The Cayenne truly shines on open roads.
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to sit in, and especially drive, a Porsche, you’ll experience the feeling of being inside something solid, stable, and crucially, unbreakable.
I remember a Porsche event in Faro, Portugal for the launch of the second generation Boxster and Cayman in 2013.
The moment I got inside our Cayman test unit, I went 260 km/h immediately on the highway as soon as we were flagged off.
It was my first time driving the car, and the first time driving on those roads after a long-haul flight.
Porsches just make you feel supremely confident, reassured and ready for anything. No other car brand does that for me.
And, it doesn’t feel dainty, delicate or fragile the way some other luxury brands (particularly the Italians and British brands) do; it feels hewn from a solid piece of forged billet that will stand the test of time.
When Porsche launched the Cayenne in 2002, it opened the brand to new clients who believed in the Porsche ethos of efficient, intelligent, yet all-conquering performance over its rivals.
Truly, it was (and remains to be) the fastest, sharpest, most focused and most enjoyable premium SUV.
Over 700,000 units sold throughout its 16-plus years in production is hard to argue against.
The latest Cayenne is faster, more efficient thanks to being lighter, yet still bigger, safer and roomier than its predecessor.
The base V6 is a turbocharged engine producing a very respectable 340 hp and 450 Nm of torque driving all four wheels via the familiar ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.
It shares many of its key components (chassis, suspension, 48v electronics) with the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus.
You also get air suspension that is both height and damping adjustable, awesome brakes (a Porsche hallmark even in SUVs), and a well-built interior.
Inside, the Cayenne gets the Panamera’s dash, which is actually also very similar to the recently launched 992 generation sports car.
A huge high-definition LCD display dominates the center. The console in the middle is a glass-like panel with icons that function like a touch screen for the vehicle settings (suspension, drive modes etc) and climate control.
A 918-style 3-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters responds to your inputs faithfully and precisely, which gives you, the driver immediate and almost absolute confidence the minute you step inside.
There’s more room especially for the back seats, and 100 liters more of cargo space over its predecessor.
918-style 3-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters gives drivers absolute confidence.
For the third generation, rear axle steering improves agility, responsiveness and maneuverability in tight spaces.
At a driving event in Sepang International Circuit last year, we had slalom exercises using a Cayenne, and its ability to zig-zag through the cones belied belief and physics.
To help steering feel and stability, the Cayenne features staggered wheel/tire sizes, with the rears being noticeably wider than the fronts, just like most rear or all wheel-driven performance cars.
Despite being impressive on Sepang’s smooth surfaces, an SUV’s test should be done on open roads, and the Cayenne truly shines.
The ride is excellent: firm like most European sports-oriented vehicles in normal and sport modes, but very smooth in comfort mode.
You can raise/lower the suspension depending on road surface over an approximately 5-inch window, which made my impromptu off-roading surprisingly hassle-free.
The ride firm in normal and sport modes, and very smooth in comfort mode.
A switch to more aggressive A/T—or even M/T—tires will really improve the Cayenne’s performance off-road.
The rest is standard Porsche: awesome brakes, precise steering, responsive throttle, and impressive high-speed stability.
The Bose surround sound system plays great music, and the multi-zone climate control keeps the interior cool at all times.
ABS/EBD, a plethora of front, side and curtain airbags, as well as traction and stability control will keep you safe in case you over-extend your talent on the road.
If you want a practical family vehicle with the feel of a proper sportscar and the versatility of an SUV, it’s almost impossible to find something better than the Cayenne.
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