The Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Is So Much Car: Review

Nothing conjures up blended feelings fairly like a efficiency plug-in hybrid. At first, it looks like an ideal center floor between fuel and electrical. There’s easy, emissions-free driving for working round city, wide array and fast refueling for lengthy journeys, and large efficiency once you let the engine and motor work in tandem. 

The brand new Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid does supply all that. However, it’s not fairly so simple as having your cake and consuming it too.

Porsche facelifted the third-generation Cayenne for the 2024 mannequin 12 months, and the modifications are in depth. For the plug-in hybrid fashions, the battery capability will increase from 14.1 kilowatt-hours to 25.9 kilowatt-hours, which brings an enormous bump in electrical vary. The motor additionally will get a rise from 134 to 174 horsepower, and mixed with a revised twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid produces a ripping 729 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. That’s greater than the previous Turbo S E-Hybrid. Greater than any combustion SUV on the market now, save the mechanically comparable Lamborghini Urus SE.

However there’s a value to pay for this mixing of combustion and electrical energy—and never simply the steep $158,995 base value of the 2025 mannequin (our tester was a 2024). Porsche quotes a curb weight of 5,719 kilos for this Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe. The Cayenne GTS Coupe, which makes use of the identical V-8 with out the hybrid system, weighs almost 700 kilos much less.

The entire thing is somewhat absurd. Not simply the load determine by itself, I imply the entire thing. A luxurious SUV that nods towards effectivity and the necessity to scale back our environmental impression but in addition has a twin-turbo V-8 and weighs as a lot as two authentic Boxsters. It’s simply a lot automobile.

Picture by: Chris Perkins / Motor1

Professionals: Big Efficiency, Unimaginable Journey & Dealing with, Good Electrical Vary

The load dominates every part. Admittedly, this Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid coupe handles its weight in addition to it may, because of the elective rear-wheel steering and energetic anti-roll techniques. It’s freakishly agile and physique roll is stored to an absolute minimal once you put it into Sport Plus mode, the place the automobile lowers on its air springs and stiffens up its adaptive dampers. By means of corners, this Cayenne doesn’t really feel its weight in any way. 

Steering is exact as you’d anticipate from a Porsche, however surprisingly gentle. And beneath 50 miles per hour, when the rear wheels are calibrated to show in the other way of the fronts, there’s this barely unnatural sense of the automobile castering round that takes a bit to get used to. 

Porsche revised the springs and dampers for all facelifted Cayenne fashions, and right here, they supply an uncanny-good unfold of soppy, cushion-y experience high quality and sport-sedan-like dealing with. Even on the elective 22-inch wheels, huge bumps barely make a blip. Principally, it rides and handles in a means that’s completely divorced from its enormous weight and tall experience top.

Nonetheless, you’re at all times acutely aware of the load beneath braking. Even slowing down at low speeds for a cease signal, you may really feel all that mass shifting round beneath you. It by no means feels fairly proper. Additionally not serving to issues is the truth that the braking is inconsistent. It’s at all times a problem to mix regenerative braking from the motor and friction braking, particularly when you will have carbon-ceramic rotors, as our tester does. 

Picture by: Chris Perkins / Motor1

Cons: Huge Curb Weight, Costly, Poor Gasoline Financial system With Lifeless Battery

Coming to a whole cease round city, you at all times find yourself getting a bit extra braking than you need. The motor drives by means of the Cayenne’s eight-speed automated, so once you’re coming to a cease, the automobile has to stability motor regeneration with downshifts. You don’t really feel the shifts, however the sensation is just like aggressive engine braking. Making an attempt to be completely easy rolling to an intersection is an actual problem. 

Sometimes the hybrid system hiccups when getting up to the mark too, however when you’re going, it’s all very easy. The engine cuts out and in seamlessly, and the motor is at all times able to ship a wallop of torque.

It’s foolish fast, unsurprisingly. The electrical motor and engine mix to make the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid really feel prefer it’s received a supercharged Chevy V-8 beneath the hood. You go to cross somebody on the freeway, and the eight-speed auto downshifts a gear, possibly two, earlier than an countless surge of energy. Get on it onerous from a low gear, and it’s much more eye-opening. Efficiency like this was not way back unique to upper-echelon 911s.

Picture by: Chris Perkins / Motor1

This is perhaps heretical to say, nevertheless it sounds higher than a whole lot of new 911s, too. As a part of the Light-weight Sports activities Package deal—a laughable line merchandise for a 5,700-pound automobile—you get a center-exit sports activities exhaust, and it’s raucous. Even in its quiet modes, there’s an ever-present burble from the V-8 and a muscle-car thunder with the valves absolutely open. It’s infantile and completely addictive. 

Nonetheless, the more durable you get on it, the extra gas you’re going to burn. Which is, after all, apparent, and usually not a priority in a hi-po SUV. However in somewhat over every week with the automobile, I couldn’t cease fascinated about gas financial system. I imagined a guilt-free but highly effective V-8 expertise, and whereas the hybrid system can lower gas consumption, it doesn’t flip this Porsche right into a Prius.

As with all plug-in hybrids, you need to cost it typically. Up to date Cayenne hybrids get an 11-kilowatt on-board AC charger, so when you have the appropriate setup at house, it is best to be capable of get a full battery in round two and a half hours. And the vary is great. The EPA says it’ll do 24 miles on a cost, however I usually noticed figures nearer to 40 miles.

When you’re driving round city slowly, you’ll get nice gas financial system. Hell, you may depart the Cayenne in E-Energy mode and the V-8 won’t ever even activate till you get on the throttle onerous. Longer journeys at larger speeds are a blended bag, although. I drove the automobile 200 miles and again totally on the freeway, however with about 20 miles of gradual New York Metropolis site visitors. With a full battery, I managed almost 27 mpg in comparison with 22 mpg with round 1 / 4 of a battery. It’s not nothing! However, it’s nonetheless conspicuous consumption. 

Picture by: Chris Perkins / Motor1

Picture by: Chris Perkins / Motor1

In the end, you’re left with one thing that is the perfect of each worlds, and the worst of each worlds. Beneath the appropriate circumstances, you may get an enormous effectivity profit from the hybrid system, however at different occasions, it’s a whole lot of additional weight to hold round.

Philosophically, the bottom Cayenne E-Hybrid and Cayenne S E-Hybrid most likely make extra sense, pairing a lighter, extra environment friendly V-6 with the identical battery and motor. However, the efficiency and speak-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick persona typical of a Porsche Turbo is plain. I like this factor so much, though I additionally discover it completely ridiculous and suspect that it’s probably not fairly as satisfying as a pure fuel automobile, or a full EV. 

And this being a assessment of a Porsche, we are able to’t finish earlier than speaking in regards to the value. It’s so damned costly. Notably, the bottom value between this 2024 check automobile and the equal 2025 mannequin jumped from $153,050 to $163,945. The as-tested value of this one rises from $191,230 to only beneath $200,000. You’ll be able to skip a whole lot of the choices our tester has, just like the $9,070 carbon-ceramic brakes and the $10,700 Light-weight Sport Package deal (although it’s the solely strategy to get these superb houndstooth seats). Nonetheless, it’s a really costly automobile irrespective of the way you slice it.

Picture by: Chris Perkins / Motor1

I suppose it’s pure for a sophisticated automobile to engender difficult emotions. Some moments, you adore it. Others, you’re baffled by it. And sometimes, you’re left astonished by simply how foolish it’s. I form of need one, and I’m barely disturbed by that notion. 

Like I mentioned earlier, blended feelings.

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Chris Perkins / Motor1

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