2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo: Wagon-ification Is Cool

• A Porsche Taycan with more cargo space and extra ground clearance
• Standard dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain
• Sporty driving dynamics that don't compromise on comfort
• Part of the first Taycan generation introduced for 2020

What is the Taycan Cross Turismo?

The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is a different flavor of Porsche's first-ever electric vehicle, the Taycan. Like the Porsche Panamera sedan's Sport Turismo variant, the Taycan Cross Turismo has a wagon-like profile that provides additional cargo space and a slightly roomier rear passenger compartment compared to its more traditionally styled sibling. But the Taycan Cross Turismo goes even further, adding nearly an inch of ground clearance for better performance on rough roads. This isn't going to be a rock crawler, but it should be able to navigate dirt roads on the way to a country cottage.

Of course, that would ideally be a country cottage with a charging station. The Taycan Cross Turismo, like the regular Taycan, is fully electric. Ride height aside, the Cross Turismo drives and performs similarly to the regular Taycan sedan, though one with some added ability if your route is unpaved. That's a good thing since the Taycan is one of the best-driving cars on the market today, electric or not. And as with the Taycan, don't be surprised if the real-world all-electric range is much better than what the EPA estimates. In our testing, the Taycan sedan far exceeded its estimated range.

What's powering the Taycan Cross Turismo?

All variations of the 2021 Cross Turismo are all-wheel-drive and have electric motors at the front and rear axles. A battery pack sits under the floor and can be recharged at a public charging station or at home. Horsepower ratings mirror those of the regular Taycan. That means there's choice of the 375-horsepower Taycan 4 Cross Turismo, the 482-hp 4S model, the 616-hp Turbo and the top-level Turbo S. All versions offer additional power when the launch control function is activated. For example, the Turbo S is capable of 750 hp in short bursts when you use launch control.

Just like the all-wheel-drive Taycan sedan, the rear-axle motor uses a two-speed transmission for increased efficiency at highway speeds. Powering those motors is the 93.4-kWh battery pack from the Performance Battery Plus option on the Taycan sedan, which is standard on the Taycan Cross Turismo.

How does the Taycan Cross Turismo drive?

Getting into the Taycan Cross Turismo feels a lot like getting into the regular Taycan sedan. But the cabin seems a bit more spacious, with the rear window now farther away from you, and far less steeply raked. That effect is enhanced by the rear window profiles, which follow the Cross Turismo's longer roofline, changing the over-the-shoulder view out from the driving seat.

Crunching the numbers underlines that the Cross Turismo loses some of its accelerative ability and outright top-speed potential to its Taycan relation, but, where directly comparable, the Cross Turismo drops only 0.1 second in the 0-60 mph sprint and a few mph off the top speed. The quickest, the Turbo S, rips from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds, according to Porsche.

Where it gains back is its ability to drive off-road. The Cross Turismo rides 0.78 of an inch higher than the regular Taycan, and you can further boost the ride height by using the Gravel mode, which is specific to the Cross Turismo. When engaged, it raises the standard air suspension by an additional 0.4 inch and applies different settings to the stability, traction and suspension systems. Still, the Cross Turismo's off-roading capability is best suited for unpaved roads or gentle trails.

The Cross Turismo is heavier than its Taycan relation, but that doesn't manifest itself on the road — the electric powertrain's instant torque makes light work of its mass, and the same is true dynamically. The Taycan has always impressed with its agility and ability to cover ground, and the Cross Turismo loses none of that — it's hugely quick and capable, and rides very well too. Analyzed in detail, the Cross Turismo isn't quite as pin-sharp to turn into bends as the Taycan sedan. But for the additional ability it brings it's well worth that insignificant trade-off.   

How comfortable is the Taycan Cross Turismo?

The Taycan Cross Turismo is more comfortable than the standard Taycan, particularly in the rear, where there is 3.6 inches of additional headroom, which is transformational if you're likely to be carrying rear passengers. That's not just because they have greater room above their heads, but also because the longer and higher door glass makes getting in and out of the rear seats far easier.

With all trims featuring an air suspension, the Taycan Cross Turismo manages to mix fine body control with good ride comfort. That's true even on the highest performance models, with the largest wheel and tires fitted. The way the suspension smooths out poor surfaces is very impressive, while the absence of sound, unless you activate it via the sound generator, makes for serene progress. Wind and road noises are all kept at bay, too. All of it adds up to excellent comfort for the driver and passengers.

Depending on the model, the Taycan Cross Turismo comes with a choice of eight- or 14-way power-adjustable and heated seats with memory functions or 18-way power-adjustable, heated seats with memory. (The latter is standard on the Turbo S and optional on other models.) The rear seat configuration is available in either two- or three-seat format. Getting three adults in the back would be a tight fit, but three children will squeeze in, though we doubt the one in the middle would be too happy on anything more than a short drive.

How's the Taycan Cross Turismo's interior?

Get into the driver's seat and ahead of you is a 16.8-inch curved digital instrument panel, with two screens in the center stack that split infotainment and climate control duties. It all works well with a bit of familiarity, though at times some conventional switches or dials would make some functions a little bit less fiddly. That's particularly true when it comes to the heating and ventilation controls.

As with all Porsches, there are a myriad of customization options to help buyers create a bespoke vehicle, not least here, given its environmental focus, the choice of an interior free of leather. The fit and finish is exceptional throughout, as are the materials used. The cabin feels airy thanks to that longer roofline and more expansive glasshouse, and it evokes a feeling that's rich in tech, but not overwhelmingly so. It feels every bit the high-dollar premium car inside, as it should given its price, but even the top models have expansive and expensive opportunities to add equipment. To wit, our test Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S added over $30,000 of options to the $180,000 price. 

How's the Taycan Cross Turismo's tech?

An electric car for the brave new world, it's hardly surprising that there's a lot of technology in the Taycan Cross Turismo. Every one comes standard with an adaptive air suspension with smart lift, which uses GPS to remember where you've used it previously to negotiate tricky driveways, speed humps or curbs. All Cross Turismos also come with Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, a smartphone compartment with inductive charging, and four USB-C charge points throughout the interior (two in the front, and two in the rear).

Optionally you can add everything from conveniences such as a head-up display to a night vision camera system, surround-view parking cameras or high-end Burmester 3D surround-sound stereo.

How's the Taycan Cross Turismo's storage?

The Cross Turismo maintains the Taycan's front trunk's 2.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity but expands the rear storage space. Up from 14.3 cubic feet in the Taycan and Taycan 4S, the 4 and 4S Cross Turismo offer 15.8 cubes behind the rear seats or 42.8 cubes with the seats down.

Just like the sedan, the Turbo and Turbo S offer less cargo space than the non-Turbo models but still offer 14.3 cubes, or 41.3 cubes with the seats folded. While that's not as much capacity as, say, the Panamera Sport Turismo, it gives the Cross Turismo much more flexibility than the standard Taycan.

What kind of range does the Taycan Cross Turismo have?

Porsche has yet to publish any EPA estimates for the Taycan Cross Turismo, but we anticipate they will be similar to those for the regular Taycan. For example, a Porsche Taycan 4S has an estimated range of 203 miles. We also expect the Cross Turismo to easily beat its eventual EPA estimates. In our real-world range test, the Taycan 4S made it 323 miles on a full battery.

Recharging times are the same for every Taycan Cross Turismo version. With a 240-volt power source (Level 2) at home, you shouldn't have any trouble fully recharging overnight. Porsche is offering people the option to purchase a home charger when buying the car.

A DC fast-charging station with a 50-kW output will see the Cross Turismo's battery topped up from 5% to 80% in 93 minutes, but if you want maximum rapid-charging ability you'll need to seek out a 270-kW charger. Do that and you'll be able to top up your battery from 5% to 80% in 22.5 minutes, Porsche says.

All these charging times are variable, particularly in relation to the battery temperature, and the best results are achieved with the battery temperature in the range of 86-95 degrees Fahrenheit. Usefully, the Taycan Cross Turismo includes three years free of 30-minute DC charging at Electrify America stations and unlimited one-hour sessions of regular Level 2 charging.

Edmunds says

The Porsche Taycan is one of our favorite cars on sale today, EV or not. It's fast, comfortable and fantastic to drive. Expanding on that formula with the extra cargo room of the Taycan Cross Turismo's hatchback design and added ground clearance makes an already entertaining car a lot more practical, not to mention even cooler.