Item: Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

Audi Q4 Sportback 

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Polestar 2

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo

Tesla Model 3

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo is only fractionally more expensive than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a> GTS. The rest of the range, arriving in 2022, is expected to start with a rear-wheel drive entry-level model.

On paper, the GTS model looks to have the best balance of kit as standard without needing to add options on top, but we suspect the 4S will be better value due to the large price difference.&nbsp;The GTS comes with tinted LED headlights, black 20-inch alloy wheels, a tweaked front bumper and gloss-black inserts on the side sills and rear diffuser.&nbsp;

You also get dual-zone climate control, matrix LED headlights, cruise control, a powered tailgate, a heat pump, air suspension with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) electronic damper control system and the higher performance 93.4kWh battery with a usable capacity of 83.7kWh.

When it comes to charging, the Sport Turismo can charge at rates of up to 270kW with the Taycan’s 800-volt electrical system (most EVs have a 400-volt system).&nbsp;If you can find a fast enough charger, that makes a 10-80% charge possible in just over 20mins, but there are very few available at the moment. A 0-100% charge from a 7kW home wallbox takes more than 13hrs.&nbsp;

There's a three-year warranty on the Cross Turismo itself, but the battery is covered separately for eight years and 100,000 miles, with a guarantee that it won't drop below 70% of its original capacity during that time.&nbsp;

The list of standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>, traffic-sign recognition and lane-keeping assistance.&nbsp;Two Isofix mounts for child seats are fitted in the back of the car, but a head-up display and adaptive cruise control are options. It’s a shame that blind-spot monitoring – a standard feature on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150/buying-owning">Tesla Model S</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010/buying-owning">Tesla Model 3</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;is reserved for the options list (it's part of a Lane Change Assist pack).

In terms of crash protection, the standard Taycan achieved a five-star rating from <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/top-10-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n20301">Euro NCAP</a>&nbsp;– as did&nbsp;the Model S. However, whiplash protection for adults sitting in the front or back was found to be marginal, which is a little disappointing.

Reliability is much harder to predict. After all, the Taycan is the first <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> electric car in more than 100 years. The German brand finished a relatively disappointing 25th out of 31 manufacturers in our latest 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>.

We’ve tested the GTS version of the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, which produces&nbsp;a brawny 510bhp and has an official&nbsp;0-62mph time of 3.7sec.

Those figures are identical to the standard <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a> (despite the Cross Turismo's additional rear bodywork) and you can briefly boost power up to 590bhp by activating&nbsp;Launch Control.&nbsp;In short, the performance is relentless.

Acceleration is instant at any speed and there’s enough punch to pin all occupants back into their seats, with instant response from the accelerator and very little hesitation from the electric motors.&nbsp;

The Taycan Cross Turismo's two-speed gearbox shifts up at higher speeds to sustain acceleration, while the four-wheel drive system helps to deliver power effectively on to the road. In the cold, damp morning conditions of our test driver,&nbsp;the systems needed to work a little harder to shuffle power between the front and rear axles to minimise wheelspin, though.

Many <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-electric-cars-2021/n17000">electric cars</a> give you blistering straight-line pace, of course, but&nbsp;the Taycan Sport Turismo stands out from its rivals by the way it handles a series of corners.&nbsp;There’s very little indication of the added bulk at the rear, and it feels&nbsp;quite compact to drive as you build up a rhythm down a twisty road.

There are four drive modes – Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. They&nbsp;adjust&nbsp;several settings as you cycle through them, including the accelerator response, steering weight, the ride height and the firmness of the adaptive air suspension.&nbsp;

Normal is best for maximising comfort and delivers a slightly firm ride that isolates you well enough from rough road surfaces, so you feel only&nbsp;minor bumps at lower speeds.

The most aggressive Sport Plus mode gives you the stiffest suspension setup, the heaviest steering weight and the sharpest throttle response. We’ll have to confirm this on UK roads, but we suspect the ride in Sport Plus&nbsp;will be too firm for everyday use. Sport is a balance between the two.

On battered country roads, the slightly higher-riding (by 20mm) <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/estate/review/n22960">Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo</a> has a&nbsp;slight advantage because it can tackle them without fear of bottoming out or catching the front splitter. In those situations, you'll want to be in Normal mode for maximum ride height.

The Taycan Sport Turismo's pace and abundance of grip&nbsp;allow&nbsp;you to cover ground quickly and effortlessly.

There isn’t much communicated through the steering wheel when it comes to sensing the levels of front grip, but the heavy weighting helps your inputs feel precise and you build up confidence in very little time. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> allows you to add rear wheel steering as an option, and that tightens&nbsp;up the turning circle from 11.7m to 11.2m, which helps with low-speed cornering.

In the sportier drive modes, an augmented electric motor sound is piped into the cabin (called Porsche Electric Sport Sound) for a more theatrical experience, – it changes&nbsp;tone when&nbsp;the higher speed gear is engaged. When it's off, there's very little wind or road noise to disturb you.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The GTS gets a&nbsp;higher performance 93.4kWh battery as standard, and it’s also the first Taycan to get a software update to boost efficiency, giving it longest range of all versions, with an&nbsp;official 313 miles. The 4S and Turbo models are expected to have the updated software when they arrive.

In the real world, we expect the range to be closer to 250 miles, unless you are driving&nbsp;very gently in warmer weather conditions. If long journeys are a big consideration, consider the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2022-mercedes-eqs-review-prices-specs-and-release-date/n23383">Mercedes EQS</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Tesla Model S</a>.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

300kW 79kWh

300kw-79kwh

350kW 93kWh

350kw-93kwh

The ‘entry-level’, 4 Cross Turismo with its standard fit Performance Battery Plus has up to 469bhp and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.8sec. Its official range is 283 miles (about 230 miles in the real world).

350kW

350kw

390kW

390kw

This is the 4S with 563bhp. Unlike the Taycan four-door coupé, it gets the 93kWh Performance Battery Plus as standard. Despite having a bigger bottom than the coupé, it is just 0.1sec slower to 62mph, at a devastating 4.1sec. The official WLTP range is 281 miles (about 230 miles in the real world), and it will charge faster than the standard 4S coupé, at up to 270kW, which delivers a 10-80% charge in 20mins.

420kW

420kw

This is the GTS model and sits between the 4S and Turbo with an impressive 590bhp. It has the longest official range of any Taycan at 304 miles. That's not hardware related – it simply has Porsche’s latest battery management software, which will be rolled out on all Taycans in the future.

440kW

440kw

This is the Turbo model. Normally it has 617bhp but, for short bursts, can produce up to 671bhp for an official 0-62mph time of just 3.3sec. It's WLTP range is 281 miles (bank on 200-odd in the real world) and it can charge at up to 270kW, which would take the battery from 10-80% in around 20mins.

500kW

500kw

560kW

560kw

This is the top-spec but pricey Turbo S model. Normally it has 617bhp but, for short bursts, it can produce up to 751bhp. That means it will go from 0-62mph in 2.9sec. It will also do a WLTP range of 260 miles (bank on 200-ish in the real world) and can charge at up to 270kW, which will take the battery from 10-80% in around 20mins.

For some, the ultimate electric car won’t be a two-seater supercar that costs millions – it will be the one that suits their lifestyle with very little compromise. The Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo could well be the ideal candidate.

The standard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a> all-electric four-door coupé has space for four occupants, but if you want to bring their luggage as well, or maybe even a dog, the Sport Turismo could be the solution. In fact, it could be the answer for most situations.

The Taycan Sport Turismo builds on the regular Taycan by raising the rear roofline and extending it back to form a hatchback shape similar to an estate car. That gives you a larger boot and additional headspace for rear passengers.

If you wanted something with a touch of ruggedness, you could also look at the near-identical <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/estate/review/n22960">Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo</a>, which has a 20mm higher ride height and some grey exterior body cladding. For maximum practicality without sacrificing much performance, the Taycan Sport Turismo looks like the&nbsp;best of both worlds.

When it comes to trim levels, the Sport Turismo is expected to mirror the original&nbsp;Taycan. That said, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> is offering the Sport Turismo in mid-spec GTS form only from launch, with additional models to follow over the course of 2022.&nbsp;GTS versions add a little more styling, performance and driver focus over the 4S below them, but without being as hardcore as Turbo cars.

So does a combination of impressive performance,&nbsp;zero-emissions driving and space for cargo make the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo one of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-electric-cars-2021/n17000">best electric cars</a> on sale? Over the next few pages of this review, we’ll let you know as we&nbsp;compare it with key&nbsp;rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron-gt/saloon/review/n22728">Audi E-tron GT</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2022-mercedes-eqs-review-prices-specs-and-release-date/n23383">Mercedes EQS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Tesla Model S</a>.

It’ll be a while before a Taycan Sport Turismo is offered with a discount, but you could potentially save a small fortune on most makes and models by using our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying pages</a>. It has&nbsp;some tempting <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/electric">electric car deals</a>.

There's not much difference between the interior of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo and the standard <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a>. Even the badging and on-screen logos simply say 'Taycan', although the vehicle graphic on the drive mode menu shows the correct version.

Mind you, when you look in the rear-view mirror, you will notice the difference – visibility is much better in the Sport Turismo because of the bigger back window. Front and rear parking sensors as standard too.

All the materials and switchgear feel suitably upmarket and solidly put together, with plenty of tech and screens available. The driver’s instrument cluster is a 16.8-inch curved digital screen neatly integrated into the dash, with a crisp, high contrast display that features touch functions on the outer edges for the exterior lights and vehicle settings.

Most of the car's features are on a 10.9in landscape-oriented infotainment screen. Ventilation controls are on a lower portrait-oriented&nbsp;screen, but despite the haptic feedback, they&nbsp;don’t easily fall to hand and the icons are too small to identify easily at a glance. Traditional buttons would be less distracting on the move.&nbsp;

The driving position is good, with plenty of adjustment from the 18-way electrically adjustable seat you get in&nbsp;GTS cars&nbsp;and a good view over the dashboard, which is not to high.&nbsp;

The GTS version also gets Porsche’s suede-like material Race-Tex on the seats, steering wheel and roof lining. It's fairly&nbsp;grippy so it's great for holding you in place, and if the dark colour scheme is not to your&nbsp;taste, you can specify individual colour highlights to brighten it up a bit.&nbsp;

There is also the option of the panoramic roof with Sunshine Control to maximise the amount of light in the cabin. It uses an electronically controlled film applied to the glass that can switch from clear to a matt finish at the press of a button, removing the need for a separate roller blind.

The film is divided into nine segments and you can select which ones to use on the centre touchscreen. It’s a neat function, but will add to the £1000 cost of having&nbsp;a&nbsp;panoramic roof without it.

Estate

Porsche is best known as the quintessential sports car maker, but its line-up is increasingly diverse, interesting and successful, from its SUV family to the Panamera hatchback and shooting brake and, in time, a planned family of electric vehicles.

Whatever your choice, What Car?’s testers rate the cars highly; Porsche has an unusually high percentage of five and four-star cars.

Without exception, its sports cars are class leaders or among the class leaders, standing out for combining driving thrills with surprising luxury and comfort. Likewise, its SUVs are among the sharpest handling, as well as offering high levels of practicality and quality. Meanwhile, the Panamera is a true rival to the very best large executive saloons.

Porsche also sees itself as an electric car pioneer and has already enjoyed sales success with its plug-in hybrid range. Its first all-electric sports car is imminent, signalling the firm’s intent to stay relevant for many years to come.

PORSCHE

TAYCAN

Combines the regular Taycan’s sensational driving experience with the slightly&nbsp;bigger boot, roomier rear seats and greater visibility of the Cross Turismo

Passengers in the rear seats of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo will benefit the most from its extended roofline, with more than 45mm of extra headroom over the standard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a>.

The driver and front-seat passenger are just as well catered for as they would be in the regular&nbsp;Taycan. If you regularly have four six-foot occupants on board, the Sport Turismo gives them more space than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron-gt/saloon/review/n22728">Audi E-tron GT</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Tesla Model S</a>, although the higher-riding <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/estate/review/n22960">Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo</a> will make access just that little bit easier.

Our test car had the optional four-plus-one seating layout, adding a small rear centre seat suitable for a child and a 40/20/40 split-folding backrest. Without it, the rear seats fold in a less convenient 60/40 split.

When the rear seats are upright, the Sport Turismo’s boot is not much bigger than the standard Taycan's, with just a little more height and a wider loading aperture for bulkier items. With the seats dropped, the difference between the two cars is more marked.

The similarly priced <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs6/estate/review/n17185/space-practicality">Audi RS6</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17226/space-practicality">Mercedes-AMG E63 S</a> are large, full-bodied performance estates that offer more boot space – although they're not electric, of course.

taycan

The entry-level 4 Cross Turismo comes with dual-zone climate control, 19in wheels, LED headlights, cruise control, heated seats, a powered tailgate and a heat pump.

OUR PICK

The 4S doesn’t net you a whole lot more kit over the entry-level 4 (you get red brake calipers, brushed aluminium door sills and some silver exterior detailing) but what you’re really paying for is the jump up in performance from 375bhp to 483bhp.

The GTS has been designed to be the most driver-focused model in the Taycan line-up. It gets bespoke adaptive suspension (PASM) that is even stiffer than the set-up you get in the Turbo S and the optional rear-axle steering has been tweaked to deliver maximum agility. It also gets distinctive exterior and interior detailing including blacked-out window trims, front apron and mirror housings with a brushed aluminium interior package.

Turbo models get metallic paint, heated front and rear seats, extended leather trim, adaptive matrix LED headlights, 14-way powered front seats (18-way adaptive sports seats are a no-cost option) and a 14-speaker Bose stereo.

Turbo

turbo

​​Super expensive, but over the Turbo adds 20in alloy wheels, an 'engine' sound generator, Sports Chrono Package, four-wheel steering, ceramic brakes and a leather-free interior.

Turbo S

turbo-s

Combining the Porsche Taycan Coupe’s driving qualities with the added practicality of the Cross Turismo, the Sport Turismo should be a well-rounded package. The slightly bigger boot, roomier rear seats and greater visibility have barely compromised the performance, and we suspect the 4S will give the best balance of price and pace when it arrives. If your budget allows for the GTS, you’ll have a very comprehensive electric performance car.

<h2>What we're looking for </h2><ul><li>Long range and ultra-fast charging capability</li> <li>Luxurious and comfortable interior</li> <li>Smooth ride and capable handling</li> <li>Lots of high-tech driver aids</li> <li>Strong performance and great refinement</li></ul>

Large Electric

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Entertainingly agile handling</li> <li>Eye-widening acceleration</li> <li>Fruity exhaust note</li> <li>Punchy and characterful engine</li> <li>Great driving position</li> <li>Everyday usability</li></ul>

The best performance cars combine sports car-rivalling acceleration with&nbsp;engaging handling. However, they also retain the&nbsp;impressive everyday usability of the conventional saloons and estates on which they're based.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio currently sets the standard. However, the models from BMW's M division and Mercedes-AMG also tend to impress.

Performance car

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals. These cars qualify for the maximum plug-in car grant (PICG) of £1500.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/zoe/hatchback/review/n152">Renault Zoe</a> is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/leaf/hatchback/review/n17338">Nissan Leaf</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id3/hatchback/review/n21832">Volkswagen ID.3</a> are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up EV philosophy – and the American brand’s network of super-fast chargers – makes the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Model S</a> a tempting choice. It has a classy interior, loads of tech and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

Electric

Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo review

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Read review covering Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

Passengers in the rear seats of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo will benefit the most from its extended roofline, with more than 45mm of extra headroom over the standard Porsche Taycan.,The driver and front-seat passenger are just as well catered for as they would be in the regular Taycan. If you regularly have four six-foot occupants on board, the Sport Turismo gives them more space than the Audi E-tron GT and Tesla Model S, although the higher-riding Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo will make access just that little bit easier.,Our test car had the optional four-plus-one seating layout, adding a small rear centre seat suitable for a child and a 40/20/40 split-folding backrest. Without it, the rear seats fold in a less convenient 60/40 split.When the rear seats are upright, the Sport Turismo’s boot is not much bigger than the standard Taycan's, with just a little more height and a wider loading aperture for bulkier items. With the seats dropped, the difference between the two cars is more marked.,The similarly priced Audi RS6 and Mercedes-AMG E63 S are large, full-bodied performance estates that offer more boot space – although they're not electric, of course.

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