Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Review Sporty Electric Estate

New 2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is rugged EV estate

The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is an estate-shaped and off-road-ready take on Porsches first electric car, promising heightened versatility over the saloon.

Available to order now ahead of deliveries beginning this summer, the Cross Turismo is essentially a production-ready version of bold Mission E Cross Turismo concept, which was described at its unveiling in 2018 as a cross utility vehicle.

Most obvious among the raft of modifications for the new model, which Autocar has already driven in prototype form,is an extended roofline, which gives 47mm of extra head room in the rear seats and a maximum luggage capacity of more than 1200 litres around the same as the Volkswagen Golf hatchback.

The upright tailgate design can optionally accommodate a bespoke bike rack, too, and Porsche has designed a new roofbox thats rated for use at speeds of up to 124mph.

In line with its off-road aspirations, the Cross Turismo also wears a protective bodykit with debris-deflecting winglets at each corner and can be raised by 30mm in its dedicated Gravel Mode.

Designed for use on gravel tracks of muddy road surfaces, this bespoke function also alters the settings for the throttle, suspension management, traction control and torque-vectoring systems to provide maximum traction.

Air suspension is equipped as standard across the Cross Turismo range, and it can be configured to automatically raise and lower the car at certain points on repeated journeys to clear obstacles such as speed bumps or steep driveways. The system also automatically lowers the Cross Turismo in two stages at high speeds for optimal aerodynamic efficiency.

Broadly identical technically to First drive: 2021 its saloon sibling, the exclusively four-wheel-drive Cross Turismo is being offered from launch with a choice of four power outputs.

2023 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo review

Im not saying the wagon-style Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo has more aesthetic appeal than the sedan-bodied Taycan, but from the rear in Dolomite Silver Metallic, its pure addiction.

As far as full-blown, high-performance EVs go, it doesnt come any better than the Porsche Taycan. Low-slung, almost two metres wide and the epitome of a futuristic Porsche for the here and now.

And, yet it had its debut back in 2019 based on the Mission E concept, which we first saw at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Thats forward vision at its very best.

Somehow, even the punters know its a Porsche at a glance, and that alone spells a triumph in design; given the Taycan looks nothing like any other model in the entire range, yet the profile is exactly what you might envisage a fully-electric Porsche to look like.

The Taycan 4 Cross Turismo (its a mouthful) is easily the more versatile solution in the Taycan range, itself emanating from the Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo, first shown in 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show, with raised suspension and a longer wagon (estate) body, similar to the Panamera Sport Turismo but built on Porsches fully electric J1-platform.

Judging from the rear view, few will notice the 20-millimetre increase in ride height the Cross Turismo thanks to its slightly wider profile over the regular Taycan, and still low-riding profile all-round.

Initially, I didnt warm to the Cross Turismo, but after living with it for a while Ive come full circle and now prefer it over the Taycan, given its inherent five-door practicality and the extra load-hauling ability which comes with it not to mention that wide rear end Im so infatuated with.

A proper head turner even in this entry-level guise, complete with protection plates, sills and cladding, and still a lot less expensive than a base 911, if Porsche ownership and environmental sensitivity are your principle goals here.

How does the Porsche Taycan compare?

View a detailed breakdown of the Porsche Taycan against similarly sized vehicles.

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How much does the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo cost?

The Taycan Cross Turismo range kicks off with theTaycan 4 Cross Turismo tested here, which is priced from$180,400 before on-road costs and options there are always option boxes youll want to tick at this price point.

Sitting squarely in the middle of the model range is theTaycan 4S Cross Turismo, priced from$209,600 before on-roads, while the top-specTaycan Turbo Cross Turismo, starts at$284,600 before on-roads. Unlike the regular Taycan range, theres no Turbo S variant in the Cross Turismo line-up.

There are 17 colours to pick from in total including just two (white and black) that are standard while the remaining 15 paints attract a premium of either $2300 for the metallic colours or $5000 for the so-called Special Colours. Paints-to-sample are pricier still at $18,490 a pop, or Individual colour development paint-to-sample is priced at $23,740.

Rivals to the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo are few and far between (if at all) in this rarefied EV segment, but wed suggest you take a look at the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport, priced from $174,900 before on-roads or the ballistic iX M60 version (0-100km/h in 3.8 or better) at $222,900.

What is the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo like on the inside?

It might ride 20mm higher (up to 30mm with the Off-Road Package), but lowering yourself into the superbly shaped Porsche front buckets feels no different to climbing into my 911 okay, its a tad easier, given Taycans seats are slightly broader with more padding and all the better for it.

The cockpit, though, is pure Porsche at its most contemporary. Devoid of any-and-all buttons or knobs, except for a couple of roller switches on the trademark three-spoke sports steering wheel can be cause for immediate concern, but you soon get the hang of it.

Theres the one exception to that. The air vents arent physically adjustable and require you to navigate through a few steps on the lower touchscreen, so its not exactly intuitive. The HVAC screen also doubles as a battery condition display, especially good to view Taycans charge state and remaining range with graphics to match.

The super-size drivers display is another brilliant bit of kit. Fully configurable but with a digital version of Porsches trademark tachometer smack-bang-in-the-middle and flanked by two more digital dials, both of which are fully customisable depending on the drive mode selected.

The start button is on the right and is touch activated with haptic feedback just remember to hold it down for a second or two when powering down the Taycan.

On the other side of the steering wheel is an upright version of the 911s Braun-style shift lever (down for drive, up for reverse), with a Park button in the same housing. All of it ergonomically flawless.

The infotainment display is properly integrated into the dash (is anyone else over the ubiquitous floating screens?), housing a wealth of information including Sport Chrono, Navigation and general infotainment functions. Its super-sharp with fast response even when using wireless Apple CarPlay.

Its not exactly a luxury environment like BMWs iX range of SUVs, but the materials are first-rate and the tech is cutting-edge, while the seats (front and rear) mirror any other Porsche pew.

More than anything though, its a fine, fit-for-purpose instrument for those that enjoy best-in-class dynamics in their EV as only Porsche can do entry-level grade notwithstanding.

Our tester was configured as a 4+1 meaning even the rear seats resemble the bolstered buckets up front, complete with centre armrest when its not in use as an occasional fifth seat.

There are also four points of back-row ventilation and a comfortable amount of rear legroom.

Better still, rear-seat passengers will enjoy an extra 30mm of headroom compared with the regular Taycan, thanks to the slightly higher roofline of the Cross Turismo.

Storage is pretty good too, with dual cupholders (separated), decent centre-console bin and a bit of extra storage under the floating bridge, along with four USB-C ports split between front and rear seats.

Overall luggage space is as it should be in a wagon of this size with 446L behind the rear seats, expanding to 1212L with the rear seats folded (dead flat) for easy loading of stuff like boards, bikes and golf clubs.

Theres another 84L of useful luggage space in the frunk.

Whats under the bonnet?

The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismofeatures a dual-motor (all-wheel drive), all-electric powertrain and a93.4kWh PerformanceBattery Plus Pack.

In the base Taycan 4 it makes350kWof power and500Nmof torque, good for a claimed range of437km and a 0-100km/h sprint in 5.1 seconds.

In the 4S, it generates420kWof power and a maximum of650Nmof torque with a 0-100km/h dash in 4.1 seconds.

The Turbo produces500kWof power and850Nmof torque. Claimed range is up to452kmon the WLTP test cycle for the 4S and Turbo. It can hit 100km/h from a standing start in an eye-popping 3.3 seconds.

Interestingly, the Taycan uses a two-speed transmission (most EVs use a single-speed transmission).

On the charging front the Taycan platform supports 800V charging, along with a mix of single-and three-phase AC charging.

In its regular trim it can achieve up to 11kW of charging on AC, but an optional three-phase 22kW charger can be selected to improve charge capacity.

DC charging occurs at 800V and peaks at 262kW, with an average charge rate of 197kW over a typical charge cycle. Its a pretty impressive figure when compared to other fast-charge capable EVs on the market.

Porsche has also fitted the Taycan with charge ports on both sides of the vehicle on the front quarter panel. One side caters for AC and DC charging, while the other side will only do AC charging.

Like other vehicles with chargers located further down the sides, it can be a little tricky to reach the charge port on chargers with shorter DC cable runs.

How much juice does it use? The official claim is28.7kWh/100kmand on test we achieved a little over 25kWh/100km.

Over the week-long test period, we only had to top-up once on a 50kW fast charger, which took us from around 50 per cent battery capacity to 96 per cent in around 45 mins or so.

How does the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo drive?

Its quite a feat, but Porsche, unlike any other carmaker in this high-end EV segment, has pulled off some magic with its Taycan model range. From the moment you get behind the wheel to the end of your journey, its a 100 per cent all-Porsche experience.

Its a holistic approach that starts with the driving position and feedback through the steering wheel and other controls like throttle and brake pedal feel that will leave you gobsmacked and never wanting to hand the car back. Anything else feels second rate.

Most times you simply get in and put your foot on the brake and the Taycan automatically awakens, simply requiring the driver to flick the shifter paddle one way or the other, and then youre off and running. Its that simple and of course theres no warming the car up when youre in an EV you just go.

The default drive mode is Normal and thats just fine for daily commute, but more often than not I found myself rotating the drive mode controller on the steering wheel around to Sport or Sport+ (with Sport Chrono) for the sheer thrill of pulling away from the traffic lights before your combustion engine comrades have even moved a centimetre.

Tipping the scales at 2245kg (sans driver), the Taycan Cross Turismo isnt exactly a lightweight, but somehow it defies its sheer heft and five-metre-long length. Behind the wheel is simply doesnt feel like youre piloting a big, heavy wagon, not in the slightest. In fact, youll want to drive it like a 911 and itll surely oblige.

In base Taycan 4 trim you might think its just not quick enough, but Id argue a 5.1-second sprint is plenty fast enough, especially if youve dialled up Sport Plus. That alone will leave most others in the dust thanks to most of its 500Nm peak coming on-song from the get-go.

Drivers also have the option of choosing a regen braking setting in two quick steps using the infotainment screen, which I used more often than not, given the energy recuperation and almost-one-pedal driving. The only problem being it wont hold the setting so youll need to select it every time you go anywhere.

Same goes for the Jetsons-style Porsche Electric Sport Sound feature. Its a welcome addition when pushing along in Sport, but a tad annoying when running around in the burbs, unless of course youve got the kids with you, in which case theyll love it.

While Porsche has a reputation for engineering an outstanding ride/handling balance across their entire ICE model range but especially its SUVs, its also managed to achieve a similar set-up with its EVs.

Taycans three-chamber adaptive air-suspension system is one reason for Cross Turismos excellent ride and handling, but it also gets the same suspension layout as its Taycan sports sedan sibling; double wishbones up front, with a multi-link axle and double wishbones down back.

Switching from one drive mode to another evokes an instant response from the damping department though even in Normal, the Cross Turismo can still hustle along.

Turn in is sharp and accurate, while the steering feels more connected and delivers greater feedback than any other battery electric vehicle weve driven to date.

Braking tends to feel a little remote in EVs, and its similar in the Porsche, although, pedal progression is nicely calibrated with stopping power, so its feels more natural than its rivals.

What do you get?

Taycan 4 Cross Turismo highlights:

• 16.8-inch curved drivers instrument display
• 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wired Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Head-up display
• Adaptive air suspension
• Adaptive cruise control incl. traffic jam assist
• 6-piston front, 4-piston rear cast-iron brakes
• Power steering plus
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• LED headlights
• Automatic headlights
• Dual-zone climate control
• 10-speaker sound system
• Power tailgate
• Partial leather interior
• Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel

Taycan 4S Cross Turismo adds:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• 14-way powered front seats
• 14-speaker sound system
• Heated, ventilated front seats

Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo adds:

• 10-piston front, four-piston rear PCSB brakes
• Matrix LED headlights incl. Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus
• 4-zone climate control
• Heated rear seats
• Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control
• Full leather interior
• Stainless steel pedals

Our Taycan 4 Cross Turismo was fitted with the following options:

• 20-inch Taycan Turbo Aero Design wheels: $5270
• Matrix LED headlights in Glacier Ice Blue incl. Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus: $4610
• On-board AC charger with 22kW: $3500
• Off-Road Design Package: $3450
• Bose surround sound system: $2840
• Interior Package in Aluminium Rhombus: $2500
• Sport Chrono Package: $2360
• Dolomite Silver Metallic: $2300
• Light strip with PORSCHE in Glacier Ice Blue: $1500
• Electric charging cover: $1310
• Home Energy Manager: $1150
• Porsche Electric Sport Sound: $1050
• 4+1 seats: $1000
• Seat heating (front): $910
• Ambient lighting: $890
• PORSCHE logo courtesy lights

These added list of options also bumped-up the price of our tester to a cool $215,640 plus on-roads, so it would be wise to do a like-for-like comparison with the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo before you start ticking those option boxes.

Is the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo safe?

While the Porsche Taycan doesnt have a safety rating from local ANCAP just yet, it achieved five starsin crash testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2019. The rating applies to all Taycan variants.

The Taycan returned 85 per cent for adult occupant protection, 83 per cent for child occupant protection, 70 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 73 per cent for safety assist.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring are standard fitment, along with adaptive cruise control and nine airbags.

How much does the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo cost to run?

The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is backed by athree-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Theres also an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

It still lags behind most of the premium market, which has moved to offer greater than three years of warranty coverage (except BMW who is also sticking with three years).

Maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000km whichever comes first.

Buyers can prepay for three, four or five years of servicing, which comes in at$2995,$4495and$5495respectively. Its pricey no matter which way you look at it.

CarExperts Take on the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo

Before writing this review, I would have said the Taycan sedan was the looker in the model range. Now, Im not so sure.

The Cross Turismo is more unique, more special and by virtue of its estate body, a far more versatile Porsche EV that gives precious little away to the regular Taycan in the ride and handling department.

Actually, it handles the bumps slightly better and never once feels like youre steering a large wagon, even when youre having fun in the twisties.

Then, theres the fact its an EV, but not just any EV. Its a Porsche first and foremost, and perhaps the most accomplished EV money can buy right now even in this entry-level guise.

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