There is no escaping the fact that most Porsches of the future will be fully electrified, including the Cayenne line-up. In fact, the new-generation Cayenne, which is due in 2026, will be fully electric. But, before EVs take over for good, Porsche thought why not overhaul the Cayenne, and give it an extra spice and kick! Which is why we are here in the North-East, to have a taste of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne and the Cayenne Coupe SUVs.
Now, do keep in mind that this is the last ICE version of the iconic Cayenne nameplate. Now, Porsche says that the Cayenne gets one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of the company.
2024 Porsche Cayenne / Cayenne Coupe | Specifications |
Displacement | 2,995 cc V6 |
Max Power | 348.6 bhp at 5,400 - 6,400 rpm |
Peak Torque | 500 Nm at 1,450 - 4,500 rpm |
Gearbox | 8-speed Automatic |
Kerb Weight | 2,835 kg |
Driving the new Cayenne is as engaging as any other Porsche. I mean the response from the engine is absolutely phenomenal. There is a slight hint of turbo lag, but I am not the one to complain. I mean you mash the throttle, you are thrown back into the seat, barrelling down the road.
The Cayenne with the V6 does the 0-100 kmph sprint in 5.7 seconds and has a top speed of 248 kmph, something that you is probably better attempting on a racetrack than on public roads.
Toggle through the various drive modes and you see that there is better differentiation between them than before. For most part, we drove in the comfort mode, with bits of driving done in Sport+ and the off-road mode. The feedback from the steering is not as engaging in the comfort mode and we believe it could have felt better in terms of grip and feel. Maybe a thicker steering wheel could have been offered on the Cayenne.
The Cayenne gets Porsche’s active suspension management as standard and what it does is deliver a magical ride for an SUV made with sporty intent. The ride quality in comfort mode is near exceptional and in true Porsche fashion, the Cayenne handles beautifully. The body roll is tightened, and the turn-ins are nice and quick. The grip from the tyres is quite incredible too.
To begin with, Porsche makes use of what it calls the Porsche driver experience, where everything is centred around the driver. The controls on the steering wheel, the dashboard-mounted gear selector and the new instrument console along with the infotainment screen, all of which is built and positioned so as to be within reach and also ergonomically sound.
The 12.6-inch console behind the steering wheel is now curved and fully digital and offers crisp readout, with different displays to choose from. Similarly, the 12.9-inch screen in the centre is a new unit too and houses controls for connectivity, media and other vehicular functions.
What is new is the optional 10.9-inch screen on the left, for the passenger, which can be used to control in-car functions. It is designed in a manner that the driver can’t see the screen, as a safety precaution. It is priced at Rs. 1.52 lakh.
While the practicality of the Porsche Cayenne stays the same as before, what did stand out as an oddity is the dash-mounted gear selector. The driver has to stretch out his/her arm to reach the lever and it sort of robs the sporty feel of having the gear-selector in the centre.
Look closer and you see that the bonnet gets new lines and the design seems fresher! The grille up ahead is also new, it gets squared edges, that makes it look stand-offish and gives it that distinct Porsche look.
The Cayenne coupe is definitely the sexier looking one, with a nicely integrated spoiler. And owing to the difference in design, the Cayenne has a boot space of 772 litres while the Cayenne coupe has a boot space of 592 litres.
The matrix LED headlights have a different housing and a different setup and if you want, you can optionally buy the high definition matrix LED headlights. Yes, each headlight has two modules with 32,000 pixels that can help regulate the intensity of the light so as to not blind the oncoming traffic and also create a variety of lighting patterns on the road.
The Cayenne SUV facelift is priced at Rs. 1.36 crore while the Cayenne Coupe is priced at Rs. 1.42 crore (ex-showroom) and bookings for both variants have been open for a while now. Rival models include the BMW X5 and the Audi Q8 and the Porsche is undoubtedly more expensive than both of them.
The Porsche Cayenne and the Cayenne Coupe see massive updates, not just to the design and features, but also to the engine line-up and the suspension. Yes! It is the last iteration of the Porsche Cayenne with an IC engine, and Porsche has done a great job of it. Yes, it is expensive, but it still continues to be the benchmark of the segment, at least in terms of driving experience and that’s saying something.
