What is it? 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo five-passenger electric sports car, or maybe it’s a wagon.
Why should you consider it? Stunning looks, performance, comfort, electric power.
How much will it cost? Base price $136,000, excluding $1,450 destination charge.
When can you buy it? On sale now.
“What is that car? I love it.”
“A Porsche. It’s electric.”
“Now I really love it!”
That’s the Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo in a nutshell. Gorgeous and defying simple description, the all-wheel-drive electric sport wagon may be the most desirable vehicle in the rapidly expanding Taycan family of electric Porsches.
Capable of hitting 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, reaching 155 mph and charging from 5% to 80% in just 22.5 minutes, the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo can carry five people and an acceptable amount of gear. The Turismo body style is essentially a sport wagon or hatchback with a comfortable rear seat and usable cargo compartment, though most of the world’s sport sedans would envy its performance. There’s also a front trunk with room for briefcases and small overnight bags
Its only immediately apparent shortcomings are a modest estimated range of 233 miles on a charge and the lack of a setting for one-pedal driving, a pair of tradeoffs Porsche made to maximize performance.
After a few hours behind the wheel, it’s hard to argue with that choice.
What makes this Porsche go?
The GTS designation dates back to 1963. Porsche uses it on models that offer almost as much power and performance as top of the line Turbo models, at a lower price and with a tad more comfort.
Turismo’s dimensions are almost identical to the Cross Turismo. The Sport is biased more toward on-road performance, less for all-weather capability. It has a 0.7-inch lower roof, slightly better aerodynamics, and smaller cargo area behind the rear seat.
Power comes from two electric motors, one on each axle. They produce 509 horsepower, 590 with launch control, and a whopping 626 pound-feet of torque.
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The GTS Sport Turismo has electronically controlled full-time all-wheel drive that monitors wheel slip for maximum performance and control.
Like other Taycans, it has a two-speed automatic transmission for its rear motor. The front motor connects to its axle by a single-speed direct drive unit. Multispeed transmissions are rare in EVs today, but they’ll likely become more common as other automakers follow Porsche’s lead to wring out every drop of power and efficiency.
A Taycan for every taste
The Sport Turismo has essentially the same body as the Taycan Cross Turismo and Turbo Cross Turismo. It slots between those two both in price and performance. Slightly faster, more aerodynamic and expensive than the Cross Turismo, less so than the Turbo Cross Turismo. All the Turismos come with all-wheel drive and dual electric motors.
Prices for the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo start at $136,000. All prices exclude destination charge.
All the vehicles have essentially the same drivetrain. That’s one of the beauties of electric vehicles: Power upgrades that would require a new bigger internal combustion engine can often be accomplished with comparatively minor changes.
The Turismos also share a 93.4 kWh lithium-ion battery that can be charged at up to 350 kW, or 800 volts.
The loaded Taycan GTS Sport Turismo I tested stickered at $160,020.
2022 Porsche Taycan Turismo prices
Taycan 4 Cross Turismo: $97,700
Taycan 4S Cross Turismo: $113,000
Taycan GTS Sport Turismo: $136,000
Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo: $155,900
Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo: $190,000
Source: Porsche
Prices exclude destination charge.
Charging features owners will love
The Taycan GTS Sport Turismo’s profile is unlike any other vehicle on the road, a statement that gets harder to make with every new five-seat SUV that hits the market.
The GTS literally stopped traffic as other drivers admired and asked about it.
The wagon’s long nose and roof promise power and passenger space, while a rear spoiler and sharply falling rear window and hatch make the vehicle look compact and agile. Front fender vents conceal charging ports on both sides of the vehicle, a costly feature that owners will welcome when the have to park at crowded public charging stations.
The GTS’s ability to charge at up to 350 kW allows for quick top-ups at DC fast charging stations. While data show EV owners do the vast majority of their charging from slower 240-volt chargers overnight or at the office, DC fast charging is a key enabler for long trips, particularly given the Taycan’s modest range.
Managing the range
The EPA estimates the Taycan will cover 233 miles on a charge. That’s modest by the standards of new luxury SUVs, but not out of line given the Taycan’s low profile, which limited battery space under the floor, and high performance. Still, it means many common trips such as Detroit to Chicago or to cottages on the shore will require significant charging en route.
Under ideal conditions, the Taycan’s fast-charging capability will allow a charge from 5% to 80% range in just under 23 minutes at 260 kW, but conditions are seldom ideal. Commercial DC chargers may be rated to deliver up to 350 kW, but they seldom deliver that much power.
I got 170 miles range in about 35 minutes at a charger rated at 350 kW. That’s still pretty good, but enjoyable trips will depend largely on the availability of charging plazas that offer both DC fast charging and diversions like coffee shops and good Wi-Fi service.
Driving impressions
The Taycan GTS Sport Turismo is tuned for driving on the track. Adaptive air suspension and shocks keep the big car — at 195.4 inches long, a bare 0.5 inch shorter than a Toyota Avalon — stable and planted in quick maneuvers. Body roll, squat and dive are virtually absent, despite the car’s hefty 5,152-pound curb weight.
My test car had active rear steering that improved stability and responsiveness on the highway and tightened the turning radius in tight quarters.
The steering is responsive and nicely weighted, with a firm on-center feel in highway driving. Synthesized drivetrain sounds for performance evoke power without being intrusive.
Acceleration is immediate and feels effortless whether from a stop, passing or on the highway.
Porsche has regenerative braking, which effectively recaptures energy when slowing down, but the automaker doesn’t offer the max-regen “one-pedal driving” feature common in other brands. That’s because Porsche figures GTS drivers will spend some time on the track and will want deceleration controlled solely by their foot on the pedal.
Porsche knows its owners, but given that one-pedal driving, which brings the vehicle to a complete stop without using the brake, can be achieved with nothing but additional programming, I expect to see the feature on future EVs, probably initially on SUVs unlikely to see much track time.
The interior is roomy and accommodating. High resolution screens present clear, configurable displays and controls for nearly all features. I’d welcome physical dials and switches for frequently used functions like volume, tuning, fan and temperature, but the touch screens work reasonably well. I generally like dashboard vents aimed at me, but the GTS’s vents are fixed. To my surprise, they worked fine, keeping me comfortable on a warm day.
The front sport seats are deeply contoured, supportive and comfortable. The Bose audio system was excellent, complementing the GTS’s quiet cabin.
2022 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo at a glance
Base price: $136,000 (all prices exclude $1,450 destination charge)
All-wheel-drive, five-passenger electric sport wagon
On sale now
Specifications as tested:
Price as tested: $160,020
Drivetrain: One electric motor on each axle
Output: 509 hp, 590 with launch control; 626 pound-feet of torque
Power to weight ratio: 9.2 pounds/hp.
Transmission: Single-speed front transmission, two-speed automatic rear transmission
Battery: 93.4 kWh lithium ion
Charging time: 10.5 hours @ 240v; 22.5 minutes @ 270 kW
EPA range estimate: 233 miles
EPA estimated annual fuel cost: $800
0-60 time: 3.5 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Wheelbase: 114.2 inches
Length: 195.4 inches
Width: 84.4 inches (with mirrors)
Height: 54.8 inches
Cargo volume: Front: 2.9 cubic feet; 15.7 cubic feet behind rear seat; 42.8 behind front
Ground clearance: 7.48 inches; 9.25 at maximum ride height
Curb weight: 5,152 pounds
Assembled in Stuttgart, Germany
Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan.
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