The Porsche Cayenne: A Car that's Lost its Way in Modern Times

One of the most significant changes you'll notice when getting behind the wheel of the new Porsche Cayenne is the lack of a traditional gear lever. Instead, you'll find a smooth-shifting automatic transmission with a twisty knob that was once a hallmark of motorsport. This design decision may seem minor, but it's actually a sign of how far the Cayenne has strayed from its roots in modern times.

The Porsche Heritage that's Been Lost

Porsche is known for its commitment to tradition and heritage, but when it comes to the new Cayenne, this philosophy seems to have been cast aside. The old Burley gear lever, which was a staple of the Cayenne's design, has been replaced by a sleeker, more modern interface that prioritizes screens over manual controls. This is a shame, as there was something undeniably charming about the tactile experience of shifting gears through the Burley.

The Modern Touchscreen Experience

While it may seem like a small change, the introduction of a 12.3-inch touchscreen and an optional 10.9-inch screen on the passenger side has dramatically altered the Cayenne's infotainment system. The screens are undeniably clever, with features like a foil coating that reduces glare and a camera-based pairing process for easier wireless charging. However, it's hard not to feel that these additions have made the car feel more like a typical modern SUV than a Porsche.

Heating and Cooling Control

A small but welcome change in the new Cayenne is the return of proper heating and cooling controls. Gone are the days of buried buttons and cryptic menus; instead, you'll find high-quality, tactile controls that allow you to adjust the temperature with ease. This is a minor victory, but it's one that highlights the Cayenne's newfound focus on user experience.

The Relaxed Ride of the Standard Suspension

One area where the new Cayenne has made significant improvements is in its suspension. The standard model features new valves, compression, and rebound settings that make for a noticeably more comfortable ride at lower speeds. However, this is offset by the introduction of an optional air suspension system that offers three distinct modes: Sport, Sport Plus, and Normal. This may seem like a small concession to the demands of modern driving, but it's one that will appeal to enthusiasts who value the Cayenne's on-road dynamics.

The Air Quality System

One feature that sets the new Cayenne apart from its rivals is its advanced air quality system, which automatically engages when you enter a tunnel or urban area. This system uses sensors to detect pollutants in the air and adjusts the cabin filtration accordingly, providing a cleaner and healthier environment for occupants. It's a small but significant innovation that highlights Porsche's commitment to sustainability.

The Plug-in eHybrid: A Step in the Right Direction

Porsche has long offered plug-in hybrid versions of its models, including the Cayenne. The new model takes this technology to the next level with more powerful electric motor, a bigger battery, and faster charging capabilities. While it may not be as exciting as the V8 option on the Cayenne S, the eHybrid is still an impressive piece of engineering that offers a compelling alternative for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint.

The New Engine Lineup

Porsche's engine lineup has been overhauled in preparation for the new Cayenne. The entry-level model now features a three-liter twin-turbo V6, while the Cayenne S is back with its trusty V8. There's even an optional turbocharged GT version that generates 650 horsepower – although it won't be available in Europe due to emissions regulations.

A New Direction for Porsche?

The new Cayenne may not be the most exciting car on the market, but it represents a significant shift in Porsche's priorities. With its focus on modernity and sustainability, this is a car that will appeal to a broad range of buyers. However, it's also a reminder that Porsche has lost some of its edge in recent years – an edge that was once defined by its commitment to performance and heritage. Only time will tell if the Cayenne can restore Porsche's reputation as a maker of truly exceptional vehicles.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe most important Porsche launched in the last 12 months isn't actually the 911 Dakar or the GT3 RS it's this the Cayenne is not going to just pay the majority of Porsche's bills it's also going to give you and me the best possible look at what we might expect to find in the next 911's interior this is basically the heaviest facelift possible Porsche has done way more than just tweak the lights though there's a new engine lineup more hybrid range extra power and cleverer Technology but I'm not interested in any of that right now actually because normally when I show you around a car we'd start with the outside first but today you really need to join me in here so then the future of a Porsche interior I think I can sum it up for you in one word screens yeah let's start with this one up here because this is very taikan this curved binacle free display right in front of the driver and that means no more physical rev counter bit of a shame but don't worry if we scroll through here and don't worry if you're seeing any error messages this one's a very early prototype so some of the bits aren't connected but if you keep scrolling eventually you get to a classic Porsche Central rev counter with the speedo and the temperatures off to the side there we go proper readable dials remember when you can get those in a BMW and also you can't see this but in front of me there is a very very clear head-up display other little details actually before we come to the other screens down here is something I'm not sure about you see back in the day back for as long as you can remember really Porsches always had the ignition key to the left of the steering wheel show what that is actually came from Le Mans and endurance racing you see back in the days when the drivers used to run to the cars and start them before they set off someone clever at Porsche worked out that if the driver started the engine with his left hands while he was putting the car into gear with his right hands then he might save a couple of precious tenths of a second and get ahead of the opposition so Porsche road cars have always copied that little Motorsport touch and had their twisty knob here but now it's just a starter button like every other car a little bit of Porsche Heritage has just died there and while I'm off down a tangent about New Age controls you know something missing down here remember the old Burley gear lever well that's gone and that's moved all the way up here it means you can't shift manually on anymore but did anyone really do that in their Cayenne instead they've copied the taikan and freed up some storage space back to those pixels then front and center is a 12.3 inch touchscreen pretty standard stuff but like the taikan there's now the option of a 10.9 inch screen on the passenger side which has a special foil coating so the driver isn't distracted by whatever movie the passenger is streaming which is all terribly clever but is it just me that thinks most passengers will have a quick play with the optional screen and then just spend the rest of the journey swiping at their own smartphone I have to say I was very very relieved when I first jumped in here because I thought all these screens they're definitely going to have buried the heater controls in here but look they haven't we've got some proper nerd high quality feeling buttons down here to adjust the temperature and then if you want your heated or your cooled seat on look the whole panel moves I mean yes it's a bit glossy and it's going to attract some fingerprints but so does a touchscreen and watch this look my finger finds the temperature control I don't take my eyes off the road and now the car is getting warmer how safe's that the happiest occupant of a new Cayenne might well be your smartphone to make pairing up with the infotainment easier now you just have to point your camera at a QR code on the car's touchscreen and the wireless charging area is now chilled so your battery juices more efficiently it gives you an idea of what you can expect inside a Porsche from now on but underneath this thing's overhaul has been equally as massive and we take the suspension as one example okay the standard suspension has new valves new compression and new rebound settings so long story short it's comfier when you go slow and it's tighter when you go fast but then the optional air suspension has now got a wider spread of moods basically between a normal Sport and Sport Plus settings what's German for thorough more concerned with how the car behaves in downtown Nuremberg than going around the Nurburgring well then enjoy the fact that Cayenne is now clever enough to know when it's going into a tunnel and will automatically turn on its Cabin Air Supply filtration system that'll catch just about any pollutant particles lurking in the air and stop them from entering the car and getting breathed in and speaking of air quality you might want to drive your massive great SUV around emitting absolutely nothing from those tailpipes in which case you'll want the new plug-in e hybrid version it's been a staple of the Porsche range for a while but it's also had a huge update so more powerful electric motor up to 176 horsepower bigger battery it charges faster and you get 56 miles of claimed electric range which is over twice what you got from the old one that sounds superb but it's still actually about 15 miles less than you get from the new Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid then again the range is about 30 000 quid more expensive to finish off let's have a quick chat about the engines this is the entry level cayenne and under Batman's breastplate here there is a three liter twin turbo V6 with 350 horsepower the Cayenne S is now back up to having a V8 that generates 474 horsepower and gets you from naught to 62 in 4.8 seconds and later on there will be a Cayenne Turbo but interestingly the turbo GT the big 650 horsepower answer to the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and the Bentley bentega Speed where Porsche has had to drop it from Europe because it can't make the big baddest V8 comply with our emissions targets thank you it's a pretty chunky overhaul isn't it but it's worth Porsche's while bothering not only because the Cayenne writes plenty of big juicy checks for the company but also this car's got a last on sale a good few years yet until Porsche can replace it with an all electric version you see this might be the car that wants saved Porsche but it doesn't mean it can't afford not to move with the times foreignthe most important Porsche launched in the last 12 months isn't actually the 911 Dakar or the GT3 RS it's this the Cayenne is not going to just pay the majority of Porsche's bills it's also going to give you and me the best possible look at what we might expect to find in the next 911's interior this is basically the heaviest facelift possible Porsche has done way more than just tweak the lights though there's a new engine lineup more hybrid range extra power and cleverer Technology but I'm not interested in any of that right now actually because normally when I show you around a car we'd start with the outside first but today you really need to join me in here so then the future of a Porsche interior I think I can sum it up for you in one word screens yeah let's start with this one up here because this is very taikan this curved binacle free display right in front of the driver and that means no more physical rev counter bit of a shame but don't worry if we scroll through here and don't worry if you're seeing any error messages this one's a very early prototype so some of the bits aren't connected but if you keep scrolling eventually you get to a classic Porsche Central rev counter with the speedo and the temperatures off to the side there we go proper readable dials remember when you can get those in a BMW and also you can't see this but in front of me there is a very very clear head-up display other little details actually before we come to the other screens down here is something I'm not sure about you see back in the day back for as long as you can remember really Porsches always had the ignition key to the left of the steering wheel show what that is actually came from Le Mans and endurance racing you see back in the days when the drivers used to run to the cars and start them before they set off someone clever at Porsche worked out that if the driver started the engine with his left hands while he was putting the car into gear with his right hands then he might save a couple of precious tenths of a second and get ahead of the opposition so Porsche road cars have always copied that little Motorsport touch and had their twisty knob here but now it's just a starter button like every other car a little bit of Porsche Heritage has just died there and while I'm off down a tangent about New Age controls you know something missing down here remember the old Burley gear lever well that's gone and that's moved all the way up here it means you can't shift manually on anymore but did anyone really do that in their Cayenne instead they've copied the taikan and freed up some storage space back to those pixels then front and center is a 12.3 inch touchscreen pretty standard stuff but like the taikan there's now the option of a 10.9 inch screen on the passenger side which has a special foil coating so the driver isn't distracted by whatever movie the passenger is streaming which is all terribly clever but is it just me that thinks most passengers will have a quick play with the optional screen and then just spend the rest of the journey swiping at their own smartphone I have to say I was very very relieved when I first jumped in here because I thought all these screens they're definitely going to have buried the heater controls in here but look they haven't we've got some proper nerd high quality feeling buttons down here to adjust the temperature and then if you want your heated or your cooled seat on look the whole panel moves I mean yes it's a bit glossy and it's going to attract some fingerprints but so does a touchscreen and watch this look my finger finds the temperature control I don't take my eyes off the road and now the car is getting warmer how safe's that the happiest occupant of a new Cayenne might well be your smartphone to make pairing up with the infotainment easier now you just have to point your camera at a QR code on the car's touchscreen and the wireless charging area is now chilled so your battery juices more efficiently it gives you an idea of what you can expect inside a Porsche from now on but underneath this thing's overhaul has been equally as massive and we take the suspension as one example okay the standard suspension has new valves new compression and new rebound settings so long story short it's comfier when you go slow and it's tighter when you go fast but then the optional air suspension has now got a wider spread of moods basically between a normal Sport and Sport Plus settings what's German for thorough more concerned with how the car behaves in downtown Nuremberg than going around the Nurburgring well then enjoy the fact that Cayenne is now clever enough to know when it's going into a tunnel and will automatically turn on its Cabin Air Supply filtration system that'll catch just about any pollutant particles lurking in the air and stop them from entering the car and getting breathed in and speaking of air quality you might want to drive your massive great SUV around emitting absolutely nothing from those tailpipes in which case you'll want the new plug-in e hybrid version it's been a staple of the Porsche range for a while but it's also had a huge update so more powerful electric motor up to 176 horsepower bigger battery it charges faster and you get 56 miles of claimed electric range which is over twice what you got from the old one that sounds superb but it's still actually about 15 miles less than you get from the new Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid then again the range is about 30 000 quid more expensive to finish off let's have a quick chat about the engines this is the entry level cayenne and under Batman's breastplate here there is a three liter twin turbo V6 with 350 horsepower the Cayenne S is now back up to having a V8 that generates 474 horsepower and gets you from naught to 62 in 4.8 seconds and later on there will be a Cayenne Turbo but interestingly the turbo GT the big 650 horsepower answer to the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and the Bentley bentega Speed where Porsche has had to drop it from Europe because it can't make the big baddest V8 comply with our emissions targets thank you it's a pretty chunky overhaul isn't it but it's worth Porsche's while bothering not only because the Cayenne writes plenty of big juicy checks for the company but also this car's got a last on sale a good few years yet until Porsche can replace it with an all electric version you see this might be the car that wants saved Porsche but it doesn't mean it can't afford not to move with the times foreign\n"