Review: Porsche's $209,000 electric station wagon launched me into the stunning, wicked-fast future of cars

• The Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo is Porsche's tremendous electric station wagon.
• It's stunning, impossibly fast, charges quickly, and offers some practicality.

The Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo is an odd mix of things. It's a practical station wagon, a mind-bendingly quick sports car, an outrageously expensive luxury vehicle, and a zero-emission electric car all in one.

This may sound like too much — and honestly, it is. By the usual measures of price, power, and speed, the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo is completely over the top. But wrap all these things together and you're left with something stupendous.

The top-of-the-line, $209,000 model Porsche lent me for a weekend last month was terrific. It's also totally unattainable, adding to its allure.

What is the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo?

Porsche launched the Taycan sedan in 2019 as its first electric car, and it's since introduced a handful of additional trim levels and variations. The Cross Turismo, a $98,000, all-wheel-drive wagon meant to provide a bit more interior space and everyday usability, went on sale for the 2021 model year.

There are four Cross Turismo trims to choose from: the base model, the more powerful 4S, the even quicker Turbo, and then, at the very top of the lineup, the $190,000 Turbo S. In terms of performance and utility, the Turbo S is the pinnacle of what the Taycan has to offer.

It's the kind of car that forces you to ask hard questions about your life and where it's headed: Should I become an investment banker? Do I really need to own a home? Who needs a retirement fund anyway?

What stands out: Outrageously cool, impossibly fast

For decades, Porsche's sports cars have set the standard for handling precision and driving enjoyment. Now that I've driven one, I understand why.

The Taycan handled wonderfully on New York's highways and back roads, staying perfectly flat and composed through bends like no other car I've experienced. And there's zero play in the steering; point the wagon an inch to the left or right, and it'll oblige without hesitation. The Taycan's agility makes it feel more like a go-kart than a 2.5-ton electric vehicle.

Then there's the absurd, ungodly amounts of power: 616 horsepower normally and up to 750 in short bursts, according to Porsche. Since the Taycan is electric, it can deliver every bit of its grunt at a moment's notice. It's an absolute thrill to drive.

Find a safe spot to stomp the wagon's accelerator, and it instantly barrels into the distance with an urgency that's hard to imagine if you haven't experienced it before. Porsche says 60 mph arrives in just 2.7 seconds. All I know is that your surroundings start whipping by faster than your brain can process.

The Taycan's cabin is luxurious, and everything feels high quality to the touch. From the outside, the Cross Turismo is a stunner. It's strikingly low and wide, with dramatic curves and large, 21-inch wheels. I could go on, but come on, just look at it.

After a day of draining the Taycan's battery, you can fill it back up remarkably quickly. The wagon and its sedan sibling can charge at a rate of 270 kilowatts — faster than most other models — meaning 5% to 80% happens in just 22.5 minutes, Porsche says. In many lesser EVs, it would take more than twice as long.

And although the Turbo S's range looks mediocre on paper (202 miles according to the Environmental Protection Agency, compared to 396 for a comparable Tesla Model S), it performs much better in the real world. I observed a more competitive 250 miles of range, and Edmunds clocked a 2020 Taycan for an even healthier 323.

What falls short: Practicality, in some ways

The Cross Turismo is decently practical compared to the Taycan sedan thanks to its bigger cargo area and standard glass roof, which expands headroom. The back seat isn't palatial, but it's roomier than you might expect, since Porsche built clever indents into the Taycan's battery pack to provide more legroom. A front trunk provides supplemental storage space.

But the Cross Turismo doesn't feel quite as capable as Porsche claims it is.

Porsche says the Cross Turismo is better suited for unpaved roads and potholed streets than the regular Taycan due to its increased ground clearance, among other things. But the wagon only rides a few centimeters higher than the sedan. I was abundantly aware of how close the Cross Turismo is to the ground whenever I encountered a steep driveway or speed bump.

Does this take much away from the Cross Turismo's greatness? Nope.

An electric dream car

The Taycan is a hit, outselling Porsche's legendary 911 sports car last year. But the Cross Turismo only makes up 5% of the model's sales, and I can't fathom why given what it brings to the table.

It drives exceptionally, oozes swagger, doesn't use fossil fuels, and has room for the kids, making it a fabulous daily driver if money is no object.

Would I upend my life just to afford a Turbo S Cross Turismo? Not a chance. But if I ever hit it big on Dogecoin or marry into royalty, it's at the top of my list.