The Porsche Cayenne is a five-passenger SUV with the soul of a sports car. Despite its prodigious size and weight, the Cayenne’s sheer performance is astounding, but never to the detriment of everyday comfort or usability. Optional larger alloy wheels do cause the ride to get jittery over imperfect pavement. And there’s no getting around the fact that powering hard through tight corners can make the Cayenne feel a little bulky. Nevertheless, the Cayenne puts the sport in sport-utility and remains the benchmark by which other performance-oriented SUVs are judged.
What’s New for 2017?
Say goodbye to the diesel engine option and hello to the Platinum Edition in the 2017 Porsche Cayenne. The Platinum trim brings with it Apple CarPlay connectivity, the Porsche Connect Plus app suite, and unique badging. Porsche has also updated the software in the Cayenne’s infotainment system for the 2017 model year.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Cayenne spoils you with choice when it comes to available powertrains, each with standard all-wheel drive. The base engine is a 3.6-liter V-6 that delivers 300 horsepower to all four wheels courtesy of an eight-speed automatic transmission. The twin-turbo variant of this same engine offers 420 horsepower in the Cayenne S and 440 in the GTS. For anyone who wants the prestige and power of a Porsche SUV, this could be the sweet spot of the range in terms of value and driving excitement. For some green-themed fun, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid employs a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 and electric motor to produce a combined output of 416 horsepower and 435 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid has 14 miles of electric range, though its combined 22-mpg city/highway average isn’t much better than what you get in the non-hybrid models. For maximum performance, there are the 520-hp Cayenne Turbo and 560-hp Turbo S.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Cayenne’s interior is businesslike and luxurious, though you’ll want to be patient when getting accustomed to all the various buttons and controls on the dashboard. There are lots of them, to put it mildly. The attention to detail is undeniable, however, and standard features include leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and a sliding and reclining second row. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, because Porsche allows a Cayenne customer to add everything from heated and cooled front seats to quad-zone climate control. You can even choose the color of the seatbelts, if you’re feeling picky. While some rivals offer a third row of seating, the Cayenne remains strictly a two-row SUV. Cargo room is ample, at least by Porsche standards, with about 24 cubic feet of storage behind the second row. Yet compared to similarly sized SUV rivals, this is on the smallish side. The cabin of the Cayenne also lacks the number of storage areas found in most competitors.
Infotainment and Connectivity
A 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen at the top of the Cayenne’s dashboard comes fitted with such features as navigation, Bluetooth, one USB port, and a 10-speaker stereo. Tech upgrades include Apple CarPlay, a Wi-Fi hot spot, a 16-speaker Burmester audio system, and a rear-seat entertainment center. While the touchscreen is within easy reach and is generally easy to use, the scale of the screen is smaller than what you find in many of the Cayenne’s competitors. And while we’re griping, for a vehicle that costs as much as the Cayenne does, it’s strange how something like smartphone connectivity is an extra-cost option.
You can get the Porsche Cayenne at Garisea.com.
