Tested: 2025 Porsche Taycan 4 and Taycan Turbo Cross Turismos

Car and Driver

3 days ago

"Electric Porsche station wagon" is an entirely unexpected series of words, the sort of phrase that might result if someone filled a big lottery ball with car-related terms and tumbled out tonight's big winner. Nevertheless, Porsche now makes of its hatchback Taycan, in addition to the seven (or eight, depending on how you count) sedan models.
But from inside, the Taycan feels very Porsche. You sit low enough that it's hard to imagine there's a battery pack beneath you, so low that taller speed bumps will set off the parking sensors—a good reminder to drive extra slow over them. Looking forward over three digital gauges and between those swollen front fenders framing a hood that plunges down to the road, you could even convince yourself you're in a very wide 911.
view exterior photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
Not even the newly hybrid 911 GTS is this quiet, of course, incapable as it is of electric-only propulsion. And few of the 911 models are as quick. We tested two versions of the Taycan Cross Turismo (Porsche's phrase for a station wagon with black faux-SUV lower-body cladding): the Taycan 4 and the Taycan Turbo. The 4's 4.1-second sprint to 60 mph is easy pickings for a 911, but the Turbo's 2.5-second screech will leave virtually all but the all-wheel-drive 911 Turbos choking on whatever twists in the wake of an EV instead of exhaust fumes—environmentally friendly self-righteousness?
To drive an EV is to appreciate the role hearing plays in humans' perception of speed. Without the sound of thousands of momentary combustion events spinning a transmission through ascending gear ratios, it is very hard to gauge your speed in a Taycan. And that goes both ways. The Taycan 4 feels quick, but it does not feel 4.1-seconds-to-60-mph quick. In the Turbo, the acceleration is so disorienting that it feels possibly even quicker than its 2.5-second blast.
view exterior photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
2025 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo
With the Turbo clearing the quarter-mile in 10.2 seconds at 140 mph, you'll want to move into the left lane faster than you're used to when overtaking other drivers on a two-lane. Initiate a pass from a respectful following distance and complete it without cutting the other driver off and the Taycan Turbo will easily jump from 55 to 100 mph. The dash from 50 to 70 mph takes all but 1.5 seconds, and even the 4 Cross Turismo needs only 2.2 seconds to complete the task. Such monstrous passing power changes one's perception of the world. That sign does not say "Pass with care." It says, "Pass with reckless abandon, this won't take long."
view interior Photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
Not only does an EV's silent operation wreak havoc on your perception of lateral acceleration, but the Taycan's low center of gravity and nonexistent body roll seem to give it a different definition of g-forces. And somehow, this isn't like pferdestarke or kilowatts to horsepower, where a simple mathematical formula sets things equal. The Taycan feels like it is simply operating in a different reality, where a g is something more extreme than we can wrap our head around.
That's how it feels, anyway, but the numbers say otherwise. Riding on 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4s, size 245/45R-20 in front and 285/40R-20 out back, the Taycan 4 turned in an unremarkable 0.86 g of stick on the skidpad; Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5s measuring 265/35R-21 up front 305/30R-21 in the rear help the Turbo generate 0.96 g of adhesion. What makes those figures so exciting is the Taycans' outrageous neutrality at those limits. With most of its battery pack , the Taycan exhibits the sort of tail-happiness that people with insufficiently recent 911 experience will say you need to be scared of in Porsche's signature sports car. Off the accelerator, the Taycans rotate predictably until the desired heading is reached, and reapplying the accelerator freezes the car on its current course and rockets it out of the turn.
view exterior photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
There are more major differences between these two Taycans than the between the 4's 429 horsepower and the Turbo's 871. The 4 rides on the standard adaptive air-spring suspension, while the Turbo we tested was fitted with the $7140 Porsche Active Ride. Introduced not long ago on the Taycan and plug-in-hybrid Panamera, Active Ride is what it claims to be: a truly active suspension that pumps fluid from the top to the bottom of the dampers (or vice versa) to extend or compress the suspension 13 times per second.
HIGHS: Most of the things we love about Porsche sports cars, much improved range, contrarian body style.
We were mightily impressed with the system in our data-driven suspension-technology deep dive conducted earlier this year. But here, on uneven—but not bumpy—winding roads, we found it induced an odd side-to-side motion in Normal mode that was genuinely nauseating. And both cars, fitted with the $1330 rear-axle steering, suffered from unsettlingly nonlinear steering feel just off center, whether when initiating a turn or straightening the wheel out of one. We resolved the former complaint simply by switching the Turbo into Sport mode, where the stiffer setup calmed its suspension movements; we'll need to experience a Taycan without the rear-axle steering to know the role it plays in the latter.
view interior Photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
With its standard adaptive dampers and air springs, the Taycan 4 is perfectly comfortable in Normal mode, with no unnatural behaviors. The upside of Active Ride becomes apparent in the firmer suspension settings. In the 4, Sport Plus is too stiff over broken pavement, tossing occupants about over big bumps and divots, but the Turbo's Active Ride kept it from ever feeling as flinty. Freeway travel is carefree in either car, with both exhibiting extreme stability, and they're utterly unfazed by crosswinds, truck wakes, and the like.
LOWS: Overeager four-wheel steering, limited back-seat space, base suspension's flinty Sport Plus mode.
Brake feel in both is likewise excellent. There's no discernible difference in pedal heft or stopping distance between the 4's standard binders and the Porsche Surface Coated Brakes on the Turbo. The latter setup features iron discs finished with a 0.1-mm coat of tungsten carbide to cut down on dust and costs at least $3490 on the 4 but is standard equipment on the Turbo. The Taycan 4 stopped from 70 mph in 159 feet, the Turbo 158. Both figures are shorter than the 162 feet of the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing in a recent comparison test, despite the Blackwing enjoying a weight advantage of more than 1000 pounds.
view exterior photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
However, compared to the Blackwing—as well as the Audi RS7 Performance and BMW M5 it bettered in that test—the Taycan falls short in back-seat space. Heck, even though it has rear doors, the Taycan's back seat is hardly more comfortable than a 911's. Porsche carved out a well in the battery pack for rear-seat passengers' feet, but their heels rub up against it, pushing their feet forward. The hard front seatbacks are not comfortable should back-seat riders' knees bump against them. And both the front and rear door openings are narrow; taller drivers will want to be sure to motor the steering wheel all the way forward before exiting to make reentry as graceful as possible.
VERDICT: Porsche's electric station wagon is more like a 911 than you'd think.
Compromised rear quarters, preternatural handling, jaw-dropping acceleration . . . the electric Porsche station wagon is in many ways an awful lot like a 911—just without that confounded noise. The thing is, that confounded noise is a big part of the draw of a P car.
view interior Photos
Michael Simari
|
Car and Driver
Specifications
Specifications
2025 Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $113,095/$140,845
Options: panoramic roof with variable light control, $3240; 20-inch Offroad Design wheels, $2380; Off-Road Design package with gloss black inlays (lower body cladding, gloss black accents, 0.4-inch elevated ground clearance), $2170; 14-way Comfort seats with memory, $1720; Race-Tex leather-free seat trim in black, $1640; adaptive cruise control, $1630; 360-degree camera system with active parking support, $1590; Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, $1500; rear light strip with illuminated Porsche logo, $1450; rear axle steering, $1330; Sport Chrono package with compass dial, $1300; Bose surround-sound audio system, $1200; thermally and noise insulated windows, $1130; ventilated front seats, $850; roof rails in black aluminum finish, $830; Ice Grey Metallic paint, $800; interior accents in Neodyme, $650; Porsche Electric Sport Sound, $500; rear 2+1 seats, $480; window trim in gloss black, $400; heated outboard rear seats, $360; puddle light projectors, $330; rear model designation in gloss black, $270
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Combined Power: 429 hp
Combined Torque: 449 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 97 kWh
Onboard Charger: 11.0 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 320 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive, 2-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 14.2-in vented disc/14.1-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4
245/45R-20 103Y NFO
285/40R-20 108Y NFO
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.3 in
Length: 195.8 in
Width: 77.4 in
Height: 55.4 in
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 43/16 ft3
Front Trunk Volume: 3 ft3
Curb Weight: 5197 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.1 sec
100 mph: 10.1 sec
1/4-Mile: 12.6 sec @ 111 mph
130 mph: 17.9 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.4 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.6 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 140 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 159 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 321 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.86 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 89 MPGe
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 81/84/79 MPGe
Range: 277 mi
--
2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $178,295/$224,685
Options: Porsche Active Ride, $7140; Burmester 3D High-End audio system, $5810; Premium package (adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, 360-degree camera system with active parking support, air quality system, soft-close doors, head-up display), $4780; 21-inch Cross Turismo Design wheels, $3950; panoramic roof with variable light control, $3240; Oak Green Metallic Neo paint, $2850; interior trim in carbon fiber, $2460; night vision assist, $2460; front-seat massage function, $1810; Off-Road Design package with Turbonite inlays (lower body cladding, Turbonite exterior accents, 0.4-inch elevated ground clearance), $1780; illuminated door sill guards in carbon fiber, $1610; passenger display, $1490; rear-axle steering, $1330; Porsche InnoDrive with automatic lane keeping, $1320; thermally and noise insulated windows, $1130; advanced 4-zone automatic climate control, $1020; gloss-black calipers for Porsche Surface Coated Brakes, $900; Porsche Electric Sport Sound, $500; rear 2+1 seats, $480; puddle light projectors, $330
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Combined Power: 871 hp
Combined Torque: 656 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 97 kWh
Onboard Charger: 11.0 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 320 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive, 2-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 16.1-in vented disc/14.4-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5
265/35R-21 101Y NF1
305/30R-21 104Y NF1
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.3 in
Length: 195.8 in
Width: 77.4 in
Height: 55.6 in
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 41/14 ft3
Front Trunk Volume: 3 ft3
Curb Weight: 5309 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.5 sec
100 mph: 5.4 sec
130 mph: 8.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 10.2 sec @ 140 mph
150 mph: 11.8 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 2.6 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.2 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 1.5 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 158 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 316 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.96 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 69 MPGe
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 78/80/76 MPGe
Range: 265 mi
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Reviewed by
Jared Gall
Contributing Editor
Jared Gall started his career with Car and Driver as an unpaid intern, but has now worked here more than half of his life. He has held numerous positions within C/D's digital and print teams and has driven some 2500 cars. Employee records indicate that he is the only staffer ever to T-bone a school bus with another school bus.