2024 Porsche Cayenne S review
This car redefined what we thought was possible from a family friendly wagon, and it just stepped up to a new level.
The heart won over the head when Porsche updated its Cayenne SUV.
The brand has revived the V8 engine in the S variant that is the top seller in the range, which also incorporates V6 and V8 hybrid options and a potent V8 Turbo GT.
The latest tune of the familiar 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 muscles up with 349kW and 600Nm for a 0-100km/h blast in 5.0 seconds.
That’s brisk, although it falls short of the ballistic 3.3 seconds for the Turbo GT.
It’s also marginally outdone by the E-Hybrid (4.9 seconds) and S E-Hybrid (4.7 seconds) models that pair an electric motor with a V6 to stop the clock at 4.9 seconds and 4.7 seconds respectively.
The V8 uses about 30 per cent more fuel than the V6 it replaces; the official figure is 12.3 litres per 100km.
But it focuses on stepping up the excitement and driving spirit of the Cayenne S, two big tempters ahead of the model’s eventual switch to electric-only propulsion.
More than anything, though, it’s the new soundtrack that ramps up the theatre of the Cayenne S.
Quad exhausts produce a throaty thrum that grows to a purposeful snarl when pushed.
It’s muted but satisfying. Activate the optional sports exhaust either through the screen or by dialling up Sport or Sport+ and there’s more bass and beef to the exhaust note.
Drive it harder and the soundtrack includes intoxicating crackles and burbles, especially as you lift off.
The eight-speed auto is beautifully calibrated, delivering smooth and decisive shifts. In more aggressive drive modes – selected via a dial on the new steering wheel that matches the 911 – it holds gears longer and downshifts in preparation for corners when braking.
If you don’t need the V8 chest beating then the entry-level Cayenne provides thoroughly respectable performance. The generous 260kW and 500Nm makes for a handy companion, although it lacks the brawn some may expect from the Porsche badge.
No such complaints with the Turbo GT – available only in the sleeker Coupe body style – which unleashes a full 485kW and 850Nm of brutal V8 thrust with a spicier note courtesy of its titanium exhaust.
Through corners, too, the Cayenne is more capable than almost 2.2 tonnes of go-fast SUV deserves to be. We drove an S on the standard 21-inch tyres and grip levels were superb. The Turbo GT on its stickier 22-inch rubber ramps it up while maintaining a sure-footed poise.
In a market segment that incorporates the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Audi Q7/Q8 the Cayenne goes beyond sheer pace.
There’s a growing luxury focus reinforced by revised air suspension on S models and above. It’s impressively supple and makes for a comfortable tourer.
Adjustable dampers stiffen the ride in a tempered but effective manner for added control that more assertively harnesses the sharp, well weighted steering.
Porsche also includes a gravel drive mode that raises the body by 55mm for LandCruiser-like clearance, although the space saver, modest suspension travel and performance focused tyres provide a natural limit to adventures.
Prices have crept up and the range now starts at about $155,000 for the V6-powered model known simply as Cayenne. It has leather, electrically adjustable front seats, a head-up display, smart-key entry, matrix LED headlights and a new 12.6-inch curved digital instrument cluster with customisable layouts, one of which mimics the circular dials of classic Porsche sports cars.
A $2860 10.9-inch passenger display can now be added to the 12.3-inch main touchscreen.
Add about $15,000 for the E-Hybrid model that brings a 130kW/460Nm electric motor for EV-only driving. There’s also a more powerful S E-Hybrid (about $195,000) and the Turbo GT (approaching $400,000).
The S is the sweet spot, priced at about $200,000 and adding a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats and a punchy Bose sound system, among other trinkets.
But it’s the return of the V8 engine that Porsche Australia CEO and managing director Daniel Schmollinger believes will hit the mark here.
“Australia is definitely a V8 market,” he says.
VERDICT
Four stars
Added V8 thrills team with fresh tech to boost the driving excitement and luxury of Porsche’s most luxurious SUV.
PORSCHE CAYENNE S
PRICE From about $200,000 drive-away
WARRANTY/SERVICING Three years/unlimited km, about $8000 for five yrs/75,000km
SAFETY 10 airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist, surround view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning
ENGINE 4.0-litre twin turbo V8, 349kW/600Nm
THIRST 12.3L/100km
SPARE Space-saver
BOOT 671 litres
Originally published as 2024 Porsche Cayenne S review
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