What is it: The Porsche Cayenne is the vehicle that saved the brand. Sure, the Boxster helped round out Porsche’s portfolio but it was the company’s first SUV — which has outsold the 911 reliably since its introduction — that allowed the company to bring us the really sweet sheet metal that we now love and adore. The third generation Cayenne arrived this year, lost a few pounds, gained a little length and some speed.
Key Competitors: Jaguar F-Pace, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE
Base Price: $84,150 As-Tested Price: $98,970
Full review: 2019 Porsche Cayenne first drive
Highlights: The Cayenne S borrows from the Panamera with the same 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and eight-speed Tiptronic transmission. It has paddles on the steering wheel, but it’s still a torque converter setup, which is surprising by the way it acts. But we’ll get to that in a minute. All Cayennes come with all-wheel drive and Porsche Traction Management, which is the variable torque distribution system that “ensures maximum propulsion at all times.” A noble goal indeed.
Our Opinion: This Porsche Cayenne feels and looks kind of plain; there’s not a lot of wild styling inside or out. It’s only the S, not the Turbo or Turbo S, so I’m thinking, “this will be reasonably priced.” Wrong. We’re at $98,970 with just a small handful of options. Big wheels, big brakes and leather make up about ten grand of those. However, I think the last X5 I drove was near $100K and the Mercedes-Benz GLE can easily go into the $90s too. All three of the Germans start in the $60K-range, which seems more reasonable. Six figures for a midsize SUV? Doesn’t feel like enough car.
Don’t get me wrong, the Cayenne’s power and handling are great. Best in the segment. The 2.9-liter V6 is very smooth, and I didn’t notice any turbo lag, but Robin just drove the base model, so maybe that’s the difference. I did notice the downshifts that make the car rock back and forth, which made me think this was a dual clutch, maybe Porsche just tuned in some…I don’t want to say harshness, but, something, in the name of feeling fast. But this thing is already plenty fast, and shifts at speed feel normal and smooth.
Cayenne steering and handling are way above average for an SUV. The ratio feels quick and the effort/weight is right too, for making spirited moves in traffic and cutting along roundabouts at the very edge of the shallow curb. Also, Porsche does a great job of keeping the suspension stiff, but muting out the bigger road imperfections. I think the three-chamber air suspension helps here, as does the 48-volt electric system and adjustable antiroll bars. The new Cayenne also offers an off-road mode that loosens things up. I didn’t get to the dirt in this drive. Maybe next time.
Inside the Cayenne S, there are a lot of buttons but like I said, the styling is clean. The big 12-inch screen shows all the info you need and Apple CarPlay worked as intended. I always like the redundant infotainment mode buttons, because I’m getting old and worse at “technology” — I also love the sport dial/button on the wheel. That’s where you switch from normal to sport and sport plus, but it also features a button in the center that moves all settings to max power for 20 seconds. It’s basically a push-to-pass button and it’s awesome.
The Porsche Cayenne S starts at $82K; if you skip the bigger wheels and leather and premium audio, you’ll probably be at less than 90 grand. Still sort of feels like a lot, but in this realm it is really closer to average. I was just in an Escalade, I know it’s a size bigger, that STARTED above $100K. Yikes.
–Jake Lingeman, road test editor
Options: 21-inch wheels ($3,830); leather interior ($3,750); Porsche Surface Coated Brakes ($3,490); summer tires ($1,200); Bose surround sound ($1,130); seat heat ($530); auto-dimming interior mirror ($490)
Base Price: $84,150
As-Tested Price: $98,970
Drivetrain: 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6, eight-speed automatic, AWD
Output: 434 hp @ 5,700-6,600 rpm; 405 lb-ft @ 1,800-5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,454 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 18/23/20 mpg
Pros: Buttery smooth powertrain, best handling in the segment
Cons: Pick a flashy color if you want to be, well, flashy
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