2024 Porsche Cayenne Review: Putting The Sport In Sport Utility

The Porsche Cayenne is generally regarded as the sharpest-driving mid-size premium SUV around, and the substantially updated 2024 model is even better. This mid-cycle facelift reminds us that it's been on sale in the USA since 2018, yet it drives so brilliantly that it hardly feels its age. It's more powerful now, with the base engine producing 348 horsepower and the E-Hybrid 463 hp. Most exciting is the S, which gets a V8 with 468 hp this year. With these improvements, it's still the sportiest drive, but what if you're casting your net wider? The BMW X5 isn't as overly sporty, but cheaper and more powerful, while the Genesis GV80 banks on its superb value for money, an optional third row, and all-round ability, if not dynamism or brand prestige. It also shows up the Porker's rather meager standard features and driver-assists - and its high price. Hardly a sports car, the brand-new Range Rover Sport combines strong straight-line performance with off-road ability and is worth a look, too. But if you want a mid-size two-row SUV that drives and feels like a Porsche should, there is little to touch the Cayenne, even more so this year.

New for 2024

The 2024 Cayenne gets a mid-life refresh that leaves almost no part of the car untouched. The exterior restyle might look mild, but Porsche says that nearly all body panels have been changed. Most noticeable are the larger LED Matrix headlights and new taillight clusters, with the rear license plate moving from the liftgate to the bumper. Rounding off the exterior changes are three new paint colors, and new wheel designs in sizes ranging from 20 to 22 inches, with even the base car now running on 20s and no longer 18s. Interior changes are more sweeping, with a steering wheel from the 911 and a new dashboard hosting dual 12.65/12.3-inch digital displays - one the gauge cluster and the other the touchscreen of the revamped infotainment system. A 10.9-inch passenger display is also available as part of the long, horizontal dash-wide panel containing the center screen. There are minor equipment adjustments; for example, the front seats are now heated, and the Cayenne S loses its standard panoramic sunroof.

The oily bits have not escaped revision, and the base 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 now produces 348 hp - 13 hp more than before - while the E-Hybrid goes up from 455 hp to 463 hp. But the biggest news on the mechanical front is that the S exchanges last year's 434-hp V6 for a 468-hp 4.0-liter V8. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is now standard on all Cayennes, and the system gains new two-chamber and -valve adaptive dampers. Standard driver assists are still meager, but at least active speed-limit assist and traffic-sign recognition are now standard. The (optional) adaptive cruise control gains evasion assist, while the (optional) Porsche InnoDrive now includes active lane-keep and intersection assist. There are initially three trims in the range - base, E-Hybrid, and S - and the base price of the new Porsche Cayenne SUV increases by $7k to nearly $80k. We review the Turbo and Coupe models separately.

2024 Porsche Cayenne Price: Which One to Buy

The starting price of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne is $79,200 for the base trim. This is followed by the E-Hybrid at $91,700 and the S at $95,700. Take note that these prices are MSRP and don't include the destination fee, which will cost you an additional $1,650.

We think the base Cayenne strikes a very good balance. For less than $80k, it leaves a bit of space to add necessary extras without breaking the bank. We'd add the $6,910 Premium Package Plus to get the panoramic roof, four-zone climate control, 14-speaker Bose audio system, adaptive cruise control, surround-view camera, and ventilated front seats. To that, we'd also add the $2,390 adaptive air suspension to redress the ride/handling imbalance and the $1,110 Sport Chrono package to get the most out of the base engine. This takes you to just short of $90k, excluding the destination fee.

Interior and Features

The Cayenne gets basics, such as heated power seats in front, but lacks some features expected at the price, such as full leather upholstery and a sunroof.

The interior redesign is controversial in that it drops last year's analog rev counter with the digital displays on either side of it. The new digital gauge cluster is the configurable 12.65-inch one from the Taycan, and while the rev counter still takes center stage, it's now rendered, not real. The new dashboard has a long horizontal panel that contains the center touchscreen, with an optional passenger display to the right of it. It's bookended by new upright air vents on either side, now with vertical vanes. Construction is solid, and only top-class materials are used, creating a premium air. The shifter is now a toggle on the dash to free up space in the center console. The standard seats are supportive but only partially trimmed in leather, and we prefer the supremely comfortable optional 18-way adaptive Sport seats. With a ground clearance of more than eight inches, access is easy, and you don't have to step down to get inside, or stoop as you have to do to clear the Cayenne Coupe's roofline. All-round visibility is decent, but you only get front and rear parking sensors and a backup camera to assist with maneuvering the SUV; for extras such as automatic parking and a surround-view monitor, you have to pay.

Space

Porsche doesn't provide numbers for the Cayenne's interior space, but suffice it to say it's a roomy two-row SUV with plenty of space even in the second row. The fairly conventional body style means headroom isn't at a premium in the rear. Porsche calls it a 4+1 seating arrangement, so the center rear position is best reserved for kids - or adults only on short trips - as the bench is sculpted for two.

Cargo

Trunk space is a fairly decent 27.2 cu-ft behind the second row, and while it's not a bad figure, it's still beaten by rivals such as the X5 (33.9 cu-ft) and Range Rover Sport (31.9 cu-ft). The E-Hybrid's electric components eat into trunk volume, reducing the figure to only 22.1 cu-ft. With the 40/20/40-split rear seat folded down, the space available in the regular Cayenne increases to 60.3 cu-ft, a better result than the Range Rover Sport (53 cu-ft) but worse than the X5 (72.3 cu-ft). The E-Hybrid's figure is 55.1 cu-ft.

In the cabin, you get a medium-sized glovebox, door bins in all four doors, a wireless charging pad in the center console for your phone, two cupholders behind that, front seatback pockets, and a lidded center-console storage compartment behind that. The rear-seat cupholders are found in the center fold-down armrest but said armrest is very short, so they're set well back and uncovered.

Materials and Colors

Regardless of trim, seat upholstery is in partial leather, and the standard interior is black, but you can get it in black with Mojave Beige accents for $190. Full leather costs $3,760 to $4,180, depending on which of the interior colors you select, and there are various ones, including black, black/Chalk, black/Bordeaux Red, and black/Blackberry. Upgraded Club leather costs $5,440 in Basalt Black with black cross stitching or $6,010 in Basalt Black/Barrique Red with cross stitching. This Club leather requires upgrading to 14-way power front seats, adding another $1,290 to the price. The steering wheel is leather-trimmed, but this can be replaced with a heated steering wheel in Race-Tex faux suede and carbon fiber for $1,470, or you can spec a heated GT Sport steering wheel in Race-Tex ($800) or leather and carbon fiber ($1,270). The Porsche crest can be embossed on the front ($290) or all four ($570) headrests, and the black seatbelts can be had in four alternative colors, including red and Mojave Beige, for $660.

Features and Infotainment

The Cayenne isn't overendowed with features, but the basics are there. The front seats have eight-way power adjustment and gain heating this year but are only partially trimmed in leather. Standard features include keyless entry and go, dual-zone climate control, a power-adjustable tilting/telescoping steering wheel trimmed in leather, a wireless charging pad, and a 12.65-inch digital gauge cluster. There are very few spec differences between the three trims, but the E-Hybrid is the only one to get the Sport Chrono package as standard. Other features such as ventilated and massaging front seats, heating for the steering wheel and rear seats, four-zone climate control, and full leather upholstery cost extra.

The same infotainment system is used for all three trims. The dashboard now contains a 12.65-inch configurable digital gauge cluster, with a centrally mounted 12.3-inch touchscreen to its right. The system incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, SiriusXM, Wi-Fi capability, HD Radio, Bluetooth, several USB ports, and a ten-speaker audio system. An optional 10.9-inch touchscreen facing the front passenger gives access to the navigation, infotainment, and other functions for $1,490. The standard audio system can be upgraded to either of two Bose systems - a 14-speaker surround-sound setup for $1,200 or a 21-speaker 3D surround-sound system for $7,000.

Performance

Even with less power than the competition, performance remains good, especially with the Sport Chrono package, but fuel efficiency is below par.

The base engine in the Porsche Cayenne is still a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, but with its outputs increased to 348 hp and 368 lb-ft (up 13 hp and 36 lb-ft, respectively). It can reach 60 mph in 5.7 seconds (or 5.4 seconds with the Sport Chrono package) on its way to a top speed of 154 mph. The E-Hybrid is reconfigured and has more power but less torque. It also uses a 3.0-liter turbo V6, but with 300 hp and 309 lb-ft. This engine is supplemented with an electric motor good for 174 hp and 339 lb-ft. Total system output is 463 hp and 479 lb-ft. It gets the Sport Chrono package as standard, giving it slightly better performance than last year, and enabling it to reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 158 mph. The S loses its V6 engine and gets a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 this year, with 468 hp and 442 lb-ft. With this engine, the Porsche Cayenne S's 0-60 takes only 4.4 seconds with the Sport Chrono package - or 4.7 seconds without it. Its top speed is 169 mph. Every Cayenne uses the same drivetrain - an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The same trailering specs apply throughout the range, with a towing capacity of 7,700 lbs with the factory tow hitch installed.

The Cayenne still sets the class standard for driving pleasure. It's not the quickest in the segment - the more powerful X5 gets to 60 in 5.3 seconds with six cylinders and 4.1 seconds with eight - but it's punchy enough, and will surely make up lost ground in the corners. In fact, it corners with such assuredness that it feels like an outsize 911, with sharp steering, little body roll, and prodigious grip, backed up by powerful brakes. In our last Cayenne review, we said that the ride can be jittery on the larger wheel choices, and this year, with the base 18-inchers replaced with 20s, this is a legitimate concern. It's not harsh, but sharper bumps intrude, and the fancy new trick dampers can't quite make up for the bigger wheels. The $2,390 adaptive air suspension is now a must-have, in our opinion, restoring comfort and giving the Cayenne its best-in-class ride/handling back - an element that has been slightly diluted in favor of handling this year on the standard steel suspension. You can amp up handling even further into the seriously eye-widening realm for an SUV if you must, through the addition of rear-axle steering and roll-mitigating Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control.

Fuel Efficiency

Gas mileage isn't a strong point compared to class leaders such as the X5, and the Porsche Cayenne's mpg figures are unimpressive. The base car returns city/highway/combined EPA estimates of 17/23/19 mpg, and the V8-powered S returns 15/21/17 mpg. With a fuel capacity of 23.7 gallons, the base car should reach 450 miles on a tank, while the V8 S will run dry in about 403 miles. The X5's mild-hybrid tech helps the xDrive40i and V8 M60i return 25 mpg and 19 mpg combined, by comparison.

At the time of writing, Porsche has not released the figures for the E-Hybrid, but it should match or beat last year's model's 46 MPGe combined or 21 mpg on gas. The old E-Hybrid had a 15-mile electric range on its 17.9-kWh battery, and we expect that the new one with its larger 25.9-kWh battery should provide 22-25 miles of electric range. Porsche says that the 11-kW onboard charger should be able to replenish the battery in under two and a half hours.

Safety

Crash safety should be good, but very few driver assists are standard except for forward-collision alert with automatic braking. All the others cost extra, either separately or as part of a package.

There is no NHTSA or IIHS safety review of the Porsche Cayenne, but with a modern crash structure and ten airbags, it should be as safe as anything in this class.

Standard driver assists are disappointingly thin, though, with only automatic adaptive Matrix LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, and front-collision alert with automatic braking included as standard. You pay extra for everything else. Some standalone options include night vision ($2,310), a surround-view monitor with ($1,620) or without ($830) automatic parking, smartphone-controlled remote parking ($2,170), a head-up display ($1,490), and adaptive cruise control with stop & go and lane-keep assist ($2,750). Some of these are contained in packages that also include luxury and comfort features.

Reliability

JD Power has not yet evaluated the 2024 Porshe Cayenne's reliability, but last year's model received a rather mediocre score of 79 out of 100 for Quality & Reliability. Its recall history is stellar, though, with the 2024 Cayenne so far only recalled for hazard warning lights and parking lights not illuminating as intended. Last year's Cayenne hasn't been recalled at all, and the 2022 model was recalled just once for a misaligned rear axle.

Should disaster strike, the 2024 Porsche Cayenne's warranty will come to the rescue. Both the limited and powertrain warranties are valid for four years/50,000 miles, and complimentary maintenance is included for the first year/10,000 miles.

Warranty

Design

The design of the Cayenne has never been particularly striking, but it translates various Porsche styling cues successfully to an SUV format. It looks squat, purposeful, and quite compact, perhaps due to its relatively short wheelbase and smoothly contoured body. This year's facelift jazzes things up a bit with various styling changes, including new Matrix LED headlights, bigger front air intakes, reprofiled fenders, a new hood, and new rear styling with revised 3D-effect taillights and the license plate now in the bumper and no longer on the liftgate. The minimum wheel size is up from 18 to 20 inches, with this size now being used for all three trims. A panoramic sunroof and a huge variety of wheel choices up to 22 inches in size can be found on the options menu, along with a raft of exterior personalization options. These include SportDesign packages with gloss-black or carbon trim, different front fascias, black mirrors, roof rails in different finishes, a panoramic sunroof, and a lot of decal and striping options.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Porsche Cayenne A Good SUV?

The Cayenne is still the definitive sports mid-size SUV. Appropriately equipped with air suspension, nothing else combines comfort with sports-car-like handling quite like the Cayenne, and its handling will meet with the approval of the typical Porsche buyer. It's thin on standard features and driver assists though, and for plush finishes and a long list of features at a bargain price, it doesn't even come close to a Genesis GV80. An X5 is also much lighter on fuel and has a larger trunk. So it won't always win on paper, but for that Porsche feel when you slide behind the wheel and take it for a drive, it's without equal.