Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo review

For some, the ultimate electric car won’t be a high performance, two-seat supercar that costs millions of pounds and attracts plenty of admirers holding out their smartphones. It will be the one that blends performance and practicality to suit their lifestyle - with a healthy dollop of desirability on top. In many ways, the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo could well be the ideal candidate.

The Sport Turismo builds on the Taycan saloon by raising the rear roofline and extending it back to form a shape similar to an estate car. If you want a bit more room for four occupants and their luggage, or maybe even a dog, this could be the solution. 

For a touch of ruggedness to go with it, you could look at the near-identical Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, which gets a slightly higher ride height and some grey exterior body cladding. But, if you want practicality without sacrificing much of the regular Taycan’s agility, the Taycan Sport Turismo may well be the best of both worlds.

Once you factor this in with supercar levels of performance and zero-emissions driving, is the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo the ultimate electric family car on sale? Read on to find out how it fares against rivals.

What’s new?

- February 2024: Porsche releases revised Taycan models, which have greater range, a new optional push-to-pass function as part of the Sport Chrono package, and standard adaptive air suspension

- January 2024: Taycan Sport Turismo undergoes testing prior to launch of updated version. 

- January 2022: Porsche extends practicality of Taycan range with new estate-car Sport Turismo body style

We’ve tested the GTS version of the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and it’s mighty quick. Activate launch control and it briefly produces 691bhp (up from 597bhp in normal mode), which is enough to race from 0-62mph in as little as 3.3secs.

Acceleration is instant at any speed and there’s enough punch to pin occupants back into their seats, with a sharp response from the accelerator and very little hesitation from the electric motors. A two-speed gearbox that shifts up at higher speeds helps to sustain acceleration, while the four-wheel drive system manages to deliver power effectively onto the road. It’s only in colder and damper conditions when the systems work a little harder to shuffle power between the front and rear axles to minimise wheelspin.

Fancy going even quicker? Well, the pricier Turbo and Turbo S variants can cut the 0-62mph time down to below 3.0secs. Or, if you need a more affordable version, the regular Taycan and 4S versions are still very swift - even the slowest Taycan can cover the 0-62mph sprint in under 5.0secs.

Blistering straight-line pace can be experienced in most large electric cars, though. Where the Taycan Sport Turismo stands out from its rivals is the way it handles a series of corners.

There’s very little indication of the Sport Turismo’s added bulk at the rear and it feels more compact to drive than the Audi S6 Avant e-tron and BMW i5 Touring down a twisty road. There are four drive modes on offer: Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. They’ll adjust several settings as you cycle through them, including the accelerator response, steering weight, the ride height and firmness of the adaptive air suspension. 

Normal is best for maximising ride comfort because it deals with bumps in a well controlled manner and settles quickly after a bump. Switching to the most aggressive Sport Plus mode brings the stiffest suspension setup, and while there is a mild amount of fidgeting, it’s not to the extent of becoming harsh or brittle. 

However, the slightly higher-riding Cross Turismo has the small advantage of tackling a battered country road without the fear of bottoming out or catching the front splitter; this is something that can affect the low-slung Sport Turismo to the point where you’d revert back to Normal just to raise the ride height again. 

Factor in this pace with the abundance of grip and the Taycan Sport Turismo allows you to cover ground so quickly and effortlessly. There isn’t much communicated through the steering wheel when it comes to sensing the levels of front grip, but the precise weighting helps you build up confidence in very little time. 

Go for GTS trim and above and you also get rear-wheel steering, tightening up the turning circle from 11.7m to 11.2m and helping the Sport Turismo feel like a much smaller vehicle to pilot during low speed cornering. It’s an option on lower trim levels.

In the sportier drive modes, you also get Porsche’s augmented electric motor sound piped into the cabin (called Porsche Electric Sport Sound) for a more theatrical experience, changing tone once the higher speed gear has engaged.  Settle down to a cruise in Normal or Sport and the sport sound is switched off, resulting in a relaxing environment with very little wind noise. There is some tyre roar from the 20in tyres and it’s not as hushed as the BMW i5 Touring, but it shouldn’t prove tiresome.

All Taycan Sport Turismos are powered by a 97kWh (usable capacity) battery, and the entry-level can travel the farthest on a full charge, with an official figure of around 400 miles. The remaining versions provide closer to circa 380 miles.

Unless you drive very gently in warmer weather conditions, a range of around 300 miles will be more realistically achievable. If long distance journeys in a pure electric estate are a big consideration, the VW ID 7 Tourer Pro S officially travels a bit further with its 422-mile range.

“The GTS is more than quick enough and I can’t imagine the need for choosing a Turbo version” Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Step inside and some may be a little disappointed by the lack of differentiation between the interior of the Sport Turismo and the saloon. Even the badging and on screen logos simply say Taycan, with only the vehicle graphic on the drive mode menu being a big indication. 

Mind you, there’s very little to complain about the Taycan’s interior and the driver could simply look in the rear-view mirror to notice the improvement in rear visibility thanks to the larger rear window. The front pillars are still relatively chunky, but it’s easy to see over the dashboard. Meanwhile front and rear parking sensors come fitted as standard, as well as a rear-view camera.

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 found on the 10.9in infotainment screen, while the lower portrait screen mainly features the ventilation controls. While we appreciate it’s separate from the main touchscreen, we would prefer using physical controls. Despite the haptic feedback offered on this one, the controls don’t easily fall to hand in the first place and the small icons themselves are hard to identify and aim for at a glance, proving distracting on the move. 

You sit closer to the ground than in most electric cars and the seats are wonderfully supportive. You get eight-way electric adjustment as standard on Taycan RWD and 4S models, but you can pay extra if you want the 14-way or 18-way adjustable seats fitted on higher trim levels.

There’s additional use of Porsche’s suede-like material for the GTS, called Race-Tex, found on the seats, steering wheel and roof lining. This grippy material on the seats is great for holding you in place, but the overall dark colour colour scheme might not be to everyone’s tastes. There is a two-tone leather option that adds a splash of colour. 

Alternatively there is also the option of the panoramic roof with Variable Light Control to maximise the amount of light in the cabin. This uses an electronically controlled film applied onto 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 to block out glare from the sun. The film is also divided up into nine segments and you can select which ones to use on the centre touchscreen. It’s a neat function, but costs significantly more than the regular panoramic roof without it. 

“If you really fancy treating the front passenger to an extra bit of tech, you can add a 10.9in screen onto the dashboard in front of them to watch videos or make adjustments.” Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

When it comes to practicality, the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo is very similar to its Cross Turismo stablemate. Those sitting on the rear seats will benefit from the extended roofline the most, thanks to the additional headroom of more than 45mm over the saloon. 

Those sitting up front are just as well catered for as they would be in the standard Taycan, but if you regularly have four six-foot occupants on board, the Sport Turismo may be more appealing than the Audi e-tron GT; even if the higher-riding Cross Turismo will make access just that little bit easier.

Four seats come as standard, but Porsche’s optional four-plus-one seating layout is available, adding a small rear centre seat suitable for small children and a 40/20/40 split-folding backrest to boost practicality. Without it, the rear seats fold in a less convenient 60/40 split.

With the rear seats set upright, the Sport Turismo’s 446-litre boot is not significantly bigger than the regular saloon, but the additional height and a wider loading aperture for bulkier items makes it far more usable. 

With the rear backrest folded down, the difference between the two cars is more marked, but it’s worth noting that there are larger, full-bodied estates that offer more boot space, such as the Audi S6 Avant e-tron (502 litres) and BMW i5 Touring (570-litres). 

As with the regular Taycan, the Sport Turismo has an 81-litre storage area under the bonnet that’s large enough for a carry-on suitcase or your charging cables.

“To some, the Sport Turismo’s extra height at the rear may seem small, but it makes a big difference for my family when they sit in the rear seats.” Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Like-for-like, the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo is only fractionally more expensive than the equivalent Taycan saloon. The GTS model looks to have a great balance of kit and blistering performance as standard without needing to consider the pricier Turbo versions. However, for many buyers we suspect the 4S will be better value and more than quick enough.

Standard features for the entry-level car and the 4S include 19in alloy wheels, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a powered tailgate and a heat pump. You have to pay extra for keyless entry, privacy glass, a heated steering wheel, full leather seats and adaptive cruise control. A Black Edition version is available on both of these models and comes with extra standard kit for a slightly higher price. 

Meanwhile the GTS and Turbo versions cost tens of thousands of pounds more. The GTS gets subtle detail changes to the styling, black 20-inch alloy wheels, a tweaked front bumper and gloss black inserts on the side sills and rear diffuser.

When it comes to charging, the Sport Turismo can charge at rates of up to 320kW, thanks to the Taycan’s 800-volt electrical system (most EVs have a 400-volt system). In ideal conditions, a 10-80% charge takes a little less than 20 minutes, but there are relatively few public chargers in the UK that can charge at this power. Plug in to a typical charger and the top-up will take around 30 minutes, which is about the same as a BMW i5 Touring.

At home, a 0-100% charge from a 7kW home wallbox takes more than 13 hours. 

In terms of crash protection, the regular Porsche Taycan achieved a five-star rating from Euro NCAP back in 2019 - a rating that has since expired. Whiplash protection for adults sitting in the front or back was found to be marginal, which is a little disappointing.

The list of standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition and lane-keeping assistance. Two Isofix mounts are fitted to the outer rear seats. 

There's a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty on the Sport Turismo, which matches BMW’s cover. The battery itself 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. 

Porsche finished in the lower half of the table in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, placing 19th out of 30 manufacturers – that’s above Audi but way below BMW. The Taycan, meanwhile, landed towards the bottom of the 19-strong field of electric cars. 

“It’s great that even the entry-level version is available with the most expensive paint colours, with Paint to Sample Plus costing more than £17,000. I’d love to see who’d tick this option” Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Buy it if…

– You need to and have access to the faster charging network

– You value a sportier, low-slung driving position

– You need a touch more practicality without getting a bigger car

Don’t buy it if…

– You want the biggest boot available

– You find touchscreens fiddly to use

– Reliability is high up on your list

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