“The most significant product update in Porsche history”. This is how Michael Schätzle defines the facelift of the third generation of the Cayenne, the model for which he is responsible. Thanks to the aging of the more compact Macan – of which the debut of the electric variant, which corresponds to the new generation, is imminent – in 2022 the Cayenne returned to being the best-selling Porsche. Since 2002, when it was launched among the many musts of purists, more than 1.250 million copies have been delivered: a success without borders.
The update is significant for several reasons, not the least of which is to extend the life of the “conventional” Cayenne as much as possible pending the arrival of the exclusively zero-emission one, with which it will have to coexist for a certain period. In July, when it arrives on the Old Continent market, the revised SUV will have three distinct engines, one of which is plug-in with an anticipated range of up to 74 kilometers on battery power in the combined mixed cycle.
Aesthetically, the model has undergone some tweaks: the accents are more significant for those presenting them than for those who see them because they concern the air intakes, the light clusters and, among other details, the new design of the power dome on the bonnet all ‘front and the headlights with three-dimensional elements and the bumper at the rear, not to mention eight new designs for the rims.
From a technological point of view, the Cayenne borrows the Driver Experience from the electric Taycan and gains the new digital dashboard with 12.6” monitor and optional head-up display. The central screen has a diagonal of 12.3”, while the 10.9-inch one for the passenger is new and appears in the list of accessories.
On the connectivity front, the model benefits from interventions that allow you to use some of the most popular apps such as Spotify or Apple Music, but also to follow streaming videos. Standard equipment includes Porsche Active Suspension Management: the manufacturer explains that it is above all at low speeds that the greatest comfort is felt.
The S declination, with its 474 HP the most powerful at launch, mounts the evolution of the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 which takes over from the V6 used up to now which stopped at 440. Torque goes from 550 to 600 Nm with acceleration from 0 to 100 in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 273 per hour. The Turbo GT variant will not be marketed in Europe, but it reaches 305 km/h with 659 HP, 850 Nm and its thrilling 3.2” acceleration.
The all-wheel drive E-Hybrid version goes to 470 HP overall thanks to the use of an electric unit with 41 HP more than before (176) combined with a six-cylinder three thousand. The zero-emission range reaches 90 kilometers in the city because the lithium-ion battery is much larger: 25.9 instead of 17.9 kWh. The “base” Cayenne – a very relative definition for a car costing just 93,000 euros – has the revised V6 turbo delivering 353 HP and 500 Nm, respectively 13 and 50 more than that currently on the market.
Despite some trespassing in Germany, the Austrian test between Salzburg and the valley where the exclusive tourist resort of Kitzbühel is located made it possible to exploit very little the cavalry of the Cayenne E-Hybrid, accredited with 254 times as top speed (135 in electric ). To unload the entire torque of this imposing SUV on the ground, more demanding tracks are needed. The ascent of the Panorama Alm to almost 2,000 meters above sea level also largely left the vehicle indifferent. Above all in the strait, the bulk of the side pillars is felt, but finding more or less relevant defects in this machine is rather difficult. If desired, perhaps one could think of less noise derived from rolling, but a lot depends on the tires and the asphalt. In any case, even at relatively high speeds you can talk quietly: God forbid!
The changes and the insertion of the electric motor are practically not felt and allow a very relaxed drive. Observing the speed limits, consumption is also interesting: with 120 kilometers traveled at an average of 48 per hour, the on-board computer reports 3.9 l/100 km, still low for a car weighing no less than 2,425 kilograms of weight, however obtained with the battery fully charged. The electricity consumption measured is 25.6 kWh/100 km, lower than even the minimum declared, which is 28.7.
PORSCHE CAYENNE E-HYBRID, the card
What it is: it is the update of the 2017 generation of the SUV from Zuffenhausen, the third, probably the last with thermal power and probably destined to remain on the market for several years, even after the launch of the electric version
Dimensions: length 4.93 meters, width 1.98, height 1.7, wheelbase 2.9
Rivals: BMW X5, Range Rover Velar, Mercedes GLE
Engines: the plug-in declination of the updated Cayenne is based on the 3.0-litre petrol engine combined with the 176 HP electric unit, 41 more than before for a system power that has risen to 470. The engine of the Cayenne S is the V8 with double supercharging and reaches 474 HP and 600 Nm: +34 and +50. Power and torque of the new access model grow by 13 HP and 50 Nm to 353 and 500 as a result of the update of the three thousand V6 turbo.
Maximum speed: 254km/h
Electric range: up to 74 km in the WLTP combined cycle (up to 90 in the urban one)
Battery Capacity: 25.9kWh
Boot capacity: 627/1,563 litres
Strengths: driving dynamics, comfort, finishes
Cons: weight, price
Production: Bratislava (Slovakia)
Prices: the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid is on the list starting at 107,433 euros: for the Coupé version, another 3,050 euros are needed. The entry level of the updated model, the one equipped with the 3.0 V6 supercharged unit, can be had for just under 93,000 euros (from 96,985 for the sloping roof version). The most powerful variant for the moment (the Turbo S will arrive later) costs 111,726 euros (117,094 for the Coupé)
