Gold is so in proper now. It’s turn into a well-liked new automobile coloration for the stylish luxurious set, and I’m not simply saying that as a result of I purchased myself a shocking gold automobile earlier this yr. Within the vogue and structure industries, gold is having a renewed second. Hell, precise gold simply hit an all-time excessive. I’m additionally pondering of gold as a result of it’s awards season, my private favourite season, and we’re coming off of a improbable Olympics. If there have been an automotive Olympics, or an automotive Oscar to present out, the 2025 Porsche Taycan GTS would take residence the gold — and never simply due to this one’s paint-to-sample Nordic Gold paint.
There are electrical vehicles on the market with extra outrageous efficiency and pace, there are fashions which can be sillier and extra hoonable, there are definitely ones which can be cheaper. But when what you’re searching for is the perfect general efficiency EV, for those who can solely give out one award or one thing has to get gold, it’s the up to date Taycan GTS. Whereas not one of the new stuff for the Taycan’s 2025 facelift is a complete gamechanger (properly, besides one factor), it’s a complete replace that makes an incredible automobile even higher.
Full disclosure: Porsche flew me to Atlanta, drove me out to northern Georgia and put me up in a pleasant lodge so I might drive the 2025 Taycan GTS and 2025 911 Carrera T. They even took us to a restaurant with German-style pretzels.
From the skin, you’d be forgiven for not pondering a lot has modified. The GTS shares its entrance finish with different non-Turbo Taycans, and whereas I wasn’t a giant fan of the redesigned bumper at first I feel it’s rising on me, although that might simply be due to this excellent gold paint. You get extra black and Anthracite Gray trim bits, the Sport Design splitter and totally different finishes for the wheels, however that’s about it. That Porsche aspect stripe is a $460 possibility; if that’s not cool sufficient, you may spend $1,210 on a Taycan decal set with a extra dynamic design that provides a stripe throughout the hood and the roof as properly.
For 2025 the Taycan GTS now makes 690 horsepower and 582 pound-feet when utilizing launch management (or 596 hp and 534 lb-ft in regular driving), a rise of 100 hp over each final yr’s GTS and what you get within the 2025 Taycan 4S. Each new Taycan has a extra highly effective rear-axle motor and bigger battery packs, with the GTS solely being provided with the larger 105-kWh pack that’s non-compulsory on lowlier Taycans. Porsche says the GTS will now hit 60 mph in simply 3.1 seconds, 4 tenths faster than earlier than, and go on to a quarter-mile run of 11.1 seconds, nearly a full second faster than earlier than — and each of these figures really feel conservative in the true world. The best way the Taycan GTS accelerates is intense, not simply when utilizing launch management, and I like the kick you get when the two-speed transmission shifts. Regardless of the wild quantity of energy, crucially the GTS doesn’t really feel too quick to truly use in the true world. You actually don’t want the 871 horsepower of the Turbo, although that automobile’s 2.5-second 0-to-60 time positively is entertaining.
As a part of the usual Sport Chrono bundle, a brand new push-to-pass button within the steering wheel’s drive mode dial unlocks 93 horsepower of additional juice for as much as 10 seconds, and it raises the torque to the launch-control determine. It does make a noticeable distinction if it’s worthwhile to cross a slow-moving car or need to actually blast out of a nook, plus the accompanying sounds and animated countdown timer within the gauge cluster are enjoyable. When you spec the non-compulsory GT Sport steering wheel it comes with a pair of paddles, one in every of which prompts the push-to-pass operate and is unquestionably simpler than reaching for the button.
Porsche nonetheless doesn’t do regenerative braking within the vein of different EVs, the place the automobile will start to decelerate while you let off the accelerator, and I nonetheless assume that’s a disgrace, however it’s not as disappointing when your brakes are as rattling good as Porsche’s are. This specific Taycan GTS has the non-compulsory $9,070 carbon-ceramic brakes (add on an additional $910 for the black calipers) and they’re a number of the greatest in the marketplace. There’s no fade, no squeaks, no aggressive tip-in, no jerky operation; simply linear pedal really feel and exceptionally sturdy braking energy. The Taycan won’t have the regen you’re used to, however it’s now in a position to recuperate as much as 400 kW of power beneath braking, and I can really feel that recuperation working to assist sluggish me down once I stomp on the left pedal.
The Taycan GTS’ steering is just wonderful, with nice suggestions and a pleasant quantity of heft whereas nonetheless feeling mild and darty. It’s straightforward to make fast corrections, and the non-compulsory $1,340 rear-axle steering helps the Taycan really feel smaller than it’s. It steers similar to every other Porsche sports activities automobile, and the tall fenders and low hood offer you an identical view out to that of a 911, making the Taycan straightforward to position. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus is included on each GTS, supplying you with an electronically managed rear differential lock that may variably distribute torque between the rear wheels, additional aiding within the automobile’s maneuverability and letting me get on the facility earlier when cornering. The Pirelli P Zero summer season tires on this GTS’ 21-inch wheels provide tons of grip, too.
As normal the Taycan GTS has Porsche’s Lively Suspension Administration, an adaptive air setup, however for those who shell out $7,150 you will get the brand new Lively Trip setup, which is genuinely magical and the gamechanger I discussed earlier than. As an alternative of utilizing conventional anti-roll bars, the energetic dampers every have an electronically managed hydraulic motor pump that may alter compression, rebound and experience peak in milliseconds. This provides the Taycan improbable experience high quality irrespective of the highway circumstances, and there’s primarily zero physique roll. Within the Regular drive mode you may have the Taycan lean into corners like a motorbike, which is great on extremely banked mountain roads, and it will possibly additionally preserve the automobile completely flat beneath arduous acceleration or braking — each are belongings you won’t discover till it’s identified to you or till the programs are turned off and again on once more, however when you expertise them, you received’t need to return. These capabilities are unavailable in Sport and Sport Plus as Porsche desires the automobile to carry out in a standard method, which I get, however it’s nonetheless a little bit of a disgrace. Lively Trip’s greatest social gathering trick is its capability to immediately elevate the experience peak by over two inches when one of many doorways is opened.
The one factor we don’t but know in regards to the 2025 Taycan GTS is its vary, however it’s straightforward to make a guess. The Taycan 4S has an estimated vary of 295 miles whereas the Turbo will do 292 miles, so the GTS needs to be rated at just below 300. With a 98-percent cost, this automobile confirmed a spread of 274 miles, and at 74 % after 58 miles of driving (a few of that driving being very quick) it displayed a 173-mile vary. Each 2025 Taycan is ready to cost quicker regardless of having bigger batteries, because of a brand new warmth pump and software program tweaks, with Porsche saying it should take simply 18 minutes to go from 10 to 80 % when charging on the Taycan’s new peak of 320 kW, or a still-brisk 33 minutes at a 150-kW charger.
At $149,895 to start out together with $1,995 for vacation spot, the Taycan GTS sits completely between the $120,495 Taycan 4S and the $175,595 Taycan Turbo. Choice a 4S as much as the GTS’ normal gear degree and the GTS appears much more like a discount, particularly when you issue within the additional energy and GTS-specific chassis tweaks. In fact, it’s straightforward to ship any Taycan’s pricetag into the stratosphere — this Nordic Gold one has an MSRP of $211,055, which is $100 greater than a Taycan Turbo S’ beginning worth, and it doesn’t even have all of the fanciest inside leather-based choices or exterior carbon-fiber components.
I might have gone with a Goldilocks metaphor for my intro, which does have “gold” in it, and I nearly used the phrase “candy spot” within the hed, in a understanding foolish manner, in fact. I dare you to discover a single evaluation of any fashionable Porsche GTS mannequin the place the creator doesn’t describe the automobile as “the candy spot” of the lineup. Hell, even in Porsche’s pre-drive product briefing for the up to date 2025 Taycan GTS, that phrase was used a number of instances. It’s correct, although. The GTS won’t be probably the most highly effective Taycan, or probably the most environment friendly Taycan, or probably the most inexpensive Taycan, however it‘s probably the most well-rounded, particularly for those who care about driving.
And if wagons are your factor, the Taycan GTS is even simpler to resolve on. Whereas different Taycan trims are provided in Cross Turismo guise, which all have a barely increased experience peak and extra physique cladding and fender flares, the GTS is the one Taycan out there as a Sport Turismo wagon sans cladding. The GTS has had the best take charge for the wagon out of the whole Taycan lineup, with 19 % of pre-facelift GTS clients selecting the Sport Turismo. (The wagon made up 12 % of the bottom trim gross sales, 7 % of the 4S, 4 % of the Turbo and 10 % of Turbo S.) It solely prices $1,900 additional to get the GTS Sport Turismo over the sedan. Do it.
