Auto review: Through Hell, Lansing and a cold store in Porsche’s super-fast Cross Turismo EV
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BY HENRY PAYNE TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
My road to hell (Michigan) in the blazing-fast 2022 Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo was paved with good impressions. Although I had to reload at a weed store to get there. Porsche’s latest electric vehicle highlights the paradox of high-performance electric vehicles: cutting-edge cyborgs depending on an unreliable charging network to survive.
Let me tell you about a day at the electric frontier in one of the fastest electric vehicles in the world.
The Cross Turismo 2022, if you’ve lived on Mars, is the highly anticipated sequel to Porsche’s first electric vehicle, the Taycan performance sedan. With a hatchback, bike rack mounts, and standard all-wheel drive, Cross Turismo is to Porsche’s electric lineup what Panamera is to gas-powered Porsches – a family crossover (ahem, don’t call it a wagon) with a shocking speed.
Porsche created its range of electric vehicles in 2020 – not with an electrified version of its iconic super-sporty 911 – but a sedan, the Taycan. With its stunning looks and heavenly handling, it has established Porsche as the pinnacle of electric vehicle performance.
The Cross Turismo, the brand’s second electric vehicle, takes the Taycan and adds a dose of practicality. But, as I discovered after owning a super-fast Tesla Model 3 Performance Model, practicality is a relevant term in the world of electric vehicles.
My Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo begged to be driven hard, but the realities of the electric charging network demanded restraint. Like Odysseus plugging his ears with beeswax, I spent the day resisting the siren call of the Turbo Cross Turismo for fear of being wrecked free of charge by the side of the road.
I got the Porsche in my driveway at 9 a.m. on a June weekday with a near full charge of 197 miles of range, and started planning my day around the electric vehicle. It drives Mrs. Payne crazy. In gasoline-powered cars, you just jump in and go knowing that the fueling infrastructure is everywhere. In an EV – even as sophisticated as Cross Turismo – you need to plan your trip around its lineup.
Any discrepancy can ruin your day. My Plan: Drive 80 miles to Lansing for a photoshoot with my friend Patrick, industry expert and Taycan owner. Then 50 miles south of hell to play on Michigan’s mightiest twisties. Then 50 miles home to Bloomfield Hills. Total mileage: 180, with cushion for autonomy anxiety.
To maximize range, I selected RANGE mode (similar to ECO mode in other vehicles) providing a range of 205 miles. SPORT MODE (Boowahaha!) Should wait.
As I merged onto I-96 via the clover, I hit the accelerator – ZOT! – and both engines provided instant torque of 626 lb-ft. Easy, Payne. I have to save the electrons for hell. I maintained a speed of 72mph in the slow lane (above which the range is starting to deteriorate), while the morning traffic increased to 80-90mph. Not easy to tolerate in a Porsche.
While not as sleek as the Taycan sedan, the Cross Turismo is still as sleek as ever with its low and wide proportions. An Audi Q7 sailed alongside me for a while, the first of a few thugs.
I’ve set the adaptive cruise control (Porsche calls it InnoDrive and it’ll set you back, um, $ 3,610. Welcome to Porsche’s a la carte options menu).
InnoDrive’s lane-keeping feature cruised the curves with confidence as I familiarized myself with Cross Turismo’s comfortable cockpit (Olea Black / Atacama Beige two-tone Club leather seating option: $ 7,140). It looks like the Taycan sedan except in Gravel mode (we’ll talk about that later). According to Porsche tradition, the start button is on the left dashboard – just like the Le Mans racers who ran to their cars, jumped and pulled the car in one motion. Switch the gear lever on the dashboard. Curved digital LCD display behind the steering wheel.
Porsche files will find the controls familiar, unlike, say, a Tesla Model S which is drastically different from other cars. Different, too, is the option of whistling in an artificial engine rumble ($ 500) all the way to the cabin – as Tesla reels in its silence. A programmable button on the steering wheel allowed me to activate / deactivate the sound at my discretion.
My Turbo Tester boosts power from 375 horsepower on the standard Taycan 4S Cross Turismo to 616. It was also a German car (American models won’t arrive until this fall), which meant the navigation system was unnecessary and only FM radio available. No worries, I had my phone.
I parked the Cross Turismo next to my friend Patrick’s Taycan in his North Lansing office park. He loved her. It was even the same deep blue as his car. He explained that the Cross Turismo would be his preference given the sedan’s easy utility (14.3 to 15.7 cubic feet, compared to 12.9 to 14.3 cubic feet for the sedan) and 3.6 extra inches of headroom.
He won’t be alone. Different from the Taycan sedan, the Cross Turismo comes standard with all-wheel drive, a large battery, and a sunroof, making it better value for money.
After photographing the two models together, the conversation turned to charging. I had driven 83 miles and pulled 75 miles from the battery – but my range anxiety tingled me as I contemplated my journey down the delicious roads of hell. I wanted more range in the bank. But where to charge?
Electrify America has a compressor in Lansing – but it was 20 minutes out of my way (not including 20 minutes of charging).
Pat pointed to a Skymint marijuana store with a 240-volt customer charger just down the street. As recharging infrastructures are scarce, these points of sale are essential.
While the Porsche inhaled electrons on the refrigeration charger, I did some work in Pat’s office – then returned to the joint (pun intended) to buy something in exchange for the free charge. Pat and I are squares – I don’t drink or smoke, let alone weed – but luckily Skymint also sells Snoop Dogg t-shirts and cookbooks.
Two hours later, my Cross Turismo had gained 24 miles of charge (by comparison, a gallon of gasoline will give you similar mileage, but topped up in 5 seconds). This would prove to be crucial for my trip. I said goodbye to Pat and headed for hell.
For another 50 miles, I kept the bridle on Cross Turismo’s 616 horsepower. Then I released their full fury.
Select Sport Mode. Turn traction control off. Flatten both pedals to set Launch Control (increasing horsepower to 670). Release the brake.
The electric silence was broken by an assault on the senses. Six hundred and twenty-six pounds of instant torque buried my spine in the seat. The twin engines were screaming. An infernal and artificial roar filled the cabin. The scenery blurred as 60 mph passed in just over three seconds. Drive through Turismo and Gran Turismo.
Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster has nothing to do with the Taycan Cross Turismo. The roller coaster ride didn’t stop there, with the 5,200-pound sled gulping down the pavement at an astonishing pace. With 93.4 kW of battery in the belly and the air suspension tight, the beast stuck like fly paper to the undulating surface of Patterson Lake Road. Turn-in was Porsche-sharp. Brakes like a vice. I pushed aside the cars in my path with the accelerator pedal.
Who needs drugs? But fun comes at a price. The 24 miles I had gained in Lansing quickly disappeared. For kicks, I also ventured off the asphalt briefly – using Gravel Mode (which can lock the wheels in an electronic simulation of a Jeep’s locking differentials) and the extra 1.6 inches of ride height. of Cross Turismo.
But with 21-inch low-profile tires, the Taycan’s torque-driven thrills are on the road. A Panamera looks like a slug in comparison. I put my lead right foot away, put Cross Turismo back into Reach mode and made it home – arriving with only 19 miles of range left.
Electric vehicles are aimed at niche buyers willing to accept their inferior refueling habits. For Porsche buyers with disposable income (and 2,000 others to install a 240 volt charger in their Up North home / cottage / condo in Florida), the Cross Turismo is a new EV toy for their stable.
Porsche – there is no substitute.
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2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Vehicle type: Four-wheel drive, battery-powered five-passenger SUV
Price: $ 92,250, including $ 1,350 destination fees (Turbo Cross Turismo: $ 154,850 standard, $ 190,550 depending on tests)
Power plant: 93.4 kWh lithium-ion battery with dual electric motor drive
Power: 616 hp (670 hp w / launch control), 626 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: Single-speed direct drive / front axle and two-speed rear axle
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.1 seconds (manufacturer); top speed, 155 mph
Weight: 5,200 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA MPGe 89 city / 98 highway; range, 204 miles
Report card
Tops : Exhilarating acceleration and handling; eye-catching design
Bottom: Tedious charging network; options alone can cost over $ 35,000
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is an auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at [email protected] or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
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