Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo review: cheaper electric estate driven

Ah, the budget Taycan Cross Turismo.

Well, it’s all relative, isn’t it. This 4S is the second rung up the Cross Turismo ladder, and you’ll need huge long legs to get to the next one. This car will set you back £87,270 – about £6k more than the entry level 4, but £30,690 less than the Turbo model. Phew. 

It’s a lovely car, though, isn’t it?

The Taycan is a very desirable electric car. Actually, it’s just desirable full stop. It’s probably done the same job for Porsche that the Cayenne SUV did back in 2002, keeping the brand relevant. And the Cross Turismo has boosted the appeal of the Taycan further still, jacking the car up a bit and gluing on a sort of estate-slash-shooting brake rear end. The Rover Streetwise walked so this car could run. 

Is it an off-roader?

Heavens, no. Let’s not go crazy. Well, you could get about so far if you wanted to – Porsche has certainly engineered the car to do the business on rough roads and in low traction, but the raised ride height and plastic cladding are still more of a lifestyle touch. 

The CT sits 20mm higher than the standard Taycan (a lofty 30mm if you spec the optional Off-Road Pack), but what the increase has taken away in sporting prowess it has added in grand touring comfort. There are few electric cars out there you could imagine not just wanting to do extra long journeys in, but relishing the task. Even fewer without a Tesla badge on. 

How many motors does the 4S Cross Turismo have?

Isn’t it strange how quickly we’ve got to the point where that’s a valid question? As if you’d get a sports tourer with a little 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol number next to each wheel. The 4S Cross Turismo has two electric motors, one on each axle, facilitating the four-wheel drive. The front motor is single speed, while the rear motor has a two-speed set-up. The 4S’s 563bhp versus 671bhp of the Turbo model make it a comparatively more sedate version of the car (again, it’s all relative).

What’s the space like in the back?

Rear passenger room in the Cross Turismo is very impressive, you won’t feel shortchanged back there. Likewise there’s decent headroom, too, thanks to the slightly longer roof line. The only slightly claustrophobic note is that the one-piece front seats loom ahead of you when you’re sitting in the second row, and a darkly specced cabin can feel oppressive. There are plenty of options though when it comes to putting your Taycan Cross Turismo together – lighter trims and fabric options.

Boot space has been marginally increased over the standard model – but 446 litres with the seats up isn’t the sort of thing to email home about. This increases to 1,171 litres with the seats down. It’s a wide, accessible boot space, though, and there’s the titchy frunk as well. All adds up. 

So how does it drive?

Where some EVs have traded in ICE character and quirks for a number electric experience, the Taycan range is very much Porsche powered by electricity. The cockpit and its 16.8-inch curved instrument display is all very familiar and the rest of the cabin is typical Porsche. There are touchscreens throughout the cabin, including an optional one for the front passenger so they can take over the music and see how fast you’re going – quite why you’d want that… We’re also not entirely convinced by the lighting and chassis controls being controlled by little touch panels off the instrument display, but that’s largely by-the-by. 

The Taycan feels solidly put together, the excess weight of the 84kWh of batteries more than overcome by the punchy powertrain. In fact, that weight has been carefully installed as low down as possible, and the usual Porsche chassis dynamics mean that the car turns more sharply and consistently than you would think. The performance of this 4S Cross Turismo is already rather eye-wideningly perky, such that we’d question the need to go any higher up the range. Especially if you don’t want anyone throwing up in the back. Its 4.1secs 0–62mph time (albeit with launch control on) is more than sufficient, and the 4S pulls strongly at any speed. 

Should I buy one? 

Well, if you’re in the market and you’ve got the budget why would you look anywhere else? It’s got the right badge, it’s got the right build quality and it’s certainly got the performance. A car couldn’t work any harder to take the sting out of going electric. This 4S model is certainly the sweet spot of the range, and its low, low price of £88k compared with the pricier Turbo and Turbo S models that are £30/40k more leaves you room to add some pricey extras from the Porsche catalogue.