

    2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo facelift battery, range, and charging

    It now gets a larger yet lighter battery, more efficient regen braking and can accept charge up to 320kW.

    Besides the added performance, Taycans now get a larger 105kWh ‘performance’ battery that weighs less than the older 93kWh unit, revised electronics and more efficient regenerative braking. The results are more range and quicker charging times.

    Charging speeds bumped up by 50kW

    Both the Turbo and Turbo S have a combined claimed range of up to 630km (WLTP), but in urban conditions, the former is claimed to give up to 683km and the latter up to 691km. Both can accept charge at speeds of up to 320kW, up 50kW from before, and the max regen capacity is also said to have improved by 30 percent.

    2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo facelift price and verdict

    Taycan Turbo S not coming to India

    While the Taycan Turbo S isn't on the cards for India, the base 2WD, 4S, and Turbo are on sale here.

    In India, Porsche sells the Taycan 4S for Rs 1.89 crore and the Taycan Turbo for Rs 2.52 crore; the base two-wheel-drive variant is due for a launch soon. However, Porsche won’t offer the Turbo S or the Nürburgring record-holding Taycan Turbo GT here.

    Nevertheless, the performance from the more ‘regular’ Turbo is mind-numbingly fast, and the Taycan remains the most electrifying EV out there. The updates have only made it more compelling. Not only is it quicker, but it also has more range, can charge faster and has more tech. It remains the enthusiasts’ EV of choice – for a price, of course.

    Also see:

    2025 Porsche Taycan facelift video review

    New Porsche petrol and hybrid SUV in the works

    Tech Specs

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