2022 Car of the Year contender: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

If desirability and emotiveness were key Car of the Year criterions, the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo would have featured much later in the pages of this issue. The entire judging team was beguiled by the electric Porsche; by the way that it looked and by the way that it drove.

Yet when the votes to select finalists were tallied, there were none for this widely admired car. So, what happened?

Starting with background, this was the Taycan’s first appearance in COTY. The sedan’s launch timing meant it missed last year’s event, leaving the newer Cross Turismo variant as a natural choice for 2022.

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The wagon-style Cross Turismo is only fractionally longer than the regular Taycan, but a silhouette altered significantly at the rear brings a higher roofline, liberating more rear headroom and luggage space. Off-roader design cues are accompanied by an extra 20mm of ground clearance. (Or another 10mm if you opt for the Off-road Package.)

Unlike the sedan, every single Cross Turismo variant is all-wheel drive; we picked the mid-range 4S as the sweet-spot for a $205,300 price that’s relatively close to the $176,600 opening cost but much lower than the Turbo’s $271,200 ask.

With a plethora of options added, our test car was valued closer to $250,000. Still, this is a helluva lot of Porsche you’re getting when you consider a 911 starts from $241,000.

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Putting aside the Cross Turismo’s alluring aesthetics, the big question for an electric Porsche is whether it can stay true to the brand. The answer from the judges was emphatic. “Looks like a Porsche, feels like a Porsche, goes like a Porsche,” said Dylan.

“Captures the essence of Porsche DNA in a more convenient, practical package” – Richard Ferlazzo

The Taycan was utterly dismissive of every challenge presented at the proving ground, including the dirt section that was a particularly relevant test for the Cross Turismo’s implied promise.

Its ESC calibration proved to be decisive yet unobtrusive, NVH remained impressive, and it pulled up quicker than most on the 80-0km/h dirt-brake exercise.

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So effortless was its progress through the swerve-avoid lane-change that many contemplated a repeat attempt about 50 percent faster again.

The two-speed gearbox on the rear axle – distinctive in the EV world – was much loved, while ability on the Five Percent Gradient section steered the conversation back towards classic Porsche territory. “Sheer performance and dynamic alacrity are in the Dear Lordy realms,” said Curt.

Yet the Taycan Cross Turismo doesn’t quite warp the rules of physics: “The Cross Turismo conceals its weight well, but it does make a Panamera feel like a Lotus,” noted Dylan. Brake pedal response was criticised by some, too.

If a stunning interior is a prerequisite for any car sitting in post-$200K territory, the Taycan delivers. Beyond the overarching sporty attractiveness of the cabin, there’s faultless seating up front and gorgeous details such as the curved driver display.

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Rear headroom improves noticeably over the Taycan sedan and boot space increases by nearly 40 litres, though the rear seat still feels compromised – particularly for toe space – and the luggage area remains narrow.

Then there are factors such as a 436km range (a Tesla Model S Plaid claims 637km), and a maximum charging speed that’s outperformed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 pair.

If it wasn’t a complete shock, then, that the Taycan Cross Turismo didn’t progress beyond the proving-ground stage, disappointment was clearly etched on the judges’ faces when they realised, collectively, that they would be driving this Porsche no longer that week.