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Porsche Taycan driver's view is unmistakably 911 Porsche Taycan driver's view is unmistakably 911

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Porsche Taycan’s touchscreens are not like Tesla’s, but that’s a good thing

Porsche Taycan curved digital instrument cluster | Credit: Porsche

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Porsche has released teaser images of the Taycan’s interior, and the reception from the electric vehicle community has been somewhat mixed. The cabin of the upcoming all-electric sports car is arguably the most forward-thinking among Porsche’s lineup. It is also not difficult to see that the German carmaker adopted a theme that is notably different compared to Tesla’s ubiquitous and minimalistic cabin, but that is a good thing. 

When Porsche was designing the Taycan, the company was not designing a vehicle like the Model 3. Instead, the company was designing an electric Porsche. In this sense, a degree of familiarity is needed, especially considering that among the Taycan’s target demographic are people that have long embraced the company’s other vehicles, such as the iconic 911. 

This is a notable point, considering that the community’s aversion to the Taycan’s dash layout seemed to be due to the number of buttons and icons across the vehicle’s multiple touchscreens. Some comments noted that the only difference between the controls of the Taycan and something more traditional like the Cayenne is that the buttons are now touch-based instead of mechanical. 

The Porsche Taycan is equipped with five touchscreens. Its instrument cluster, which has four Driving Modes, consists of a curved, rounded 16.8″ display with touch-enabled buttons on the sides. This is complemented by a central 10.9″ infotainment screen and a secondary display for the front passenger. An 8.4″ touch panel with haptic feedback stands as the Taycan’s fourth touchscreen, while a fifth, optional 5.9″ display is also available for rear-seat passengers to adjust climate control and other settings. 

Porsche intends to adopt an aggressive rollout of electric and electrified vehicles in the near future, with the Taycan being the car to lead the charge. The Taycan must then strike a balance between traditional and progressive. Having a series of touch-based controls that are relatively similar to the controls the Porsche 911 and its other fleet of vehicles helps this case. Apart from this, the company has also highlighted that the Taycan’s touch displays are customizable, which means that drivers could adopt a more streamlined theme to their vehicles’ multiple touchscreens as needed. Having a fully digital display also gives Porsche the ability to gradually, and strategically, institute changes to its user interface design through software updates, and in a way that eases its audience into the age of modern user experiences.

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But as it stands now, there is a certain degree of familiar ergonomics that is provided with the Taycan’s multiple touch displays. The optional touch panel on the passenger side, for one, allows passengers to navigate the vehicle’s functions without leaning over to the center console. The haptic feedback on the display at the center console is easily accessible from the passenger seat as well. 

Ultimately, credit is due to Porsche for putting a notable amount of effort in developing a custom touch-based control system for the Taycan. It may not have the distinctly Silicon Valley-esque theme that is present in the Model 3, but the Taycan’s multiple digital touch-based controls show serious effort. It is, if any, notably better than the dual-screen infotainment system on the Audi e-tron, which appears to have been directly derived from an internal combustion vehicle.

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Tesla tinkering with Speed Profiles on FSD v14.2.1 has gone too far

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla recently released Full Self-Driving (FSD) v14.2.1, its latest version, but the tinkering with Speed Profiles has perhaps gone too far.

We try to keep it as real as possible with Full Self-Driving operation, and we are well aware that with the new versions, some things get better, but others get worse. It is all part of the process with FSD, and refinements are usually available within a week or so.

However, the latest v14.2.1 update has brought out some major complaints with Speed Profiles, at least on my end. It seems the adjustments have gone a tad too far, and there is a sizeable gap between Profiles that are next to one another.

The gap is so large that changing between them presents a bit of an unwelcome and drastic reduction in speed, which is perhaps a tad too fast for my liking. Additionally, Speed Profiles seem to have a set Speed Limit offset, which makes it less functional in live traffic situations.

Before I go any further, I’d like to remind everyone reading this that what I am about to write is purely my opinion; it is not right or wrong, or how everyone might feel. I am well aware that driving behaviors are widely subjective; what is acceptable to one might be unacceptable to another.

Speed Profiles are ‘Set’ to a Speed

From what I’ve experienced on v14.2.1, Tesla has chosen to go with somewhat of a preset max speed for each Speed Profile. With ‘Hurry,’ it appears to be 10 MPH over the speed limit, and it will not go even a single MPH faster than that. In a 55 MPH zone, it will only travel 65 MPH. Meanwhile, ‘Standard’ seems to be fixed at between 4-5 MPH over.

This is sort of a tough thing to have fixed, in my opinion. The speed at which the car travels should not be fixed; it should be more dependent on how traffic around it is traveling.

It almost seems as if the Speed Profile chosen should be more of a Behavior Profile. Standard should perform passes only to traffic that is slower than the traffic. If traffic is traveling at 75 MPH in a 65 MPH zone, the car should travel at 75 MPH. It should pass traffic that travels slower than this.

Hurry should be more willing to overtake cars, travel more than 10 MPH over the limit, and act as if someone is in a hurry to get somewhere, hence the name. Setting strict limits on how fast it will travel seems to be a real damper on its capabilities. It did much better in previous versions.

Some Speed Profiles are Too Distant from Others

This is specifically about Hurry and Mad Max, which are neighbors in the Speed Profiles menu. Hurry will only go 10 MPH over the limit, but Mad Max will travel similarly to traffic around it. I’ve seen some people say Mad Max is too slow, but I have not had that opinion when using it.

In a 55 MPH zone during Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, it is not unusual for traffic around me to travel in the low to mid-80s. Mad Max was very suitable for some traffic situations yesterday, especially as cars were traveling very fast. However, sometimes it required me to “gear down” into Hurry, especially as, at times, it would try to pass slower traffic in the right lane, a move I’m not super fond of.

We had some readers also mention this to us:

After switching from Mad Max to Hurry, there is a very abrupt drop in speed. It is not violent by any means, but it does shift your body forward, and it seems as if it is a tad drastic and could be refined further.

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Tesla’s most affordable car is coming to the Netherlands

The trim is expected to launch at €36,990, making it the most affordable Model 3 the Dutch market has seen in years.

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Tesla is preparing to introduce the Model 3 Standard to the Netherlands this December, as per information obtained by AutoWeek. The trim is expected to launch at €36,990, making it the most affordable Model 3 the Dutch market has seen in years. 

While Tesla has not formally confirmed the vehicle’s arrival, pricing reportedly comes from a reliable source, the publication noted.

Model 3 Standard lands in NL

The U.S. version of the Model 3 Standard provides a clear preview of what Dutch buyers can expect, such as a no-frills configuration that maintains the recognizable Model 3 look without stripping the car down to a bare interior. The panoramic glass roof is still there, the exterior design is unchanged, and Tesla’s central touchscreen-driven cabin layout stays intact.

Cost reductions come from targeted equipment cuts. The American variant uses fewer speakers, lacks ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, and swaps premium materials for cloth and textile-heavy surfaces. Performance is modest compared with the Premium models, with a 0–100 km/h sprint of about six seconds and an estimated WLTP range near 550 kilometers. 

Despite the smaller battery and simpler suspension, the Standard maintains the long-distance capability drivers have come to expect in a Tesla.

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Pricing strategy aligns with Dutch EV demand and taxation shifts

At €36,990, the Model 3 Standard fits neatly into Tesla’s ongoing lineup reshuffle. The current Model 3 RWD has crept toward €42,000, creating space for a more competitive entry-level option, and positioning the new Model 3 Standard comfortably below the €39,990 Model Y Standard.

The timing aligns with rising Dutch demand for affordable EVs as subsidies like SEPP fade and tax advantages for electric cars continue to wind down, EVUpdate noted. Buyers seeking a no-frills EV with solid range are then likely to see the new trim as a compelling alternative.

With the U.S. variant long established and the Model Y Standard already available in the Netherlands, the appearance of an entry-level Model 3 in the Dutch configurator seems like a logical next step.

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Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October

The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

The Tesla Model Y led China’s top-selling pure electric vehicles in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment through October 2025, as per Yiche data compiled from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) figures.

The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.

The Model Y is still unrivaled

The Model Y’s dominance shines in Yiche’s October report, topping the chart for vehicles priced between 200,000 and 300,000 RMB. With 312,331 units retailed from January through October, the all-electric crossover was China’s best-selling EV in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment.

The Xiaomi SU7 is a strong challenger at No. 2 with 234,521 units, followed by the Tesla Model 3, which achieved 146,379 retail sales through October. The Model Y’s potentially biggest rival, the Xiaomi YU7, is currently at No. 4 with 80,855 retail units sold.

Efficiency kings

The Model 3 and Model Y recently claimed the top two spots in Autohome’s latest real-world energy-consumption test, outperforming a broad field of Chinese-market EVs under identical 120 km/h cruising conditions with 375 kg payload and fixed 24 °C cabin temperature. The Model 3 achieved 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y recorded 21.8 kWh/100 km, reaffirming Tesla’s efficiency lead.

The results drew immediate attention from Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, who publicly recognized Tesla’s advantage while pledging continued refinement for his brand’s lineup.

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“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.

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