Audi RS e-tron Performance Vs. Porsche Taycan Turbo: The Cheaper Car Wins

The first electric car Porsche designed was the Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton way back in 1898, which managed 22 mph and could go 50 miles on a charge. The Taycan sedan is the first electric Porsche in the mainstream consciousness, and has been around since the 2020 model year. Two years after, Audi launched the Taycan-based e-tron GT, sharing its platform and electrical architecture, with shared electric powertrains differentiated to suit.

Read more Musk sent governments a message about the robot economy

The 2027 model comes only in RS e-tron Performance guise and compares closely to the Taycan Turbo trim. These trims make for the only intriguing comparison; the Audi RS e-tron GT vs. the Porsche Taycan Turbo S would be a mismatch on price, with a huge $50K gap between them, while the Turbo S is only $14K more expensive than the Audi. Picking a winner from these two is less straightforward than you might imagine.

2027 Audi RS e-tron GT Vs. Porsche Taycan Turbo: Design and Execution

The Porsche badge can lure one into thinking irrationally, but in the cold light of day, there is little doubt that the e-tron GT is the more striking car to casual observers. We think the RS e-tron Performance looks spectacular, with its bulging fenders, wheel-arch blisters and a flat, body-color interpretation of the Audi Singleframe grille. The slimmer headlights and more dramatically stylish taillights make it a victory for the Audi, in our opinion.

The Taycan is distinctly Porsche, and looks squat and purposeful too, but without the Audi’s visual drama. The 4-point front DRLs are distinctly Porsche, and the proportions are very similar to the Audi’s, because the two cars share a platform and basic dimensions.

Audi e-tron Performance Vs. Porsche Taycan Turbo: Performance, Efficiency, and Charging

The RS e-tron GT Performance is the flagship e-tron GT – and the only 2027 trim remaining. Conversely, the Taycan Turbo is not the quickest Taycan; there are a 938-hp Turbo S and 1,019-hp Turbo GT above it, topping out at nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

It cannot be closer, and performance feels similarly blistering. The Audi edges out the Taycan on acceleration, but has a slightly lower limited top speed and loses out 14 miles on range due to marginally lower efficiency. The Porsche prioritizes body control and sharp steering, and feels sportier and more firmly tied down. The Audi is a touch more compliant and relaxed, deals with everyday driving on scarred surfaces better, and slips more easily into the grand touring role.

Both ride on adaptive air suspension, and the Porsche is never harsh, but it’s tighter and more focused, and will feel more at home on the track. The Audi’s balance between handling sharpness and everyday livability makes it the better choice for most people. We have test-driven both cars, so read our impressions of the Audi here, and of the Porsche here.

Performance Hardware

The Audi has the edge, with larger wheels and, importantly, standard carbon-ceramic brakes and rear-wheel steering, which would add $7,680 to the Taycan’s price.

Read more Family mourns Sacramento woman killed by stalker: ‘Her presence mattered deeply’

Features and Space

The Audi is the best-equipped, adding features such as 3-zone climate control, a better audio system, a carbon-fiber roof, ventilated front seats, a head-up display, a surround-view camera, and more, though the Taycan counters with larger digital displays, more rear-seat legroom, and a larger trunk.

Price Comparison

The two cars have been trading blows evenly up to this point, and many would have felt that the Porsche name is worth the feature deficit if the prices were similar – but they’re not. The RS e-tron GT starts at $170,500 before options, and the Taycan Turbo is $184,600. This isn’t the whole story, though, as the Porsche is also significantly worse equipped.

Features the Audi has as standard that you pay extra for on the Porsche include carbon-ceramic brakes ($6,270), a surround-view camera ($1,670), a head-up display ($1,760), 3-zone climate control (the Porsche offers 4-zone for $1,080), ventilated front seats ($900), rear-wheel steering ($1,410), and more. Upgrading the Porsche to the Audi’s level will nudge the price to around $200K, which is a significant $30K difference.

Final Verdict

Porsche clearly charges a premium for a worse-equipped car in exchange for a Porsche logo on the hood. In every rational way, the Audi RS e-tron is a better car. It’s more comfortable in everyday use, it’s better equipped, it looks better to most eyes, and it’s $14K cheaper than the Porsche, even before you add all the missing features, which increases the pricing gulf to over $30,000. Its only negatives include tighter rear-seat space, a smaller trunk, and smaller digital displays.

It’s debatable whether the Taycan’s racier track feel is all that important in a big electric sedan, and it doesn’t have the Audi’s standard carbon-ceramic brakes and rear-wheel steering to justify the track angle. If the lure of the Porsche badge is irresistible, this comparison may very well be a moot point. For anybody else, you can get the top-flight RS e-tron GT with way more kit and $30K of change compared to a similarly specced Taycan Turbo.

Due to serious problems within the VW Group, the Taycan’s future may be in jeopardy, and would probably mean the e-tron GT’s demise with it; the U.S. lineups of both have already been trimmed. But right now, the consumer is still faced with this impossible choice for under $200K. Which will it be?

Read more SC man dies after overnight shooting in Columbia, police say

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.