At a glance the latest Porsche Cayenne isn’t wildly different from its predecessor, but that’s what Porsche customers have come to expect. Despite this there’s some cutting edge new tech for this third generation model underneath that’s helped Porsche concentrate on improving it in key areas.
Starting inside, the new cabin treatment is more attractive and up-to-date, and occupants should notice significant improvements to refinement too. A lighter chassis and suspension upgrades have helped boost the already impressive dynamics, and as you would expect there are efficiency improvements, too.
That said, diesel and hybrid versions are notably absent from the launch line-up which will be a disappointment to some, and Cayenne owners pay a hefty price for the privilege of buying and running this prestigious and premium SUV.
The exterior design of the latest Porsche Cayenne is certainly evolutionary, and some might even call it predictable. It’s both longer and lower than its predecessor, but still the Cayenne’s five-door profile is unmistakable. However, the new bodywork seems to be draped more tautly over that new shared platform, and the car has a more contemporary feel with its LED headlamps, and more sharply contoured roofline.
While the front end retains a classic Porsche Cayenne look with those 911 inspired headlamps, long swooping bonnet with power dome, and aggressive trio of large air intakes, the rear has been more comprehensively revamped. Changes there include a full-width light strip with LED taillights, and overall the Cayenne has a more broad-shouldered and muscular feel, giving it a closer family resemblance to the Panamera.
Turbo models are distinguished by their 21-inch alloy wheel design, quad exhausts and colour-coded wheelarch extensions.
Inside, the changes have been even more profound, and the new interior has clearly been inspired by that in the latest Panamera saloon - although it’s definitely been configured around the driver. There’s a wide, low-profile dashboard with a big 12-inch touchscreen at its centre, while the multifunction steering wheel sits in front of a classic Porsche instrument binnacle. The large central rev counter is still present, but a pair of high-resolution displays flanking it can be configured by the driver to display instruments, maps or other info.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The Porsche Advanced Cockpit is new to all Cayenne variants, and features a glass-effect panel at the centre of the console with touch sensitive buttons for fast access to major vehicle functions. The Porsche Communication Management system sits above with its high-definition 12-inch touchscreen, and with Porsche Connect you get Apple CarPlay connectivity and a range of around 20 apps for communications, entertainment and information.
The standard Sound Package Plus is a 10-speaker audio system with 150 Watts of power, but you can upgrade to either the 710-Watt BOSE Surround Sound System, or for real audiophiles a Burmester High End 3D Surround Sound System with 21 speakers.
We’ll get to the crazy acceleration numbers for Turbo models further down this review, but first there’s a new chassis control system called 4D that monitors an array of sensors, feeding back to an active air suspension system to provide optimum responses over a wide range of terrains and on the road. Improving off-road performance was one of the key objectives for the platform, and with different settings for gravel, mud, sand and rock the Cayenne offers a similar degree of ability to its Bentley Bentayga sister model.
There are five drive modes for when you’re on the tarmac (let’s face it, where the car will spend most of its time), and especially with options ticked for rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars, on the road is where Cayenne really shines. Even without these expensive add-ons the Porsche sets a new benchmark in ride and handling for the class.
Body roll is all but eliminated in corners, the steering offers the responsiveness, accuracy and weight of a serious sporting saloon, and the brakes offer plenty of well-modulated stopping power. Ease off on the performance though, and the Cayenne’s clever suspension softens up too, bringing a real improvement to ride quality and refinement for passengers whether on motorway or A-road cruises, or around town.
Engines
The headline grabber in the range is obviously the Cayenne Turbo, and the new version offers performance that’s even more impressive than the last. Its engine is a twin-turbo V8 that delivers 542bhp and 770Nm of torque, a small but significant advance over the previous Turbo model’s 4.8-litre V8. Specify the optional Sport Chrono package with launch control, and the latest Cayenne Turbo has the potential to catapult you to 62mph from standstill in 3.9 seconds thanks in no small part to the amazing traction of the active 4x4 powertrain. Top speed is 177mph, which is thoroughly impressive, too.
Set against its high-performance stablemate, the standard Cayenne’s 335bhp 3.0 turbocharged V6 engine looks weedy, until you remember Sport Chrono equipped versions will crack the 0-62mph sprint in 5.9 seconds and top 152mph. The 434bhp Cayenne S knocks a second off the 0-62mph time and touches 164mph.
As you’d expect from a company with the engineering reputation of Porsche, the latest Cayenne has a hewn-from-solid feel and is undoubtedly screwed together well. Sharing the Audi Q7 platform means it benefits from the full weight of VW Group safety tech as well, so features such as autonomous braking, lane-keeping assistance, cross traffic alert and active cruise control are all available as part of the package.
Euro NCAP has tested the latest Cayenne, and it performed very well with a full five-star rating, along with a strong 95 per cent rating for adult occupant safety.
There was no date from previous generation Cayenne owners in our 2017 Driver Power survey, as insufficient numbers participated. However, the Porsche brand as a whole and the Cayenne itself have a strong reputation for reliability and build quality.
Warranty
The Porsche model range is covered with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, and European breakdown cover is included, too. Porsche Approved warranty extensions can be bought as well, but if you have to pay for an inspection if you want to extend outside your first year of ownership.
Servicing
The Porsche Cayenne has a servicing regime that includes an annual oil service, with minor services at two years or 20,000 miles and a more significant visit to your dealer at four years or 40,000 miles. The costs reflect the premium nature of the Porsche brand, with a minor service costing around £450 and a major service coming in at £600 or so. Maintenance costs in general will be on the high side too, especially if you drive hard and use up consumables such as brake pads and tyres earlier than you might have expected.
You sit relatively low in the Porsche Cayenne, in cosseting sports style seats which provide plenty of comfort for long journeys while offering good support if you’re cornering hard. Turbo models feature 18-way electronic adjustment, and with a wide range of steering wheel adjustment the cabin will be able to accommodate most people comfortably.
Yet in spite of its superb handling capabilities, the latest Cayenne works remarkably well as a refined and relaxed cruiser, with only muted road roar from those big tyres and little in the way of wind noise to upset the calm. The air suspension offers a ride that’s smooth and refined too, and with the premium materials and build quality of the cabin providing a suitably upmarket experience, driver and passengers should be happy for hours at a stretch.
Size
The Cayenne is a big car that takes up a lot of room on the road. At 4,918mm long, 1,696mm high and 1,983mm wide, it has a similar footprint to the Range Rover Sport. The British rival is a few mms taller than the Cayenne, and a little shorter nose-to-tail, but there’s not much in it and the Porsche is about average size for this class.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
In spite of a relatively lowered roofline, the sporty, low driving position – for an SUV at least – ensures all but the tallest occupants have plenty of space above their heads. Legroom is good in both front and rear seats, but the high transmission tunnel means front-seat occupants don’t get quite the same sense of airy spaciousness at their elbows that more upright SUVs provide. The rear seats are comfortable, and the bench slides forward and back so you can trade-off legroom against extra luggage space. There’s no seven-seat option, though.
Boot
The Porsche Cayenne’s boot space is rated at an impressive 745 litres (minimum) for the least spacious Turbo model, while the standard version can accommodate up to 1,710 litres with the rear seats folded down. The rear bench splits 40:20:40, and slides 16mm fore and aft to maximise luggage space.
The list price of Porsche Cayenne models is stiff, but they’re pretty evenly matched against the Range Rover Sport, which is one of the model’s key rivals. However, while the Range Rover Sport comes comprehensively equipped, the Porsche approach is to tempt you with exotic sounding performance and luxury options that can rapidly escalate your financial commitment.
Buyers hoping for frugal diesel or ostensibly ‘green’ hybrid models will have to wait for now, as only petrol variants are available at launch. We expect more options to follow in due course, but the most efficient of the current bunch is unsurprisingly the standard car, which delivers claimed economy figures of 31.4mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 209g/km. Move up to the Cayenne S and the figures suggest a minimal penalty with over 30mpg and 213g’km CO2 claimed, but anyone who buys a Porsche of any kind with a view to utilising its performance potential is going to struggle to meet the official numbers.
That’s especially the case for the Cayenne Turbo, which has a combined cycle test figure of 24mpg. This would be easy to half if driven with gusto. The 272g/km CO2 figure ensures the Turbo joins the rest of the line-up in the top 37 per cent Benefit in Kind bracket for company car drivers, but it’s a significantly worse performer from an environmental perspective.
Insurance groups
Insurance groups for the latest Cayenne should be close to those quoted for the outgoing version, although they’ve yet to be confirmed by the insurance industry. You can expect group ratings of around 44 for the standard petrol model and a top group 50 rating for the Cayenne Turbo, which won’t surprise anyone.
Depreciation
Demand for previous generations of the Cayenne has been strong once they’ve reached the used market, and we expect the latest model to perform well too. That said, you can expect to lose a greater percentage of the purchase price on top Turbo models at resale time.
However, some options make the vehicle even more attractive as a used buy, so spec carefully.
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