Weekend Wheels: Porsche Cayenne perfectly merges luxury and practicality
Spacious. Ultra-comfortable. Sporty. Powerful. Family oriented. All these descriptions and many others fit the Porsche Cayenne 2024 to a tee, and then some. During a recent weekend, this reporter got the opportunity to test drive this luxury SUV, exploring its features, capabilities and the benefits it offers a woman behind the wheel.
I loaded my family into the vehicle — which truly shows an appreciation for aesthetic design that goes hand in hand with functionality — and took a road trip out west, toward Aguadilla, where we spent the day sightseeing and grabbing lunch.
While most of the 200 miles that we traveled round-trip from Carolina — on the same tank of gas that we filled up the day before — were on the highway, our destinations took us on sloping and winding rural roads, where the Cayenne’s braking and navigation systems were put to the test.
The Cayenne’s interior is comfortable, both for the front-seat passengers as well as those in the back. The driver has access to two full-size screens that display the vehicle’s features, making the ride as intuitive as possible. The panel directly in front of the driver includes a fully digital 12.6-inch instrument cluster with a curved and independent design, as well as variable display options.
Meanwhile, the 12.3-inch Porsche Communication Management (PCM) central display is harmoniously integrated into the new front panel and provides access to all relevant functions of the SUV. For the first time, the model includes a 10.9-inch screen for the passenger side. This offers a new experience for the front passenger, as it provides independent access to the “infotainment” system controls.
Let’s peek under the hood, although I would likely never go there to touch anything, except for maybe refilling the windshield washer fluid!
The new Cayenne is available in four versions: Cayenne, Cayenne Coupé, Cayenne S and Cayenne S Coupé. The vehicle is initially available in Puerto Rico in two versions: Cayenne and Cayenne S, with a starting price at $106,457.
That means four types of engines: an improved version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 developed by Porsche replaces the previous V6 in the new Cayenne S, achieving a maximum power of 468 hp. Thanks to this, both variants accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 169 mph.
The six-cylinder engine also forms the basis of the running gear of the Cayenne E-Hybrid. In combination with a new electric motor improved by 40 horsepower (hp), up to 174 hp, the combined power increases to 463 hp. Equipped with a high-voltage battery with a capacity increased from 17.9 kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 25.9 kWh, it can achieve an electric range of up to 55 miles. With a suitable power source, the new 11 kW onboard charger shortens charging time to less than two and a half hours.
The Cayenne Turbo GT is designed to offer maximum performance on the road. This version is available exclusively in the Coupé variant and has all the optimizations and innovations of the range. The Turbo GT’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 delivers 650 hp, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 189 mph.
At the end of the three-day run, it is easy to conclude that the Cayenne represents the perfect union of superior aesthetics and performance, symbolizing Porsche’s passion for innovation in automotive design.
