The new Porsche Cayenne was rightfully long-awaited. Fans of the brand counted the days until the official premiere, independent designers published renders online, and spy photographers were on the lookout for the new model during testing. When the third-generation Porsche Cayenne was presented, at a quick glance the car was practically indistinguishable from its predecessor. In fact, the Cayenne turned out to be the pinnacle of technological and engineering thought. “Yuzhny Avtomobil” tested the new model, for which the waiting list stretched for several months.
Exterior
While the third-generation Porsche Cayenne is externally similar to its predecessor, the new car has undergone significant technological changes. The Porsche Cayenne has always been considered a status model, and drastic changes in appearance could be misinterpreted by the spoiled public who prefer premium cars. Whether you look at the car from the front or from the side, unless you’re a Porsche expert, it’s practically indistinguishable from the previous generation. The most significant exterior difference is the narrow, integrated taillights, in the style of the new Porsche Panamera. The rear of the new 911, which is about to be officially unveiled, will also feature this same style.
While the new and old Cayenne are similar in appearance, the third-generation crossover is 6.3 cm longer, 4.4 cm wider, and a centimeter lower. From the side, the car now looks sportier, as even a Porsche Cayenne crossover should be associated with speed and lightness, namely the legendary 911. As for the headlights, they now feature a matrix headlight system, like those in the new Panamera. However, some might think they’re looking at a restyling, but in fact, this is not the case. The new Cayenne is built on the MLB EVO platform, which underpins the Bentley Bentayga, Audi Q7, and the new Volkswagen Touareg, which entered the Russian market a few months after the large crossover from Porsche.
Interior
The interior of the new Cayenne is virtually identical to the Porsche Panamera. A huge 12.3-inch display is located in the center. The image on it is clear and rich in colors, as if a tablet from a well-known Apple company was inserted into the dashboard. The screen responds to touches lightning fast, you can navigate between menus by pressing buttons or switching by swiping the image left or right. You can simply drag the desired information to the home screen with your finger. The touch screen can be used to control not only multimedia and navigation, but also suspension or gearbox settings. The number of menus and submenus in the Porsche Communication Management system is so vast that it can be quite difficult to figure it out right away. However, you can control the air conditioning vents manually, rather than through an electronic menu like in the Panamera.
Naturally, there is a parking assistance system with a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control with a stop-and-go function, lane keeping assist, lane change assist, night vision, and the InnoDrive electronic navigation system. There is even a kind of Siri system equivalent, which you can ask in Russian to play music, set a comfortable climate control temperature, and much more. By the way, the music is still from Bose. Touch controls for car functions are available not only on the central screen, but also on the tunnel next to the gearshift lever. Again, everything is similar to the new Panamera. It may take a while to find the button for putting the gearshift in Parking mode. A small button with the letter “P” is hidden below the gearshift lever.
The instrument panel is designed in the style of the previous generation, but with the only difference being that only the tachometer, located in the center, remains analog. Seven-inch LCD displays are installed on either side of it; they display the tachometer, oil temperature, fuel level, outside temperature, and other vehicle operating information. On the right side of the steering wheel is the Sport Response system switch, which includes Sport and Sport Plus modes and briefly increases power for quick acceleration. This feature has migrated to the Cayenne from the 911 and Panamera. The crossover has keyless entry; now the car-shaped key no longer fits into the hole to the left of the steering column. The engine is started with a small knob.
Let’s go
We start the engine, the car responds to pressing the gas pedal with a velvety roar. We are testing the Cayenne S version with a 2.9-liter V6 engine and a power of 440 horsepower. Again, hello, Panamera. The base Cayenne is equipped with a 6-cylinder 3-liter turbo engine with a power of 340 hp, but at the moment we have the middle version. The top-of-the-line Cayenne Turbo version develops a power of 550 horsepower, but there is no diesel engine on the Russian market and there are no plans for it, apparently due to the scandal with understated emissions; they decided not to put it into production, but there is a hybrid version. The most popular models will traditionally be the Cayenne and Cayenne S.
The gearbox has also been updated for all modifications. It is still an 8-speed, but shifts smoother and faster than before. The all-wheel drive system now uses an electronic multi-plate clutch, providing rear-wheel drive characteristics. The third-generation model has a completely new chassis with rear-wheel steering in turns. The new Cayenne has mixed-width tires front and rear. The rear wheels, turning at speeds up to 80 km/h in antiphase with the front wheels by an angle of up to three degrees, improves maneuverability and reduces the turning radius by 60 cm. At speeds exceeding 80 km/h, the rear wheels work synchronously with the front ones, which increases the stability of the car. The two-ton crossover corners like a compact golf-class hatchback. On a straight line, the Cayenne accelerates instantly, and thanks to good sound insulation, you don’t feel the speed. Just keep an eye on the speedometer to avoid a speeding ticket. After all, the Cayenne S accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5 seconds, and its top speed is limited to 259 km/h.
Price
The price of the base Cayenne with a 340 horsepower engine starts at 4,999,000 rubles. The version featured in our test today starts at 6,521,000 rubles. The hybrid Cayenne will cost 400,000 more than the S version. The top-of-the-line Cayenne Turbo costs twice as much as the base one. You will have to pay at least 9,800,000 rubles for it. Despite the high prices, there are quite a lot of people who want to buy a new Cayenne and the wait is about 2-3 months.
