A dream car ‘fit for all our needs’

Porsche electric family friendly while offering high performance

For Rolando Cruz, a virtualization systems engineer at the Toronto Stock Exchange, it was the low-horsepower chase movie, “No Man’s Land,” that left him dreaming of owning his own Porsche 911 one day. Turning that dream to reality in 2011, he would only take his beloved 911 Carrera GTS out on summer days while relegating all daily driving to an Audi Q5. However, the cost of insurance and maintenance associated with owning two vehicles, in addition to being homebound during the pandemic had Cruz and his family re-evaluating their needs. They also considered the world their daughter’s generation would inherit and wanted a vehicle that was better for the environment.

“The car is our main source of transportation: I take my six-year-old to either school or camp during the weekday; I go to the office three times a week; and we visit family in Markham and Etobicoke,” Cruz said.

“When Porsche came out with the Taycan, it was a fit for all our needs,” said Cruz who purchased his 2021 Taycan Turbo from Porsche Center Downtown Toronto. “It’s the family car; it’s the weekend and performance car, and I still get my brand.”

Going electric has been a change and transition, but Cruz has found many highlights that support his purchasing decision, including performance. Admitting to having some initial skepticism, he quickly abandoned them while test driving the sedan.

“It’s definitely much bigger and heavier than the 911, but I was sold on how it handled the curves, bumps and elevation changes. It drove like a 911. It’s also the first car to have an 800-volt architecture for its battery, which means it charges quickly; going from five per cent to 85 per cent in 20 minutes. That’s one of the key features I really love about it,” he said.

“Some may think electric is kind of boring, but it’s totally not.”

Cruz also recommends those considering an electric vehicle to go with a bigger battery.

“You might be tempted to go for a 75-kilowatt hour battery, but that means you’re going to be charging more frequently. The 93.5-kilowatt battery is perfect for GTA driving. And consider installing a charger, which was an extra $1,500 for me.”

RENÉE S. SUEN PHOTOS FOR THE TORONTO STAR The Porsche 911 has always been Rolando Cruz’s dream car, but the Taycan meets his family’s needs, is more environmentally conscious and is still an exciting drive.

With custom finishes including plush Olea leather seat, Cruz admits that one of his joys is just sitting in the car waiting for his daughter during her swimming lessons.

Being an electric vehicle, the Taycan is quiet but also features Apple CarPlay, which allows Cruz to stream studio-quality audio from Apple Music.