For hardcore Porsche aficionados, the day that the Cayenne was announced for general production was likened to hell freezing over. Most wondered what this purveyor of fine sports cars was doing by wading into the highly competitive SUV market to take on established vehicles like the monster ML55 AMG and class-leading Range Rover. The answer to that was simple, Porsche was saving itself from financial ruin and the Cayenne was its lifeline. Having seen that the market for sports SUVs had grown and was continuing to do so, Porsche gambled its future on the success of the Cayenne and proved its many doubters wrong.
The Cayenne needed not only to be better than the industry-leading BMW X5 on road but as good, if not better, than the best and more dedicated off-roaders like the Toyota Land Cruiser. Despite being a styling failure, the first wave of Cayennes was snapped up in droves as the buying public reveled in its do-all abilities. This was a Porsche SUV after all and it would cause a stir wherever it went. Since then, three generations of Cayenne have proven that Porsche made the right decision and has built a devout fan base, all of whom could also passionately list 10 reasons why the Porsche Cayenne is awesome.
10 It's A Porsche SUV
For some, simply having the Porsche badge on the hood will be enough, as the company has built itself a solid reputation for delivering high-performance, quality vehicles that have become must-have purchases for car enthusiasts.
Others though will be instantly impressed with the way the Cayenne goes, stops, and turns, making it less of a compromise for those who have to ditch their coveted Porsche 911 as growing family commitments force a much larger vehicle.
9 Loads Of Choice
Whatever the budget, there is a Cayenne to suit, and within those staggered ranges a choice of powerplants, fuel sources, and trim levels await, ensuring that there is something for everything where the Porsche Cayenne is concerned.
From the ugly duckling, first-generation on up to the latest, tech-laden offering, the Porsche Cayenne has notched up two decades of production vehicles for buyers to choose from when hunting down their desired model.
8 Just Keeps Getting Better
With twenty years of manufacturing evolution beneath its belt, the Cayenne has continued to improve through its three generations, having gotten lighter, faster, and more fuel-efficient. The Cayenne is also more luxurious than ever.
In the power stakes, the fastest, most muscular Turbo models have seen their outputs swell by over 250hp as standard, taking them into a new category of super-SUVs that dish out performance more likened to an exotic supercar.
7 Early Ones Are Cheap
The first generation of Cayenne wasn't particularly well-received due to its looks and some issues cropped up with diesel versions, with cylinder linings degrading due to using high sulfur fuel. With these problems now mostly sorted through recalls or repairs, the unloved Porsche is now something of a bargain buy.
With naturally aspirated V8 and V6 versions commonly available for as low as $5000, the first-generation Cayenne offers up excellent road manners, brilliant off-road ability, and that all-important Porsche nose badge at very little outlay.
6 Engine Choices A-Plenty
The engine range spans from a naturally aspirated 247 hp 3.2-liter V6 in the first generation right through to a monster 631 hp in the current Turbo GT. Each generation has a stand-out star and a unique sweet spot for buyers to fixate over and aim for.
Sometimes sharing base technology with Volkswagen units, the Porsche Cayenne engines set themselves apart from their German cousins by being in a higher state of tune and running different software, whilst having been engineered for their sub-model class.
5 The Turbo S Is A Monster
Each iteration of the Cayenne has had a Turbo S badged model, with the initial offering pumping out 542 hp from a twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V8, allowing for a very impressive 0-60 sprint time of 4.8 seconds.
The second generation upped the game by serving up 562 hp from the same powerplant, dropping its time to 60mph to 4.1 seconds. The more recent Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid improves on this further by scoring a truly rapid 3.8 seconds time.
4 There's A Pocket-Friendly Diesel Model
First fitted to the 2009 Cayenne model (but not sold in the U.S.), the 3.0-liter diesel V6 allowed for the more frugal motorist to get in on the Cayenne scene with an average of 30 mpg, extending the luxury SUVs potential range between fill-ups considerably. The U.S. got the diesel option for model year 2013.
Discontinued for generation three, the diesel-powered Cayenne would peak performance-wise with the Cayenne S diesel that offered up 385 hp from its V8 combined with a whopping 626 lb-ft of torque, allowing for rapid acceleration as well as fuel economy in the 30 mpg range. That hot-rod diesel was not available in the U.S.
3 It Literally Does Everything
The Porsche Cayenne is a one-stop, Swiss Army knife of a vehicle that can deliver an answer to just about every motoring problem put to it. Want to go fast? It will do that. Want to go off-road? It'll do that too. Want to cruise in luxury? Yes, no problem.
Quite possibly the ultimate lifer vehicle, the Cayenne won't disappoint, whatever mood the driver is in, or whatever route they decide to take to work. Fun, luxurious, and reliable, the Cayenne has all the bases covered, and even some that you don't even realize.
2 It's Good Off-Road
Many may wrongly think that just because it is a luxury high-performance SUV, the Porsche Cayenne would fail to crest the first snow-covered hill it gets to, or simply drown whilst wading through a swiftly running brook.
Those doubters would then have to eat their own words, as the Cayenne comes equipped to tackle all terrain, never matter the weather. A selection of off-road modes, a low range, and clever electronics ensure that the Cayenne just keeps on motoring.
1 Fantastic On The Road
Right off the bat, the goal was to make the Cayenne as good on the road as it was off-road, it is a Porsche after all and anything less than superb handling would injure the brand, which is why a Cayenne hugs the pavement impressively.
Able to upset performance sedans and a number of smaller two-seat sports cars on and off a track, the Cayenne utilizes its sporting pedigree to keep a driver entertained and well-informed as it rockets from apex to apex.