Porsche Cayenne Electric Review: A Phenomenally Capable SUV

By each metric, the Cayenne delivers betterment implicit the smaller Macan—and truthful it should, fixed the terms quality and Porsche’s conveyance hierarchy—but connected paper, its scope and complaint velocity are already down what Chinese elephantine BYD has coming down the tracks. But cars from show brands similar Porsche, adjacent afloat electrical SUVs, are astir much than conscionable the spec sheet. An electrical Cayenne needs to thrust similar a Porsche, consciousness similar a Porsche, and punctual its proprietor wherefore they’ve paid handsomely for that badge connected the steering wheel.

Curved Screen

In that regard, the caller Cayenne is up to the job. The styling is sharper and cleaner than before, acknowledgment successful portion to reduced cooling requirements and a absorption alternatively connected a slipperier, much aerodynamic body. The beforehand extremity is recognizably Porsche, and the progressive aero blades that protrude from the rear corners of the flagship Turbo variant are besides on-brand, smoothing airflow and improving ratio astatine speed.

The rear is different bland, and since the lone Porsche branding is an illuminated motif portion of the airy bar, erstwhile parked and turned off, the Cayenne is visually forgettable. That said, buyers bored by the Tesla inclination of limiting overgarment options to the bare minimum volition invited the Cayenne’s 13 exterior colour options and 11 instrumentality designs.

Inside, it’s recognizably Porsche but with a caller curved show that cascades down the halfway of the dashboard. It’s an arched OLED sheet that’ll punctual you of the archetypal clip you saw a folding smartphone—thankfully without the crease. Discard it arsenic a gimmick if you want, but I similar Porsche’s attack here, since it allows the idiosyncratic interface to grow oregon divided into 2 crossed the 2 planes of the curved screen. It besides helps trim glare, portion a thoughtful sheet beneath the surface acts arsenic a remainder to dependable your manus portion tapping the display. Physical switchgear controls the basics similar temperature, instrumentality speed, and media volume, and mercifully, determination are due buttons connected the steering wheel, too, alternatively of hit-and-miss haptics.

Porsche’s infotainment strategy is 1 of the champion I’ve utilized successful caller years, and with the Cayenne, it’s been further refined to marque paper navigation simpler and much intuitive. The navigation is besides a delight compared to galore different systems, but naturally, you’re apt to hook up Apple CarPlay oregon Android Auto instead. Porsche inactive hasn’t made the leap to CarPlay Ultra, contempt stating its volition to bash truthful backmost successful 2022 and again a twelvemonth later. That means your telephone apps don’t look connected the Cayenne’s operator display, and CarPlay can’t grip the somesthesia oregon radio.

Since this is simply a full-size SUV, there’s plentifulness of abstraction for 4 gangly adults, positive a 5th if needed, and the trunk stretches from 27.6 to 56 cubic feet depending connected the presumption of the rear seats. A frunk nether the hood adds 3.2 cubic feet, useful for storing the charging cable.

Speed Demon

At launch, determination are 3 variants of Cayenne Electric to take from. The basal exemplary costs from $109,000 and has 435 horsepower, the midrange Cayenne S Electric starts astatine $126,300 and produces 657 horsepower, and the flagship Cayenne Turbo Electric is $163,000 and has 1,139 horsepower with 1,106 lb-ft (1,500 Nm) of torque. Yes, that past stat is perfectly tremendous for immoderate car, fto unsocial a large SUV. It gives the Turbo much powerfulness than a Bugatti Veyron, and with double the torque of a V12-engined Ferrari Purosangue.

Zero-to-sixty times for the Cayenne household are 4.5, 3.6, and 2.4 seconds, respectively. Again, the Turbo is successful a league of its own, and if anything, the zero to 124 mph (200 km/h) is adjacent much absurd, astatine 7.4 seconds. That matches a Veyron and is astir connected par with a Tesla Model S Plaid. But honestly, comparing tenths of a 2nd present is meaningless. Switch the Cayenne Electric Turbo to Sport Plus mode, prosecute Launch Control, and the effect is genuinely unpleasant. As ever, my proposal is to prevention tens of thousands of dollars and bargain the 1 that goes furthest.