Porsche’s Taycan Cross Turismo is the wagon addition to the Taycan EV family and will be available midsummer at a starting price of $92,250. The Cross Turismo will be initially limited to the 469-hp 4 and the 616-hp Turbo, with 562-hp 4S and 750-hp Turbo S variants to come. Since the Cross Turismo has the word Cross in the name and the shape of the body implies some crossover-ness and soft-road credibility, the new model features a 1.2-inch increase in ride height, a new Gravel mode for the stability-control system, retuned air springs and adaptive dampers, and some off-road-themed body work.
Unlike the Taycan sedan, all Cross Turismo models come standard with the larger of the two available battery packs, an 83.7-kWh unit. In the 4, that pack powers the two motors to an available 469 horsepower when using launch control. During normal use, you get 375 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. As in all Taycans, a two-speed automatic transmission on the rear axle enables brisk off-the-line acceleration and more efficient high-speed cruising. Porsche says the 4 should hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, but given that the Taycan 4S outperformed Porsche’s 3.8-second estimate by 0.4, we’re willing to bet the Cross Turismo will hit 60 mph in 4.5 ticks.
Our drive of the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo took place around Los Angeles and took us out toward Big Bear Lake and onto some twisting canyon roads before heading back to Lala Land. With more than an hour of L.A.-area freeway driving right out of the gate, the entry Cross Turismo impressed with its zippy mid-speed acceleration, the reality of which greatly exceeds what you’d expect based on the unimpressive power and torque numbers and its estimated 5200-pound curb weight. Need to pass a dawdling left-lane daydreamer? It’s already done.
By the time we arrived at the base of the mountain roads leading up to Big Bear, the battery had gone from its starting point of 97 percent charge to an indicated 77 percent. You might think the weight of the Taycan would rear its head as the terrain grew steep and wizened, but it doesn’t. In fact, if you didn’t know the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo weighed north of 2.5 tons, you’d might never guess it. The Taycan carries its mass low, making a center of gravity that’s low and a boon to handling. This despite the slightly higher ride height of the Cross Turismo compared to the standard Taycan. On the brakes, the Cross Turismo is confident and brutally capable, never nervous—a useful trait on unfamiliar mountain roads.
Steering accuracy and feel plays into that sense of confidence. While not seemingly telepathic like that of a GT3 or GT2 RS, the Taycan steers remarkably well for a car of its size and heft. Grip was provided by (optional) Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires wrapped around unique 20-inch Offroad Design wheels. The Offroad Design package also fitted to the car raises the ride height an additional 0.4 inch, and adds silver-colored lower-body accents as well as small, triangular protectors ahead of the wheel wells to reduce the “witness marks” produced by the gravel thrown around when you are, presumably, powersliding through a forest or a desert wash.
At the top of the mountain, the battery gauge indicated 44 percent of the battery’s capacity remained, leaving 93 miles of range. Following an aggressive descent, the battery reported a 41 percent charge and 107 miles of range. Upon returning the car to the studio in Glendale, the battery had 21 percent of its charge left and an estimated 62 miles of range. I’d just driven from Glendale to Big Bear and back in a day, a roughly 200-mile round trip, 60 of those miles on enthusiastically driven mountain roads, on a single charge with no perceptible loss of performance as the battery drained and no need to even look for a charging station or feel stressed about range.
A lack of bags, cargo, and passengers on this short day trip meant we didn’t get to formally test the expanded rear cargo area and additional rear-seat passenger space provided by the wagon shape. Porsche says the Cross Turismo body adds a minor 0.4 inches of headroom up front and a major 3.7 inches in the back seat. The rear cargo area also grows in comparison to the trunk of the sedan, offering 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 43 cubic feet with them folded forward. There was also, unfortunately, no opportunity to test the Taycan’s new Gravel off-road mode.
The Taycan Cross Turismo’s combination of looks, speed, and space put it into the realm of the now-legendary combustion-powered Boss wagons like the Audi RS6 Avant and Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon. The Cross Turismo offers a compelling alternative to those two super wagons, and while those two lovely German V-8s burn gasoline in excess, the Taycan’s electric-motor powertrain and lack of tailpipe emissions give it some green cred. Determining a winner among the three might be tough, but whenever performance, price, and practicality line up this well, a comparison test seems inevitable. Stay tuned.
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Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com
