LIKES
- Spectacular handling
- Stellar engines
- Comfortable, well-equipped cabin
- So many options
- Unbelievable flexibility
DISLIKES
- Low fuel economy
- Very expensive
- Ride can be stiff with biggest wheels
- So-so infotainment interface
BUYING TIP
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne deftly outmaneuvers many sedans and coupes, all while maintaining some semblance of utility.
What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Porsche Cayenne? What does it compare to?
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne is a luxurious mid-size SUV with slick moves and stellar power. It compares with the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.
Is the 2022 Porsche Cayenne a good car/SUV?
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne is a spectacular SUV for drivers who value balanced handling and thrilling performance. While not as spacious or well-equipped as some more practical rivals, the Cayenne still scores a solid TCC Rating of 7.2 out of 10.
What's new for the 2022 Porsche Cayenne?
An update to the Cayenne’s infotainment system this year brings wired Android Auto to join wireless Apple CarPlay.
The Cayenne comes in either a somewhat formal SUV shape or with a sloping roofline as the Cayenne Coupe. Both trade heavily on Porsche-typical styling cues, most of which work quite well inside and out.
This broad lineup stretches from impressive turbocharged V-6 through twin-turbo V-8 variants, with a couple of plug-in hybrids thrown in for good measure. Power outputs range from a very good 335 horsepower to a very hefty 670 hp. Right in the middle sits our favorite: the Cayenne GTS, with its dialed-in air suspension and torque-vectoring rear axle.
On all, an 8-speed automatic transmission hustles power to all four wheels. Don’t look for a manual or rear-wheel drive, not that we’d necessarily want either. Fuel economy is average; look for 23 mpg from base versions, and less with each additional turbocharger or cylinder. Hybrids can do more than a dozen miles on a charge, though, making them lower-guilt commuters.
Inside, the Cayenne can be as decadent as your budget allows, but even base versions are outfitted nicely enough. A big touchscreen takes center stage, with other controls not too far away. Passenger space is great, cargo space less so.
Cayennes haven’t been crash-tested, and given their high price and relatively low sales volume, we doubt they will be. Automatic emergency braking is standard, but you’ll pay extra for adaptive cruise control or blind-spot monitors.
How much does the 2022 Porsche Cayenne cost?
The Cayenne starts just north of $70,000, while the Coupe version runs about $8,500 more.
In our eyes, the Cayenne GTS versions strike the best balance between performance and relative value, and you’ll pay upward of $110,000 to start.
In Germany.
Styling
The Cayenne has slippery styling that makes it easily recognizable as a Porsche.
Porsche hasn’t changed the basic shape of its Cayenne model in a while, but this crossover SUV has aged well. Its contemporary front and rear ends have enough 911-inspired cues to make it look like a proper member of the Porsche family, and its slick interior is a stand-out. We score it at 8 out of 10.
Is the Porsche Cayenne a good-looking car?
Each trim level has its own bits, so shop carefully for the right amount of big wheels and racy hardware.
Inside, the Cayenne is modern and fresh with a big 12.3-inch touchscreen that handles a wide array of functions. While still heavy on buttons, the cabin isn’t as overwhelming as it once was. As with the exterior, the Cayenne’s list of interior options never seems to end.
Performance
The Cayenne can out-run, out-handle, and out-ride many sports cars, let alone big crossovers.
The Porsche Cayenne can be equally at home loping around town as it can chewing up miles on a German autobahn. These are tremendously flexible machines, with the allure of good power, a composed ride, and sharp steering. We rate them an 8 out of 10, making them among the highest-rated crossovers you’ll find.
Is the Porsche Cayenne 4WD?
Yes, and with as much as 9.6 inches of ground clearance from the available air suspension, the Cayenne can lumber its way to the top of a mountain and ford 20 inches of water.
That depends on what you want—and how far your budget stretches.
Base Cayenne models use a 335-hp turbocharged V-6 that can dial off a 0-60 mph sprint in the mid-five-second range. That’s no slouch. Step up to the 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 in the Cayenne S and you’ll slice at least half a second off of those times from an engine that churns out 434 hp.
E-Hybrid versions pair the base V-6 with an electric motor for 455 hp and a 0-60 mph sprint in the 4.7-second range, plus astoundingly quick acceleration from a stop and slick transitions between gasoline and electric power.
V-8 fans, rejoice. The GTS swaps in a twin-turbocharged 8-cylinder rated at 480 hp, which is good for 0-60 mph in just over four seconds. That same engine, uprated a bit, does duty to the tune of 550 hp in the Cayenne Turbo and 631 hp in the Turbo GT.
At the top of the lineup, the 670-hp Turbo S E-Hybrid is a ferocious machine with an electric motor paired with the peppiest version of the V-8. Look for 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds before topping out at 183 mph.
All versions of the Cayenne serve up remarkable moves for SUVs that weigh as much as 5,100 lb. Optional extras such as rear-axle steering, an air suspension, active anti-roll bars, carbon-ceramic brakes, and a torque-vectoring rear differential can up the ante.
Even base models corner with limited lean; the optional active anti-roll bars tighten things down for almost comically flat cornering. The rear-axle steering system can make this big SUV thread a winding road.
Comfort & Quality
Porsche outfits the Cayenne with a luxurious interior even in base form.
Though it’s not the best SUV at utilizing its hefty footprint, the 2022 Porsche Cayenne has a pampering, high-end feel with stellar attention to detail. Its 9 out of 10 rating here comes courtesy its comfortable seats, overall passenger space, attention to detail, and cargo room—with some asterisks on that final note.
The Cayenne is comfortable enough for five passengers inside, though Coupe versions are only capable of seating four passengers. Multi-adjustable front seats offer good support, and the rear bench has adjustments as well. Leather seats are standard, but the extensive options list includes softer hides, cooled front seats, massaging, and more power adjustment for front-seat riders.
With 27.5 cubic feet of cargo space, the 2022 Cayenne isn’t especially space-efficient, but that room grows to 60.3 cubes with the rear seatbacks folded. Coupe versions lose about 6 cubic feet thanks to their sloping rooflines.
Safety
Porsche charges extra for some crash-avoidance tech we consider essential.
How safe is the Porsche Cayenne?
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne has not yet been crash-tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS, so we can’t assign it a score.
Automatic emergency braking and parking sensors are standard fare, but every other active safety item is optional. You’ll pay extra for adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control. Some of that tech is standard on mainstream models costing a third what the Cayenne does.
Features
Porsche offers a seemingly endless array of options for its 2022 Cayenne.
While not exactly a great value in the strictest definition of the term, the 2022 Porsche Cayenne is well-equipped with good infotainment tech and can be tailored with numerous options. That’s good for an 8 out of 10 on our scale.
Which Porsche Cayenne should I buy?
That depends on how much performance you need. Base models are the best value at around $70,000 with leather trim, power-adjustable front seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto compatibility, navigation, and 19-inch wheels. Coupes cost $8,000 or so more, though they add adaptive dampers, a panoramic sunroof, and the Sport Chrono package with its extra drive modes, launch control, and stopwatch.
How much is a fully loaded Porsche Cayenne?
You can truly spend as much as a nice house in many suburbs on a Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid. Building on its $165,000 base price, numerous custom options can push it to $200,000 or more. Want to spend more? Start with the $182,150 Cayenne Turbo GT.
Fuel Economy
Fuel economy is not one of the Porsche Cayenne’s strong suits, though hybrid versions aren’t too bad.
Is the Porsche Cayenne good on gas?
Power is the enemy of economy. The base Cayenne with its V-6 comes in at 19 mpg city, 23 highway, 20 combined. That’s a 3 out of 10.
Other versions are thirstier yet, at least for the most part. The S guzzles at a rate of 18/22/20 mpg, while V-8-powered models check in at just 15/19/17 mpg for the GTS and 14/19/16 mpg for the Turbo.
E-Hybrid versions are intriguing. At 21 mpg (or 18 mpg for the Turbo S) combined, they’re not exactly frugal. But they offer more than a dozen miles of emissions-free commuting, which may be enough to make it to work without turning on the gas engine.
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