New Models

2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo: All-electric Adventurer

by Julien Amado
All photos
Photo: Porsche

Porsche successfully entered the luxury EV game with the Taycan, adding a battery-powered model to its lineup without sacrificing what makes the brand so appealing to enthusiasts in the first place.

The Taycan is an impressive product, for sure. In fact, this year it won The Car Guide’s Best Buy award for electric luxury vehicles. Now, Porsche is about to launch a more adventurous variant: the Taycan Cross Turismo.

Inspired by the Mission E Cross Turismo concept introduced at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, this new car is somewhat reminiscent of the Subaru Outback, only fully electric and way sportier. The production model has a more rugged-looking appearance than the concept, with plastic cladding on the lower body designed to resist bumps and dents more easily.

High-riding Taycan

Based on the Taycan, the Cross Turismo variant has a dramatically modified rear section, which addresses one of the biggest complaints about the sedan: a lack of space in the rear seats and in the trunk. Thanks to the new liftgate and boxier profile, rear-seat passengers get 36 millimetres of extra headroom, while cargo capacity is increased to up to 1,200 litres.

Want more cargo space? A specially designed roof box is available, designed to support speeds up to 200 km/h—on German autobahns, of course, not Canadian highways.

Photo: Porsche

Furthermore, the Taycan Cross Turismo is able to venture into new terrains. Equipped with a reinforced suspension, ride height which can be increased by 30 millimetres and a Gravel mode that adjusts the chassis and throttle response, it’s an electric car that doesn’t mind playing in the mud or dirt.

Just how many owners will dare to take it off the pavement? That’s another question.

Photo: Porsche

Four Trim Levels

In Canada, all Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo models come standard with all-wheel drive. There are four trim levels to choose from: 4, 4S, Turbo and Turbo S. The powertrain components are shared with the sedan including the 800V architecture. Only the bigger battery (93.4 kWh) is available, though.

The two electric motors are paired with a dual-speed transmission and generate anywhere between 380-625 horsepower. With the Overboost function, the base model gets a bump to 476 horsepower, while the Turbo S suddenly finds itself with 761 horsepower.

Photo: Porsche

Porsche says the Taycan Cross Turismo provides 388-456 kilometres of range depending on the model, but that’s according to the WLTP standard used in Europe. The EPA and NRC ratings will be lower.

In order to maximize range, a system automatically reduces ride height at higher speeds where ground clearance is not essential. Climate control is also optimized to consume less energy.

Photo: Porsche

When we tested the Taycan 4S sedan a bit more than a year ago, Porsche announced that over-the-air updates were coming soon. They’re here now, meaning drivers can benefit from certain improvements to the car without making a stop at the dealership.

The entire Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo lineup will go on sale in Europe and the U.S. this summer. Pricing and availability for Canada have yet to be specified.

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