Porsche Cayenne (2010 – 2017) Review

Porsche Cayenne (2010 – 2017) At A Glance

5/5

+Refined with sports-car like handling. Great performance. Low emissions from hybrid version. Stylish and high-class cabin. Frugal diesel.

-Hybrid not as good to drive as the rest of the engines.

Insurance Groups are between 40–50
On average it achieves 72% of the official MPG figure

While Porsche may be best known for its high performance sports cars, the original Porsche Cayenne is actually the firm's best selling model ever. The combination of 4x4 practicality with the handling of a Porsche, seems to have found plenty of fans. This second generation Porsche Cayenne builds on that with improvements all round, most notably in the cabin which has an even more upmarket appearance.

It's also lighter than the original model which has benefits for handling and efficiency. Fuel economy has improved by around 20 per cent and the impressively refined V6 diesel model can return up to 41.5mpg according to the official figures, so it's no surprise that it's the most popular choice.

The handling is a revelation too. Despite weighing in at two tonnes, the Porsche Cayenne feels like a two-seater sports car from behind the wheel with great control and superb agility. Despite this, it rides very well, providing impressive long distance comfort.

Naturally this is combined with a sophisticated interior which is a big step up from the previous model. It's influenced by the four-door Panamera which means lots of buttons. It may not the be the most modern design, but the quality and finish are both excellent

But the big news is the introduction of a Hybrid model which makes its debut in the Cayenne. This offers the high performance you'd expect of a supercharged Porsche but with low CO2 emissions and good economy. Unfortunately, it's not as enjoyable to drive as the other models - including the diesel - and feels a little lacklustre at times.

The pinnacle of the range is the monstrous Turbo S which manages to cover 0-62mph in a mere 4.1 seconds. It's thunderously quick with an exhaust note to match but it's also thirsty with a claimed 24.6mpg while a £120,000 price tag means it's a rare sight.

The Cayenne is simply the best handling 4x4 on the market. It's not an especially cheap car to buy, while the long list of pricey options can easily add thousands onto the price, but no other 4x4 comes anywhere near when it comes to delivering the all round package of agility, performance and practicality.

Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid 2015 Road Test

Real MPG average for a Porsche Cayenne (2010 – 2017)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

72%

Real MPG

16–41 mpg

MPGs submitted

116

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

Can thieves easily locate a factory-fitted tracker?

"Earlier this year I bought a new Porsche Cayenne and paid to activate the inbuilt tracker system. It occurs to me that, being a factory-fitted item, they are possibly all the same, enabling thieves to quickly locate and disable the system? Aftermarket trackers vary the location of their device, making location more difficult to find. Do you have any information or views on this?"
That is probably true to a certain extent, however I would have thought a manufacturer installed tracker would be harder to get at because it'll be buried deep within the car. It's a moot point really, because these cars tend to be broken up for parts so, either way, they'll find the tracker. If the car remains intact, the thieves will usually park it up on a random street to see if police are led to it by a tracker.
Answered by Russell Campbell

Should I get a petrol or diesel SUV?

"Should I get a petrol or diesel Porsche Cayenne? Will a diesel be hit with bigger taxes from the Government? I do 15,000 miles a year."
A second-hand Porsche Cayenne is going to be expensive to run, no matter what fuel it uses. Will there be more taxes for diesel cars in the future? Possibly. But they will be small fry compared to the huge running costs of a high performance, petrol-powered 2.5 tonne SUV.
Answered by Dan Powell

Tyre confusion on a Porsche Cayenne - what would you suggest?

"Can you please recommend what new tyres I should choose for my June 2015 Porsche Cayenne S Diesel? My Porsche dealer supplied the last set which are Michelin Latitude Sport 3 255/55R18 105W N0 after I had requested Michelins for a quieter ride. I have looked on the Michelin website and they recommend fitting Pilot Sport 4 SUV 109 Y XL and also show two alternatives - either Latitude Sport or Cross Climate SUV. Of the three, only the Latitude Sport is Porsche approved (N1). Looking in the manual (p298) states “Before having new tyres fitted, find out about the current approval status” and then goes on to say “Use only tyre makes tested and approved by Porsche. You will recognise these by the N.. specification code on the tyre”… The manual also states (p336) that for a Cayenne S Diesel the correct summer tyres are 255/55 R 18 109Y XL and the correct all-season and winter tyres are 255/55 R 18 109V XL M&S. So it appears the tyres supplied by my Porsche dealer are not the correct speed rating anyway. I like Michelins but feel that fitting the Porsche approved 72db Latitude Sports would be a backward compared to he current 70db Latitude Sport 3’s and I gather the Latitude Sport 3’s have now been replaced with the Pilot Sport 4’s anyway. Having followed your Motoring Agony Column for many years, I am quite interested in fitting all season tyres such as Michelin Cross Climates as we live in a rural area and snow is sometimes an issue. However the Michelin Cross Climates are not Porsche approved, although Goodyear Eagle LS-2’s are. I have one year left on a Porsche extended warranty, mainly for peace of mind as I have already had two replacement transfer boxes and think there are signs of the latest one starting to go. Must I fit Porsche approved tyres to satisfy the warranty? In light of all the above, what tyres would you recommend I fit? "
Because you have already had problems with the transfer box, I reluctantly recommend you fit only Porsche approved tyres. If you fit anything else and have more trouble with the drivetrain then the supplying dealer and Porsche can absolve themselves of any responsibility on the grounds that you fitted non recommended tyres and this led to the trouble. Check Tyres On The Drive (https://bit.ly/2ZlEVaR) and Blackcircles.com (https://bit.ly/2JM6bqG) for sizes and prices and read our Tyre Buying Guide (https://bit.ly/2wsFHBU)
Answered by Honest John

What good SUV hybrids would you recommend?

"I have a BMW X1 and am looking for an SUV hybrid with good performance and ride. Which cars would you suggest I consider?"
There are quite a few forthcoming, but not in the UK yet. As it is we have the Kia Niro, the Toyota RAV4 hybrid, the Lexus NX hybrid, the Lexus RX450h, the BMW X5 40e, the Audi Q7 e-tron diesel hybrid, the Volvo XC90 T8 and the Porsche Cayenne hybrid. More to come include a Volkswagen Tiguan GTE, a new BMW X3 petrol hybrid and an Audi A5 petrol hybrid.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

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