Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Debuts With Huge Glass Roof, Gravel Mode

The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo isn't the world's first electric wagon, but it's certainly the most exciting. It combines all of the sedan's qualities and sprinkles some extra practicality you'd expect from a car with a longer roof. It sits 0.8 inches (20 millimeters) higher than the regular Taycan or a further 0.4 inches (10 millimeters) provided the Off Road Design Package is included.

The optional kit comes with even more plastic body cladding to mimic the SUV-like look also made possible by using beefier fenders and model-specific rocker panels. The front and rear fascias have been updated, with the most obvious changes being at the back to swap out the trunk lid for a more practical hatch and the essential rear wiper.

Porsche is adding a dedicated Gravel mode to the Taycan Cross Turismo, raising the suspension to its tallest settings and making changes to the stability control and torque management system for better grip on difficult roads. The folks from Zuffenhausen admit the wagon has not been conceived as a "rock-crawling off-roader," but the new Gravel mode makes it more capable on rougher surfaces compared to the sedan.

As expected, the electric wagon comes exclusively with air suspension and an all-wheel-drive layout thanks to a pair of electric motors. Interestingly, the base trim level is the Taycan Cross Turismo 4, which can't be currently had with the sedan where the lineup jumps from the base rear-wheel-drive model to the 4S. Speaking of wheels, there are bespoke 20- and 21-inch alloys available to further separate it from the sedan.

In its entry-level configuration, Porsche's second wagon after the Panamera Sport Turismo offers 375 horsepower (280 kilowatts) or 469 hp (350 kW) with launch control. The electric muscle is good for a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in 4.8 seconds en route to a top speed of 136 mph (219 km/h), which isn't too shabby for a base trim level.

The hotter 4S comes as standard with the Performance Battery Plus (optional on the 4S sedan) and is followed by the Turbo and Turbo S, with all three offering the same level of power as the equivalent Taycan sedans. In its range-topping trim, the electric wagon hits 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, making it only 0.1s slower than its sedan counterpart. Top speed drops by 6 mph to 155 mph (250 km/h). This level of performance is remarkable when you consider the Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S weighs a whopping 5,199 pounds (2,358 kilograms). 

Offered as standard with an expansive glass roof, the Taycan Cross Turismo benefits from an extra 0.35 inches of front headroom thanks to its flatter roofline. At the back, passengers have an additional 3.62 inches of headroom after turning the sedan into a wagon. The body style transformation is also paying dividends in terms of cargo capacity, now at 15.7 cubic feet or 42.8 cu ft with the rear seats folded for the 4 and 4S models.  

Step up to either of the Turbo versions and practicality will take a hit, with the luggage volume dropping to 14.3 cu ft, equaling the non-Turbo Taycan sedans. Regardless of body style and trim level, all of them share a front trunk with a capacity of 2.9 cu ft. Should you need to carry bulky items, an optional roof transport system is compatible with the roof rails that come as standard on the Cross Turismo. A rear-mounted bike rack can be ordered at an additional cost.

The 2021 Taycan Cross Turismo 4 is available from $92,250 including destination and you can add extra goodies like adaptive cruise control, active lane-keep, 14-way massaging seats, a head-up display, and Bose or Burmester sound systems. For your money's worth, Porsche throws in three years of free Electrify America charging.

The 2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo will arrive at dealers across the United States this summer, with details about the EPA range to be announced closer to its launch.