Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Electric 4S 93.4 kWh (A) Review

The Porsche Taycan is a fantastic car. Not just a fantastic electric car, but just fantastic car, period. It is shockingly comfortable, incredibly fast, and much better to drive than it truly has any right to. But, of course, being a Porsche, it's also bleedingly expensive (even before options).

So, how do you take all of that, and make it even better? Simple. Make it a wagon.

Back to front

A wagon is the coolest bodystyle. We'll fight anyone who contends otherwise. So, making a Taycan Cross Turismo seems at once immediately obvious, but at the same time somewhat pointless. Porsche claims added functionality and practicality with the Cross Turismo, but which Taycan buyer is seriously hankering over an additional 39 litres of boot space?

Perhaps more so than any other brand, Porsche recognises that the appeal of a wagon is as much about its added practicality as it is about how stylish it looks. This might perhaps have something to do with the fact that the company has spent its entire existence justifying cars with big backsides (sort of).

And yes, the Taycan looks better as a wagon. The Cross Turismo looks more muscular, thanks to the broader shoulders. And this car rides 20mm taller than the standard Taycan, which adds to its sense of heft and presence. This car also comes with the optional Off-road Design package, which adds some additional exterior protection. 

The interior is just as you'd find in the normal Taycan. The infotainment is much better than Porsches of years past, but still far from the most intuitive or stylish. The digital dashboard is functional, especially as you can display a gigantic map, but the speed readout is obscured in my preferred seating position by the top of the steering wheel.

This is a functional and premium space, but you shouldn't expect the last word in technology. After all, the Taycan platform is already a couple of years old, so you'll find sleeker and more modern EV functionality in some newer EVs. For example, you still need to physically press a button to power off the car (some other cars automatically switch off when you get out).

Also, this isn't the most spacious rear cabin, but then again this isn't that big of a car, cabin wise.

Far and beyond

On the road, the Taycan Cross Turismo is remarkable. It rides very comfortably when driven lightly, with the suspension effortlessly soaking up bumps. And there's absolute pace when you need it - mash the throttle and the car can deploy its 563bhp and 650Nm of torque immediately, rocketing the car to 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds. Ridiculous. Absolute bonkers.

However, what's even more ridiculous is how the car handles. Honestly, I'm still shocked the way the car handles. This is a 2.3-tonne EV with five seats (optional) and five doors, and ostensibly a family car. But, it actually drives much more like a sports car. The handling is sharp and precise, the car furious to attack corners, and of course, all-wheel drive and instant electric torque means you can power out of corners very early. And this is all done in Normal mode, not even in the sportier setups.

Yes, yes, I know, it's a Porsche, they are great driver's cars, blah blah blah. I know that, but when driving this car hard, it still slightly boggles my mind how well it can tackle twisty tarmac.

Who dares win

To be clear, I'm not saying that the Taycan Cross Turismo is the consummate family car. It's not even the consummate family Porsche. The Panamera Cross Turismo is a more spacious and practical wagon and, of course, you have the SUV choices as well. All of which are a fair bit cheaper than this car. The $514k price tag (before COE) is outrageous, and the options even more so (this car has almost $60k worth of options fitted).

Let's be real. While it might be marketed as such, no Taycan Cross Turismo owner is actually taking their car off-road, even with the Gravel mode and off-road package. No one shopping for a half a million dollar electric car is thinking, "Hmm I'm worried I'm not going to have enough boot space". This is a realistically impractical car sheathed in the veneer of practicality.

What this is, honestly, is something of a novelty proposition. At over half a million dollars, people buying these cars are doing so simply because they want to, and they can afford to. And, similarly, Porsche makes this car not because it needs to, but because it can. The business case for this Taycan Cross Turismo isn't to sell a ton of it, but to have it in the world at all. And that "why not" spirit is admirable - it's all about making a declaration of passion.

This Taycan Cross Turismo is one hell of a statement piece. It's cool, it's different, it's alternative and it's really damn good. It speaks deeply to my stupid, irrational heart.

Now, can someone lend me half a million dollars?

An electric wagon not your cup of tea? Here are some other luxury electric four-door options for you to consider:

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The entry-level Porsche Taycan proves that less is more

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