I'm here on the beautiful Northern California coast to drive the Porsche
Cayenne. Now Porsche claims that with this third generation that their biggest
SUV actually drives even more like a sports car. I cannot think of a better
place with better roads to test that theory. With an all-new chassis that's
now 47% aluminum, the Cayenne is a 120 lighter and up
to 1.4-seconds faster from 0-60. Replacing the previous naturally
aspirated engine is a 3.0-liter V-6 with a single turbo. A twin turbo V-6 that
makes significantly more power is available on both the S and Turbo
Cayenne models. Whichever mill you choose mates to a new
8-speed ZF transmission. It's not the world-class PDK but is a very quick and
very capable automatic that's actually better for towing than the dual clutch
setup. If you're getting the base model Cayenne Porsche standard brakes are
actually pretty good, but if you're driving aggressively or plan on getting
the S or Turbo models and you might consider an upgrade to Porsches surface
coded brakes. They are fad resistant and they eliminate brake dust by up to 90%.
They're a bit grabby for me. I would prefer them to be a little bit more
progressive, but that might just take a little bit of getting used to.
They are also an excellent and less expensive alternative to the carbon
ceramic stoppers. One upgrade that I really would invest in is Porsche's air
suspension. The three chamber air springs make a huge difference over the steel
spring suspension that comes standard. It makes the ride much more comfortable and
personally I think it even makes the car handle a lot better.
Other options making a huge difference in drive dynamics and performance are
available, including rear-axle steering that enhances turn in capability and an
active traction management system to enhance off-road capability. If you
really want to push your Cayenne in to 911 territory then the Sport Chrono
Package might be something to consider. It actually has a Sport Plus mode which
gives you another firmer damper setting, as well as launch
control. So if anyone needs a ride to the airport DM me. The exterior's changes are
subtle but definitely borrow from the 911s looks. The Cayenne is longer by 2.5-
inches while the wheelbase stays the same. Its shoulders are broader and the
same rear horizontal tail light on the fifth-generation 911 shows up here as
well. For the first time on the Cayenne Porsche has staggered the wheels. Now
that means that the rear tires are wider than the front tires. That configuration
means more grip on the road, much more like the 911, and you really do feel the
difference when it comes to driver confidence. 19-inch wheels now come
standard on the Cayenne instead of 18s, but drivers can opt for up to 22-inch
rubber. The interior has seen a pretty significant redesign. You've got this
great 12.3-inch touchscreen but most of the physical
buttons are gone they've been replaced by these, which have haptic feedback, so
in my opinion they're a perfect balance between physical button and touchscreen,
but the best part is you don't need to go scrolling through an interface to try
and find things that you want handy like climate control and seat heaters. It's
just right here. That's nice. The digital dual screen gauge cluster reads easily
and is highly configurable. The seats are gorgeous leather, and I always find
Porsche seats so comfortable, although the power adjustment optional seats are
a $1,900 option. Seat heating costs an extra $530,
again Porsches option sheet is legendary. Go to the Porsche website and build a
car for yourself you'll see. With a nod to safety, rear and front parking assist
and adaptive cruise control comes standard. Additional features come as
options. If you're driving a Porsche chances are you're not all that
concerned with gas mileage estimates, but here they are for the base Cayenne just
in case. Numbers for the S and the Turbo weren't yet available when this video
was made. Other sporty SUV options in the luxury space include the Audi
Q7 which actually shares a platform with the Cayenne, Range Rovers Velar, the
BMW X5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Competition is fierce, but luckily for
Porsche customer loyalty is voracious. Pricing starts at $66,800
including destination charges, but both models we drove today
were closer to the mid-80s including options. Those add up almost as fast as
the Cayenne goes from standstill to 60. This third-generation Cayenne Porsche
has made some great improvements to something that was already really good.
Now with improved driving dynamics and modern design and tech the Cayenne is
ready to hit the road, and I'm ready to do more driving.