Taking a Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo off the Grid

Can you go overlanding in a Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo? That depends on how you define overlanding.

Overlanding involves taking a vehicle on an off-road adventure to remote areas in order to get away from the modern world and enjoy nature. It is basically getting off the grid for a while. But can you do that in a Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo? The Taycan is an EV. An EV NEEDS the grid. You can pack a traditional truck or SUV with gallons of extra gasoline or diesel.

But you can’t fill Jerry Cans with extra electricity for your Taycan. On top of that, overlanding means travelling across some tough terrain. The Cross Turismo model has a little over an inch of extra ground clearance compared to the sedan but let’s be honest it is not exactly a Toyota Land Cruiser. It is not even a Macan. So, can it handle overlanding? That depends on how you define it.

An article was recently published by Popular Science about off-roading in a Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo. They fitted the car with a set of Nitto Nomad Grappler tires, Porsche Aero wheels, and a Tequipment roof rack and rooftop tent. Then they hit some trails near Vail, Colorado. While the Taycan in the article was further off-road than 99.9 percent of them will ever travel, it would be a real stretch to call it an overlanding adventure.

Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo

The Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo has maximum ground clearance of 7.0 inches with the with the air suspension set to its highest level. It can also wade through about 13.4 inches of water. These are improvements over the sedan and impressive for a car that goes from 0 to 60 mph in about two and half seconds.

But while it may be the quickest vehicle on the trails, it will not get you the farthest. A Porsche Macan has almost a half of an inch more ground clearance, and that is not exactly Rubican Trail ready.

Overlanding

So, for a true overlanding adventure the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo is not going to cut it. It does not have the off-road capabilities needed. And with an estimated driving range of 265 miles and no way to recharge in the middle of the woods, the EV is not the best choice. However, if you want to do some light off-roading for a day or perhaps an overnight, the Taycan can accommodate. And it would certainly turn some heads out on the trail.

Give It a Try

While the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo may not be the ultimate overlanding vehicle, we applaud anyone that at least gives it a try off-road. Porsche built the 911 Dakar to be an off-road sports car and we can probably count on one hand how many have ever seen a speck of dirt. Even the Cayanne, which is a fairly capable off-roader, typically sees nothing more than manicured sod under its tires. So even you just load up your Taycan and take it to your local lake for some Instagram shots, that would be time well spent.

Photos: Kristin Shaw/Popular Science; Porsche

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.