I’m just taking a look at the pricing of the latest Porsche Cayenne, and it was quite amazing to find the V6 model is cheaper than a couple of premium Toyota Landcruiser models, some models from the Lexus RX, all except one of the Range Rovers, all of the BMW X6s and some of the BMW X5s, and three of the Audi Q7s. To put it bluntly, the Cayenne series is extremely well priced considering what it comes up against. Model for model, and for sheer performance, it’s unmatched.
Take a look at this: AWD, practical off-road ability, magnificent performance, six huge airbags, a Fort Knox alarm, climate controlled multi-staged air-conditioning, huge sensual alloys, a curvy exterior profile, a substantial luggage capacity, exquisite upholstery, tasteful interior tones, an optional sunroof, Bluetooth communications, voice control, electric seats, heated seats, a DVD entertainment system and the list goes on…
To drive, the Porsche Cayenne hangs on like a Porsche should. Off-road, it can mix it with the best of them. Some up-rating of the engines has been going on, and all Cayenne models have performance that is excellent. Look out for the new Diesel and Hybrid models. More power has snuck into the engine bays of the other Cayenne models, too.
Build quality? It’s a Porsche for goodness sake!
All Porsches are sports cars. Well yes… but not exactly – not the Porsche Cayenne. The Porsche Cayenne is unlike any other Porsche. It has the performance that you come to expect out of a Porsche, but with the added ability of an SUV/4×4.
It might be hard to believe that the Porsche Cayenne comes with a choice of five different engines: a V6 with 220 kW, a V8 with a whopping 294 kW, the mind-blowing V8 Twin Turbo that puts out a remarkable 368 kW (700 Nm) in Turbo guise. These are some serious performers that can clean up the 0-100 km/h in around 7.5 seconds or way less (4.8 seconds for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo).
Now here is where the petrol power takes a bow and the two brand new engines enter the platform. Available as the Porsche Cayenne Diesel the horses under this one’s hood are raw and ready to flick up the dust and push the 180 kW engine into the performance zone. Smooth and effortless cruising power gives this Diesel all the refinement and torque you could wish for. The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid owns the newest engine. With the combined use of petrol and electricity, the Cayenne Hybrid musters good performance (279 kW, 242 km/h top speed and 6.5 seconds 0-100 km/h) and torque (580 Nm).
Combine any of the Cayenne models with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or an 8-speed Tiptronic S gearbox with Auto Start Stop function, and you have yourself the 4×4/SUV sport package of the year.
The Porsche Cayenne uses all-wheel-drive and Porsche’s (selectable) Stability Management, Automatic Brake Differential and Anti-Slip Regulation. All these combine to do one thing: keep you stable and moving in the direction you want to go. There is even a “Sport Mode” that, once engaged, adjusts every aspect of the vehicle from the engine to the drive-train and chassis setup – it even adjusts the exhaust – all to provide you more power and control when you need it most.
The interior is graced with all the amenities that a Porsche would have, like an electric steering wheel that adjusts to height and reach. The steering wheel is heated and has integrated function keys that allow you to control a whole host of features right from the wheel as you drive. The Porsche Cayenne is bathed in rich leather, from the form fitting and fully adjustable heated/cooling electric seats, to the dash/trim and much more. There is a panoramic roof that allows the greatest thing next to having a convertible. And yes, it has the typical Porsche big tachometer! Seating-wise, you can get five people inside the Porsche Cayenne, but four will probably be more comfy, while the boot will fit fishing gear, the dog and the like in quite comfortably.
The Porsche Cayenne safety features are state of the art, from a full complement of airbags to air adjustable suspension, ABS Anti-lock brakes and ParkAssist, which helps you park your Cayenne using a set of cameras that let you know what is around you.
Will you take the Porsche Cayenne off-road? While there is no way that the Porsche Cayenne could stack up against, say, a Landrover Discovery, it’s certainly capable of getting down and dirty when required. It would be a perfect pick as a family car for those who appreciate sports-style handling, a little bit of off-road blended with SUV size, safety and practicality.
The current model series includes the:
For any more information on the Porsche Cayenne, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Porsche dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!
Back to Porsche Car Reviews