2019 Porsche Cayenne Revealed: The Porsche of SUVs, Take Three

Introduced at a huge event on its home turf in Stuttgart, the third-generation Porsche Cayenne is here, and it may be the brand‘s most important launch in a long time. Porsche‘s king of suburbia is the quintessential sport-utility vehicle with a capital Sport, and the model that can be credited with fortifying the company‘s bottom line enough to enable it to continue building the sports cars we really crave.

Porsche, predictably, says the Cayenne is closer to the 911 than ever, and cites the optional all-wheel-steering system and the staggered-sized tires, which are wider at the rear. But the fact is the Cayenne is spun from the Audi-engineered MLB modular-longitudinal architecture, and that‘s not a bad thing: This component set is far lighter and more advanced than the previous Cayenne‘s PL71 platform. Porsche says the new model is 143 pounds lighter, despite its added content, greater safety, and additional passenger space.

Power comes from several new engines developed in cooperation with Audi. The base Cayenne comes with a single-turbo, 340-hp 3.0-liter V-6 (zero to 60 mph in a claimed 5.8 seconds, top speed of 152 mph), while the Cayenne S is powered by a twin-turbo, 2.9-liter V-6 with 440 horsepower (4.9 seconds, 165 mph). Those are the only two variants Porsche is talking about right now, but well before the new Cayenne hits U.S. turf, Porsche will have unveiled the Cayenne Turbo with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 rated at 550 horsepower. Every third-gen Cayenne is fitted with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

Down the road—and sooner rather than later—there will be a V-6 plug-in hybrid based on the 2.9-liter V-6, as well as a V-8 plug-in hybrid which will be called the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid. The latter powertrain is already available in the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, where it makes 680 total system horsepower.

Porsche also has developed two diesel models, a 3.0-liter V-6 and a 4.0-liter V-8. They are virtually ready for the market, but sources tell us that they may be yanked. Both engines were developed by Audi, and Porsche is more than slightly miffed at the marketing and PR disaster engendered by Audi’s emissions-cheating software. We do hope that cooler heads prevail, because these engines are awesome.

The new Cayenne is brimming with cutting-edge technology, although much of it, in typical Porsche fashion, will cost extra. Among the temptations are the ever-popular Sport Chrono package that brings a Sport+ setting and a dash-mounted analog stopwatch, the aforementioned all-wheel-steering system, electrically operated anti-roll bars that necessitate a 48-volt electrical system, and an adjustable air suspension. Three different braking systems are available, including carbon-ceramics. The Cayenne is the first model to offer Porsche Surface Coated Brakes that incorporate a tungsten-carbide surface layer on traditional iron rotors that’s intended to extend longevity and reduce brake dust.

Without deviating too far from its predecessor, the new Cayenne truly looks good: longer, lower, wider, and with bigger wheels. The best part is the rear, characterized by a wide, horizontal strip of taillights. It is reminiscent of the Panamera, and it lends the Cayenne a futuristic appearance. The cargo hold has grown by more than 3 cubic feet, and the interior is generously sized for five.

We love the new dashboard as well, which is modeled after the Panamera’s and shares a lot of components with its luxurious sedan sibling. There is a central tach with TFT screens left and right, and the infotainment system is mainly controlled by a 12.3-inch touchscreen atop the center console. The console itself is touch-sensitive; it’s a futuristic look that manages to mirror the previous model‘s multiple buttons but offers potential for further individualization.

Look for U.S. pricing and availability shortly. Meantime, check out our prototype drive for first-hand impressions from behind the wheel of pre-production units.