2023 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Performance

All Cayenne Coupes have the same eight-speed automatic transmission, sending power to an active all-wheel-drive system. All models come with the Sport Chrono Package as standard.

Porsche recently started replacing its older turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with a newer 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 powertrain. Unfortunately, the base Cayenne Coupe soldiers on with the old engine, producing 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. It's powerful enough to get the base model from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 150 mph. The S uses the new 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, good for 434 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. The sprint to 60 mph dips down to 4.7 seconds, while the top speed increases to 163 mph. With 455 hp, the Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe isn't much slower, requiring 4.8 seconds for the 0-60 sprint before reaching a top speed of 157 mph. In all-electric mode, it reaches a top speed of 83 mph.

Porsche's go-faster GTS has a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 producing 453 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. The power gap between the S and GTS is not that big, which is why the sprint to 60 mph takes 4.2 seconds, and the top speed increases by just four mph. It does add a lot of character, however. The V8 makes a dirty, intoxicating noise that neither V6 can match. The Cayenne Coupe is not just about performance. Porsche built these things with practicality in mind, so each model has a 7,700 lbs tow rating. That's enough to tow your stripped-out 911 project car from home to the track.

There are four engines, each using the same eight-speed automatic transmission and an AWD system. The 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 in the base model produces 335 hp from 5,300 rpm, while the 332 lb-ft of torque is available from 1,340 rpm. The 2.9-liter V6 in the Cayenne S generates 434 horses from 5,700 rpm and its maximum torque of 405 lb-ft from 1,800 rpm. The GTS's V8 only produces its full 453 hp from a lofty 6,000 rpm, but the 457 lb-ft of torque is available from 1,800 rpm. Finally, the Cayenne E-Hybrid pairs the 3.0-liter V6 with an electric motor. The electric motor makes 134 hp and 295 lb-ft on its own, and combined outputs are 455 hp and 516 lb-ft.

All Cayenne Coupes provide spirited performance, but the GTS we drove was on another level. There's no hesitation from the throttle in any mode, and the paddle shifters swap cogs about as fast as a standard automatic transmission can. If you hammer it on the expressway, it'll drop three gears in an instant and slingshot you past traffic and the triple-digit barrier. Unlike the V6 in the Cayenne that almost sounds like a flat-six, this 4.0-liter sounded like an all-American Chevy at full tilt.

Looking at the Cayenne Coupe ICE range's gas mileage figures, it's not hard to see why so many people opt for the E-Hybrid models these days. According to the EPA, the base Coupe can do 17/22/19 mpg city/highway/combined, dropping to 16/21/18 mpg in S guise. The GTS seems to have an insatiable appetite for gas. Its EPA-estimated figures are 15/19/17 mpg. At the time of writing, only 2022 EPA figures were available for the much more efficient E-Hybrid, but these are not expected to change for 2023 models. It returns 21 mpg combined on gas alone or 46 MPGe when the electric motor is taken into account. It can also be driven for 17 miles on electric power alone.

All non-hybrid models have a 23.7-gallon tank. The base model will go 450 miles between refills, and the S can manage 427 miles. The GTS can do just over 400 miles on a single tank. A smaller 19.8-gallon gas tank is equipped with the E-Hybrid.