Widely regarded as one of the best EVs available, Porsche’s Taycan gained faster charging and longer range this year.

Al Suttie puts the SUV-esque Cross Turismo version, complete with all-wheel drive and increased ground clearance, to the test.

Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo

List price (BiK): £100,400 (2%) CO2: 0g/km Economy: 360 miles Test efficiency: 342 miles

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Monday

Judging by the number of Porsche Taycans on the road, it’s been a resounding success for the German sports car maker. A good deal of these Taycans are funded by company cash, helped by its EV powertrain, and it’s this that has been most notably updated for 2024. More power, greater efficiency, faster performance – it all sounds like an ideal mix for the keen, green fleet driver.

Tuesday

In Cross Turismo spec, such as this one, the Taycan now comes with the Performance Plus battery as standard, giving 97kWh of real-world capacity. That translates to a claimed maximum range of 360 miles, which is a bit less than the Taycan saloon in its most efficient guise. Still, it’s plenty and means you just don’t think about charging up nearly as much in the Porsche as you do in most other EVs.

Wednesday

Some motorway miles in the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo show it is more than able to devour distance driving with ease. It’s very quiet, more than quick enough when you need to sprint out of a slip road into the flow of traffic, and rides superbly. Adaptive air suspension is standard, and this car has the optional Active Ride Control – a hefty £6,291 extra – which doesn’t make a huge difference on this type of road.

Thursday

Heading out on some well-known back roads this morning in the Taycan and the Active Ride Control has more of a bearing on matters. Where some air suspension systems simply firm things up, Porsche’s can reduce body lean to all but nothing, or even angle the car into the bend. The result is a 2,245kg EV that handles like a Boxster, which is exactly what you want from a car wearing the Porsche badge.

Friday

While the Cross Turismo nods to off-roady pretensions, it’s really a road car that might just get you out of a muddy field after a day out. More importantly, it makes for a supreme executive express with good, though not class-leading, space in the back for a couple of adults. With the estate-like body of this model, you also get 446 litres of boot space at the back, which is just about enough for a family week away, plus 84 litres under the ‘frunk’ for charging cables.

Saturday

With a colleague driving the Taycan, it’s a rare chance to experience a car from the passenger seat. The Porsche passes with flying colours for comfort, space and good all-round vision. This car is equipped with the Passenger Display as a £1,061 option, though I’m not sure I’m that fussed about it. That probably says more about my indifference to the number of screens in cars nowadays, but I reckon my teenage son would see it as a necessity.

Sunday

A Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo funded with company money will undoubtedly be a delightful car to use and run for however long you want it. It will also go for longer than most between charges, and be quicker to recharge, while also delivering a driving experience that none do better than Porsche. Just be careful with the options, though, as this test car added 30% to its total cost with the various extras.