Compare the2024 BMW i7VS 2024 Porsche Taycan

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the i7 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Taycan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The i7 has standard Active Front Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Front Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Taycan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The i7 has standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Taycan doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The i7 has a standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Taycan doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The i7 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Taycan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the i7’s standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and automatically engage the brakes. The Taycan doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The i7’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Taycan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the i7 and the Taycan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The BMW i7 weighs 718 to 1623 pounds more than the Porsche Taycan. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i7 for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Taycan (3/36,000 vs. 2/24,000).

There are over 80 percent more BMW dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the i7’s warranty.

The i7 has more powerful engines than the Taycan:

As tested in Motor Trend the i7 xDrive60 electric motors is faster than the Porsche Taycan:

On the EPA test cycle the i7 gets better mileage than the Taycan Sedan:

The i7 can travel longer on a full charge than the Taycan Sedan on a full charge:

For better stopping power the i7’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Taycan:

The i7 stops shorter than the Taycan:

For better traction, the i7 has larger standard tires than the Taycan (245/50R19 vs. 225/55R19).

The i7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Taycan’s standard 55 series front tires.

The front and rear suspension of the i7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Taycan, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The i7 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The i7’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Taycan doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i7’s wheelbase is 12.4 inches longer than on the Taycan (126.6 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The i7 xDrive60 handles at .93 G’s, while the Taycan pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The i7 xDrive60 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Taycan (24.5 seconds @ .78 average G’s vs. 25 seconds @ .76 average G’s).

For excellent aerodynamics, the i7 has standard flush composite headlights. The Taycan has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The i7 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Taycan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the i7 xDrive60 is quieter than the Taycan Turbo S:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the i7 a Large car, while the Taycan is rated a Compact.

The i7 has 23 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Taycan (112 vs. 89).

The i7 has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear headroom, 10.6 inches more rear legroom and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Taycan.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the i7’s available rear seats recline. The Taycan’s rear seats don’t recline.

With its sedan body style and remote trunk release lockout, the i7 offers cargo security. The Taycan’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

If the windows are left open on the i7 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Taycan can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The i7’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Taycan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the i7 has standard extendable sun visors. The Taycan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

A power rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are standard in the i7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Taycan doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i7 has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Taycan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The i7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Taycan.

Both the i7 and the Taycan offer optional massaging front seats. The i7 also offers optional massaging rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging rear seats aren’t available in the Taycan.

The BMW i7 outsold the Porsche Taycan by 43% during 2023.