Overview & Reviews

Porsche raised the public's collective eyebrow when it decided to enter the sport-utility vehicle business in 2003 with the bulbous Cayenne. However, despite the grumblings of purists, this midsize luxury SUV has proven itself worthy of the vaunted Porsche name over the course of two generations.

With a lineup that stretches into six-digit territory when new and engines that range from a hybrid V6 to a twin-turbo V8, the Porsche Cayenne isn't your typical midsize SUV. Nor is it the most practical or family-friendly. Indeed, the Cayenne's relatively small cargo area, high load floor and lack of a third-row seat option limit its real-world functionality.

But in terms of spirited driving, there are few better. Thanks to its all-wheel-drive system, razor-sharp steering and superb brakes, the Porsche Cayenne demonstrates surprising dexterity around corners. The current generation isn't quite as adept off-road as the original Cayenne, but it's also lighter and more nimble, a trade-off that most shoppers will likely appreciate. New or used, a Cayenne is one of the best luxury SUVs you can get.

Current Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is a five-seat midsize luxury SUV with numerous trims that correspond to engine choice. The base Cayenne features a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 300 horsepower, along with all-wheel drive and a novel six-speed manual transmission. An eight-speed automatic is optional with the V6 and standard on everything else. Stepping up to the Cayenne S gets you a 4.8-liter V8 that gets the party started with 400 horses. The Cayenne Turbo rocks a turbocharged 4.8-liter V8 rated at 500 hp, while the Turbo S ups the ante to 550 hp. Should you care more about efficiency than performance, the Cayenne S Hybrid produces 380 hp but beats the base V6's fuel economy, while the Diesel's torque-rich 240-hp V6 uses even less fuel and still delivers authoritative thrust.

Inside, the Cayenne employs an enveloping, cockpit-style layout reminiscent of the Porsche Panamera, with ample standard features and as many options as your bank account can handle. The center console, adorned with upwards of 50 buttons, rises rakishly to meet the dashboard and its large touchscreen display. As with other Porsches, the Cayenne's interior boasts sumptuous materials and excellent build quality. The sculpted rear seats not only recline but slide fore and aft as well. Maximum cargo capacity, however, is more in line with compact crossovers at just 62.9 cubic feet.

In reviews, we've been astonished by the current Porsche Cayenne's athleticism. It can be hustled along a curving road with gusto, yet the ride manages to stay supple, even with the optional active dampers in their most aggressive setting. And although this Cayenne isn't meant for serious off-road use, it can still hold its own in light-duty applications. If we were making a list of the most capable vehicles across all driving scenarios, the Cayenne would be right there at the top.

Used Porsche Cayenne Models
The current, second-generation Porsche Cayenne was introduced for 2011. It may look smaller than the SUV it replaced, but this is actually an optical illusion created by the new model's lower nose and raked roof pillars. In reality, this Cayenne is fractionally longer, wider and taller. Pleasingly, though, it's about 400 pounds lighter thanks to the deletion of the dual-range transfer case (meant to permit serious off-roading) and the use of lighter-weight body panels. Besides this trip to Jenny Craig, the second-generation Cayenne benefits from sharper driving reflexes, invigorated engines and a new interior with better materials and more luxury features.

The current Cayenne has received a few notable updates during its run. The 550-hp Turbo S model didn't arrive until 2014, but from 2012-'13 a Power Kit was offered for the regular Turbo that increased output to 540 hp. Also, the Diesel and GTS models weren't introduced until 2013, and a Platinum Edition package (including special silver exterior accents and added luxury features) was unveiled for base and Diesel models in 2014.

The first-generation Porsche Cayenne was produced from 2003-'10 and came equipped with a heavy-duty all-wheel-drive system that included low-range gearing. At heart, though, the original Cayenne was all about on-road performance, just like the current model. It was considered one of the best-handling SUVs of its time -- not to mention one of the fastest in S, GTS and Turbo guises.

Inside, the driver sat high above traffic in comfortable bucket seats, facing a three-spoke steering wheel and a center-mounted tachometer that paid homage to Porsche's sports cars. The ignition was even mounted on the left side of the dash in classic Porsche style. Materials quality was generally very good throughout the cabin, but the advanced electronics controls weren't especially user-friendly. The original Cayenne wasn't the most spacious midsize SUV either, lacking the cargo and rear seat space of some similarly priced competitors.

Originally, there were only Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo styles. The S model's 4.5-liter V8 produced 340 hp, while the turbocharged version of the same engine pumped out 450 horses. A six-speed automatic transmission was standard. A 247-hp 3.2-liter V6 base model arrived in 2004, and its standard transmission became a six-speed manual for 2005 (the rest of the Cayenne line stuck with the auto). That year also saw the addition of a few options, such as a panoramic sunroof and a Turbo Power Kit that boosted output to 500 hp and upgraded the brakes. For 2006, the range-topping Cayenne Turbo S debuted, producing a monstrous 520 hp that whisked the Cayenne to 60 mph as quickly as a 911 Carrera of the same era.

The Cayenne was not produced for model year 2007, but the following year brought major changes. The styling was given a welcome face-lift, the suspension was revised for sharper handling and every engine gained more power. The base V6 now produced 290 hp, the Cayenne S's V8 385 hp and the Turbo an even 500 hp. The Turbo S was put on hiatus. The Cayenne GTS model also arrived for '08, featuring a 405-hp version of the S model's V8 along with a six-speed manual transmission, 21-inch wheels, an active air suspension and a lower ride height. The Turbo S made its return for 2009 packing 550 hp.

User Reviews:

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  Shame of German Engineering! - 2006 Porsche Cayenne
  By A Porsche Lover - September 8 - 5:46 am

  This is by far the WORST SUV, or for that matter car, any company has ever made. I had a Toyota 4Runner that had better performance, acceleration, power, and gas millage than this piece of crap! Let me tell you. before this, I had the Cayenne S, and thats a completely different car than the 6-cylinder! This car has absolutely no juice! It is supposed to have 240 HP, but the acceleration and the power as worse than a 4-cylinder Ford Ranger truck! And the gas millage is about 12.8 mpg on average! Do not buy or lease this vehicle! Pay a little more, and get the Cayenne S. I am returning mine back to the dealer at whatever cost! I can;t stand it, for shame Porsche!

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  overpriced under performer - 2016 Porsche Cayenne
  By Bill l - September 19 - 11:14 am

  we orderd this car, Iam a huge porche fan. the infotanment system on this car ( not suv) is awfull. the weather only shows large cities, not curent location. no headlight washers, the VW and Audi varients have them. the traction system is awfull. the car drives in rear wheeel drive until it slips. no center or rear locker on the diesel or hybrid, weight savings. So this car was 88K and the dealer will not make a deal on a differnt car beacause of the restriction on diesel sales. at this point i am so diapointed i am canceling my plans to upgrade my 2012 911 gts.

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  Bad SUV - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By rob - September 16 - 5:06 pm

  The 2004 Porsche Cayenne S has poor ride comfort, no dampening of bumps, a harsh road feel, the interior room is small for an SUV, and a poor acceleration curve with flat spots. Mine has been in the shop for many minor and major part failures.

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  Pissed by this car - 2016 Porsche Cayenne
  By Rock - December 8 - 6:57 am

  i used to own X5 4.4, this cayenne is not the same level in terms of handling and comfort. Its just not worth the money at all.

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  OMG What were they thinking? - 2016 Porsche Cayenne
  By Susan - May 9 - 10:12 am

  We repaired a 2016 Porsche that was purchased in the fall of 2015. This car has so many design flaws that a light hit to the rear end and the car should be totaled. Its engineering is so poor that they put the battery under the seat and access to exhaust required too much labor to include removal of a body panel. The seat just from a mediocre accident caused the rear passenger seats bolt that secures them to the floor break. Mind you the airbags did not even go off in this accident. That same tap to the rear caused a total of 4700.00 worth of mechanical damage due to the horror story of engineering. Take a pass on buying this it is going to be a Fix or Repair Daily vehicle. Being in the VW family should we have expected anything less?

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  DONT BUY - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By gavalos - April 30 - 6:37 am

  This is one of the WORST vehicles out there do not buy, high price maintenence, broke down in 3 years, oil changes are expensive $1200 + Drive line broke down another $1500 and finally if I want to keep it I have to replace the whole engine after Only Six(6) years or 125000miles for $9346 for a high quality suv please give me a brake Porsche.

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  Wish it was better - 2016 Porsche Cayenne
  By Appleco1 - March 23 - 1:40 pm

  Car makes noise by a speaker Car drips a lot of water on floor when plugged in overnight due to AC cooling battery

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  Not Happy - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By sailing707 - April 24 - 2:00 am

  I have not enjoyed this car at all. They are still working out the problems with the car and the service departments are horrible. The car has been in the shop more than it has been on the road. Im going back to the X5.

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  Worst ride I ever had - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By dorothy duffner - November 2 - 3:00 pm

  Bought my Porsche Cayenne new, was back three times for repairs, the last one was in the shop six weeks, the ride is like a mack truck, couldnt wait to unload it. Make sure you get a really good ride before purchasing this car. It does not ride like a sports car, I have had a couple Corvettes that had a better ride.

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  Lemon - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Robin S McBride - March 19 - 11:16 pm

  After 15 months have settled with Porsche. The vehicle was in the shop 52 days for one problem. Additionally, the drivers seat broke, the remote doesnt work, and tires had to be replaced. This SUV has always driven herky jerky and the brakes squeak. Three months ago I asked the dealership to work with me on a trade in. They offered $30K less than I paid for it, which I thought was ridiculous. When I finally "lemon lawed" it, Porsche called and wanted to settle, fifteen months after I purchased it. I am so disappointed in this car and would recommend to everyone to not buy it.