When Porsche unveiled the Mission E concept car back in 2015, no one really thought they would release a production car that looked as slinky and stunning as the Frankfurt motor show debutant.
But then they revealed the Taycan production car and proved everybody wrong, as it was very similar to the Mission E, just with some of the excessive concept car silliness turned down. Then we all thought they couldn’t possibly release an even sexier version.
That was until they unleashed the Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo versions in 2018. Which were wagons (the Cross Turismo has a slightly higher ride height and black wheel arch cladding to pretend it is a sort of SUV). And wagons are always better - that’s just a scientifically proven fact. Or at least I think it is.
Anyway, wagons are inherently cooler than the sedans they are based on, so it stood to reason that a wagon version of the Taycan would be cooler too. Even if it didn’t really add anything to the Taycan beyond a cooler roofline and a bit more boot space (it adds around 39 litres).
But, quite frankly, that roofline is enough for me.
Now it is refresh time for the Taycan range, with the Cross Turismo and all its siblings getting an array of new features for the new model year.
Okay, so visually it is deeply in trainspotter territory, with the slimmer new headlights being the biggest change to the outside, although the most noticeable is probably the deletion of the teardrop vents that used to flank the headlights. This gives the Taycan a more 911-esque face, but I would argue that it comes at the expense of its own individual personality.
The interior changes are even more low-key, with a few button revisions and new leather upholstery options, but the biggest changes come under the skin, with a revised battery composition that brings “up to 35%” more range (depending on the model - the 4S we test here now has a range of up to 617km under the WLTP test cycle), a ramped up charging system that can now charge at a maximum of 320kW and a lighter and more powerful rear electric motor (inherited from the new all-electric Macan).
Wagons are always better - that’s just a scientifically proven fact. Or at least I think it is.
All of this basically means that the Taycan both is faster and charges faster than before. Which are both very good things.
The 380kW/710Nm Taycan 4S Cross Turismo we drive here will hammer to the open road legal limit in 3.8 seconds. While the excitingly more expensive 580kW/1240Nm Turbo GT saloon will shave a startling 1.5 seconds off that (2.3 seconds, for the mathematically challenged), the 4S feels plenty fast enough, to be totally honest.
The instant punch from the electric motors slams you back in your seat from a standing start, while the launch control function and push-to-pass button that gives 20 seconds of “overboost” (basically pumping the total power up to 440kW) make it even more exhilarating than that 3.8 second time suggests.
Handling is, of course, still utterly sublime, with Porsche somehow producing a 2280kg EV that literally handles like a proper sports car. There are very few occasions you actually feel all that weight, as the Taycan is so delightfully composed through the corners and possesses the sharp, accurate steering and sweet, sweet chassis that makes a good sports car such a joy to drive.
The only time you really become aware of the Taycan’s weight is the odd occasion under heavy braking when the software frantically scrambles to juggle the balance between friction and regen and things get a bit inconsistent.
The Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo is still an incredibly capable and exciting car, that also happens to be extremely comfortable and blisteringly fast, all wrapped up in that sexy styling. And it’s a wagon.
Still, it is only occasional and never exactly a big issue, as the big electronic brain quickly sorts everything out and the Taycan is almost immediately back to its remarkably composed self.
While the Cross Turismo has a 20mm higher ride height than the standard Taycan, you certainly wouldn’t pick any difference between the two on the road, and the Cross Turismo does have that added advantage of a ‘Gravel’ mode that raises the ride height a further 10mm for bombing down gravel roads. If that is the sort of thing you want to do in your quarter million dollar Porsche.
Still, it’s nice to know that you can, I guess, and the Taycan’s ride would no doubt make it quite the exceptionally comfortable gravel warrior, as on the seal it is deeply impressive. Given how sharply the Cross Turismo handles, the ride quality is quite exceptional, being firm and tightly controlled, but remarkably compliant and comfortable.
Yes, $250k is a hefty amount of money for a car, but the Taycan is still a Porsche and you don’t actually pay any extra for it being an EV - the closest ICE-powered equivalent is the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid saloon (Porsche NZ doesn’t offer the Panamera Sport Turismo variant anymore), which packs 400kW and is fractionally faster to 100km/h (0.1 of a second), but also costs $277,900.
Are there negatives? Yes, but they are few and far between, and not really deal-breakers - the infotainment system is still a bit of a mess in terms of where to find anything, while the tech is a bit old now too. It is a tad awkward to clamber out of, thanks to its wide sills, and the logic of having a touchscreen trackpad to control the other touchscreen that is a tiny bit further away escapes me entirely.
'Gravel’ mode raises the ride height a further 10mm for bombing down gravel roads. If that is the sort of thing you want to do in your quarter million dollar Porsche.
But overall, the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo is still an incredibly capable and exciting car, that also happens to be extremely comfortable and blisteringly fast, all wrapped up in that sexy styling. And it’s a wagon. $250k is an absolute bargain…
What are the key statistics for the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo?
As the 4S part of its name might suggest, this particular Cross Turismo is 4WD, with an electric motor on each axle fed by a 105kWh battery that uses a new composition to free up even more range. The rear motor has also been upgraded and the 4S pumps out a total of 380kW and 710Nm, with an Overboost function that briefly pumps the power up to 440kW.
Is the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo efficient?
For a seriously quick high-performance EV it's not too bad, with Porsche claiming an average energy consumption of 18.5kWh/100km for the Taycan and a total range of up to 617km. This does, of course, depend heavily on how you drive it...
Is the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo good to drive?
So good. You barely ever feel the extra weight the battery adds and, in fact, it's addition is even an advantage, with the Taycan's centre of gravity feeling remarkably low. It helps that body roll is almost non-existent, and the steering is so delightfully sharp that it could cut you.
Is the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo practical?
The Cross Turismo is less practical than its body shape would suggest, but more practical than its badge would suggest. Let's just say it's less practical than a Cayenne and more practical than a 911. It comfortably seats four people and effortlessly swallows their luggage for a weekend away, but no more than that.
What do we like about the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo?
It looks the way it does, which is incredibly sexy. It goes more than hard enough when you want it to and is delightfully docile and civilised when you don't. And it is an absolute blast on a winding back road.
What don’t we like about the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo?
The brakes can occasionally become a tiny bit flustered when dealing with the transition between regenerative braking from the electric motors and actual physical braking from the brakes. And you WILL make unintentional old man noises getting out of it, thanks to the particularly wide sills.
What kind of person would the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo suit?
Somebody who wants a fast and seriously capable all-rounder that looks good and can hold its own at a track day. Which the Taycan can do, although you really need to keep an eye on the range...
