Item: 2018 Porsche Cayenne
Author: Matthew Keegan

Overview

With a bulky SUV body style and a spacious cargo area, one would assume that the Porsche Cayenne wouldn't be able to provide exhilarating performance. The Cayenne has been in Porsche's lineup for 15 years and the automaker has made it better every year. With multiple performance levels to choose from, the Cayenne is an all-weather capable performance vehicle that offers sports-car-like capability.

What's New for 2018

The Cayenne enters 2018 with no significant changes. The SUV, though, has been redesigned for the 2019 model year.

Choosing Your Porsche Cayenne

The most attractive aspect of the Cayenne is the SUV's incredible performance. The base model is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine that generates 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, while power is routed through an all-wheel-drive system.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Cayenne Turbo S offers the same performance as a high-end sports car. The high-performance SUV features a twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V8 engine that generates 570 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. With that kind of power, the Turbo S model is capable of getting up to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds.

While the Cayenne is catered toward performance, the SUV can handle rough terrain. The vehicle comes with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) – an intelligent active all-wheel-drive system. When properly equipped, the SUV features three off-roading modes that can alter the vehicle's ride height and the way the Cayenne puts its power down. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) includes an electronically controlled rear-locking differential that distributes torque to the rear wheels.

As an SUV, the Cayenne offers a good amount of cargo capacity. With the vehicle full of passengers, the SUV has enough space to carry 23.6 cubic feet of cargo. With the split-folding rear seats down, the cargo capacity for the vehicle opens up to 62.9 cu. ft.

The Cayenne is available in six different trims:

CarsDirect Tip

Prices can quickly get out of hand with the Cayenne, especially as Porsche offers things like a ski bag and a compass as options. The Cayenne S is reasonably priced and brings a good amount of luxury and performance features as standard. Consumers looking for an even sportier SUV can opt for the GTS model. While outrageously powerful, the Turbo and Turbo S models are also incredibly expensive.

Get your price on a Porsche Cayenne »

Joel Patel

Automotive Editor - February 23, 2018

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Expert Review

Expert Rating

Unavailable

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

Matthew Keegan

Contributing Editor - June 19, 2018

When it comes to luxury SUVs, some like it hot. The 2018 Porsche Cayenne pushes all the right buttons in terms of looks, performance, and interior amenities. On the flip side, prices can shoot up quickly, making this SUV easily one of the most expensive models of its kind.

Best Value

The 2018 Porsche Cayenne is a mid-size luxury SUV offering room for five with standard all-wheel drive. You'll find a family of strong gasoline engines and a hybrid drivetrain – sorry, there's no diesel in the mix. Porsche offers six trims: base, Platinum, S, GTS, Turbo, and Turbo S. The E-Hybrid model comes in S and Platinum editions.

The base model doesn’t offer quite the level of amenities you’d expect in a luxury SUV. Choosing the Cayenne S brings in a twin-turbocharged engine, electric power steering, and front and rear parking sensors. You also get 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, and driver seat memory. We added several options that upgraded this model’s appearance inside and out as well as its overall performance. Here's how we'd build ours:

Model: 2018 Porsche Cayenne S
Engine: 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6
Output: 420 hp / 406 lb-ft
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Drivetrain: All-wheel drive
Fuel Economy: 17 City / 24 Hwy
Options: Sport Package ($5,990, analog and digital stopwatch, air suspension, Porsche Active Suspension Management [PASM], sports exhaust system, two dual-tube aluminum polished tailpipes, a performance display), Carrara White Metallic paint ($800), 14-Way Power Seats with Memory Package ($1,510), leather seat trim with leather interior ($3,660).
Base Price: $78,450 (including the $1,050 destination charge)
Best Value Price: $90,410

Performance

Even the base Cayenne is fast, but the 2018 Porsche Cayenne S offers a nice middle ground between the base and top trims. This one is powered by a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that generates 420 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, good for a zero-to-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds. Porsche marries this engine to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

It helps that the Cayenne has an excellent steering rack and a robust suspension system to go with it. In the handling department, this SUV benefits from a torque vectoring system that distributes power around the Porsche’s all-wheel-drive system to assist in cornering. Body roll isn’t entirely done away with, but it's manageable and even quite fun.

Style

Design elements of the 911 are apparent on this SUV, but only lightly so. The Cayenne has been on the market long enough for us to accept a Porsche SUV, although there are die-hard holdouts out there. Happily, this model strikes its own approach to the market with its curvy layout and handsome details.

What’s familiar here is the headlight design, which it shares with other Porsche models. The long hood is imposing, but it isn’t an overwrought look. The rear suggests a powerful haunch, but it doesn’t go further than that. We’re glad because when you add all the elements together, you come away with a sensible design.

Inside, the cabin is very comfortable, quiet, and beautifully decorated. We find the Cayenne easy to get in and out of. The driving position doesn’t pretend to mimic Porsche’s sports cars, but it's snug and sporty. The build quality is excellent, though there's more room up front then there is in the back and the cargo space is actually smaller than what most rivals offer.

The Best and Worst Things

You can build the Porsche Cayenne in most any way you want. Yes, there are packages that bundle some of your favorite features, but you also have a choice of individual items. Porsche tries to have something for everyone and that’s a good thing. With so many choices, however, prices can quickly climb. Our sample build tops $90,000, but that’s far below the six-figure number that's easily within reach. The top-end model is extremely expensive and hard to justify from a cost perspective, except for people whose budgets allow it.

Right For? Wrong For?

Porsche came out with the Cayenne and followed up years later with the Macan. The idea for these two models plus the Panamera sedan was to keep Porsche owners in the fold. Porsche has succeeded in this endeavor. On the other hand, if you’re expecting strong off-road chops, this isn’t the SUV you want. With the right equipment you can handle moderate off-road duty, but you won’t be following a Jeep anywhere it climbs.

The Bottom Line

The 2018 Porsche Cayenne is a standout in a crowded field of luxury SUV models. There are so many ways you can build one and the result is a thoroughly capable road cruiser. Keep a close eye on the options packages. Otherwise, your costs may quickly exceed your budget.

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Specs & Features

Highlights

Overall Crash Safety Rating

Not Available

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque

3.6L V-6 / 300 HP / 295 ft.lbs.

Transmission

8-spd sequential shift control auto w/OD

Drive Type

Full-time All Wheel

Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined

18 / 24 / 21 Mpg

Passenger Capacity

Bumper to Bumper Warranty

48 Months / 50,000 Miles

Mechanical Specs

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque	3.6L V-6 / 300 HP / 295 ft.lbs.
Drive Type	Full-time All Wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined	18 / 24 / 21 Mpg
Brakes	4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension	Double Wishbone
Rear Suspension	Independent Multi-link
Spare Tire And Wheel	Compact Steel / Steel
Fuel Tank	26.4 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type	Premium Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank	$101

Dimensions & Capabilities

Maximum Cargo Volume	62.9 Cu.ft. / 60.2 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume
Exterior Length	191.1 "
Exterior Width	78.7 "
Exterior Height	67.4 "
Front Headroom	39.6 "
Rear Headroom
Front Legroom
Rear Legroom
Front Shoulder Room	58.9 "
Rear Shoulder Room
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight	4,488 Lbs.
Wheel Base	114 "
Turning Radius	19.5 '

Exterior Features

Door Count	4 Doors
Wheels	18.0 " Silver Aluminum / 19.0 " Silver Aluminum / 20.0 " Painted Aluminum / 20.0 " Silver Aluminum / 21.0 " Machined W/painted Accents Aluminum / 21.0 " Black Aluminum / 21.0 " Body-colored Aluminum / 21.0 " Painted Aluminum / 21.0 " Silver Aluminum
Paint	Clearcoat Monotone / Metallic Monotone
Exterior Mirrors	Dual Power Remote Heated / Power Remote W/tilt Down Heated Passenger
Bumpers	Body-colored
Grille Moldings	Body-colored
Rear Spoiler	Lip
Exhaust	Stainless Steel With Powdercoated Tailpipe Finish / Stainless Steel With Dark Chrome Tailpipe Finish / Stainless Steel With Chrome Tailpipe Finish / Stainless Steel With Polished Tailpipe Finish

Interior Features

Seating

Passenger Capacity	5
Seat Trim	Leather
Front Seat Type	Bucket / Sport Bucket
Heated Front Seats	Driver And Front Passenger Heated-cushion, Heated-seatback
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls	(8-way Power) / (10-way Power) / (12-way Power)
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls	(8-way Power) / (10-way Power) / (12-way Power)
Front Armrests	(8-way Power) / (10-way Power) / (12-way Power)
Rear Armrests	Center / Center With Pass-thru And Skibag
Rear Seats	40-20-40 Split-bench

Radio & Infotainment

Radio	Siriusxm Am/fm/hd/satellite, Seek-scan
Speakers	10 / 14 Bose / 16 Burmester
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity

Convenience Features

Steering Wheel Type	Telescopic Tilt Sport / Power Telescopic Tilt Sport
Climate Control	Automatic Air Conditioning
Cruise Control
Sun Roof	Express Open/close
Rearview Mirror	Day-night / Auto-dimming Day-night
One Touch Open Window	Front And Rear
Tinted Windows	Deep
Vanity Mirrors	Dual Illuminated
Remote Keyless Entry	Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets	5 / 6

Safety Features

Overall Crash Safety Rating	Not Yet Available
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating	Not Yet Available
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating	Not Yet Available
Rollover Crash Safety Rating	Not Yet Available
Front Impact Airbags	Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags	Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag	Driver
Passenger Side Impact Airbag	Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag	Rear Side-impact Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners	Front And Rear
Anti-Lock Brakes	4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning	Porsche Active Safe (pas) Forward Collision Mitigation
Blind Spot Sensor	Lane Change Assist (lca) Blind Spot
Lane Departure Warning	Lane Departure
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams	Auto High-beam
Adaptive Headlights	Directionally Adaptive
Parking Sensors	Parkassist Front And Rear
Security Systems	Security System
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable	Immobilizer

Warranty

Bumper To Bumper Months Miles	48 Months / 50,000 Miles
Major Components Months	48 Months / 50,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months
Roadside Assistance Months	48 Months / 50,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation	144 Months / Unlimited Miles
Accessories Months	24 Months / Unlimited Miles

Used 2018 Porsche Cayenne for Sale

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