2021 Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo Charges Ahead

Porsche's Taycan Cross Turismo is the wagon addition to the Taycan EV family and will be available midsummer at a starting price of $92,250. The Cross Turismo will be initially limited to the 469-hp 4 and the 616-hp Turbo, with 562-hp 4S and 750-hp Turbo S variants to come. Since the Cross Turismo has the word Cross in the name and the shape of the body implies some crossover-ness and soft-road credibility, the new model features a 1.2-inch increase in ride height, a new Gravel mode for the stability-control system, retuned air springs and adaptive dampers, and some off-road-themed body work.

Unlike the Taycan sedan, all Cross Turismo models come standard with the larger of the two available battery packs, an 83.7-kWh unit. In the 4, that pack powers the two motors to an available 469 horsepower when using launch control. During normal use, you get 375 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. As in all Taycans, a two-speed automatic transmission on the rear axle enables brisk off-the-line acceleration and more efficient high-speed cruising. Porsche says the 4 should hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, but given that the Taycan 4S outperformed Porsche's 3.8-second estimate by 0.4, we're willing to bet the Cross Turismo will hit 60 mph in 4.5 ticks.

Our drive of the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo took place around Los Angeles and took us out toward Big Bear Lake and onto some twisting canyon roads before heading back to Lala Land. With more than an hour of L.A.-area freeway driving right out of the gate, the entry Cross Turismo impressed with its zippy mid-speed acceleration, the reality of which greatly exceeds what you'd expect based on the unimpressive power and torque numbers and its estimated 5200-pound curb weight. Need to pass a dawdling left-lane daydreamer? It's already done.

By the time we arrived at the base of the mountain roads leading up to Big Bear, the battery had gone from its starting point of 97 percent charge to an indicated 77 percent. You might think the weight of the Taycan would rear its head as the terrain grew steep and wizened, but it doesn't. In fact, if you didn't know the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo weighed north of 2.5 tons, you'd might never guess it. The Taycan carries its mass low, making a center of gravity that's low and a boon to handling. This despite the slightly higher ride height of the Cross Turismo compared to the standard Taycan. On the brakes, the Cross Turismo is confident and brutally capable, never nervous—a useful trait on unfamiliar mountain roads.