Yahoo Autos 2024 Porsche Cayenne Review: The do-it-all machine
Pros: Nothing drives better at its price; tech is leading-edge and works well; unlimited customization and a plethora of performance versions
Cons: More expensive than competitors; limited cargo space; you’ll be forking out big money for every last option
The 2024 Porsche Cayenne is one of the best do-it-all machines in existence, and it also happens to be heavily updated for the 2024 model year. Despite its SUV shape and SUV practicality, the Cayenne can set a blistering pace down any road – or even track – and be the source of many wide grins. BMW’s M division, Mercedes’ AMG and many others may try, but none can fully measure up to the Cayenne for driving enjoyment. The Cayenne isn’t a one-trick pony either, because assuming you spec its available air suspension, the ride is plush and beautifully damped.
Porsche’s 2024 update brings the Cayenne’s interior into an even more competitive space, matching its closest rivals in the screen size and tech race. In base form, the Porsche is still going to feel a little spartan compared to others, but that can be flipped on its head should you fancy a spin through the configurator.
And that brings us to the Cayenne’s biggest downside: It’s expensive. You’re not going to line it up feature-for-feature with other midsize luxury SUVs and find better value in the Porsche, because what you’re paying for is a driving experience that’s unmatched by others in its class. The varied powertrains on offer means said experience will vary wildly depending on the model. A Cayenne S feels like a straightforward performance SUV with its rumbling, new-for-2024 V8 never quite disappearing from earshot. Meanwhile, a plug-in E-Hybrid model will allow you to drive a respectable number of miles in electric mode for maximum efficiency.
It’s ultimately fairly simple whether you should or shouldn’t choose a Cayenne. If you’re mostly focused on luxury and the latest tech, a BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and many others will be a better buy. However, if the driving experience is paramount, then the Cayenne is worth every extra penny you spend over the competition.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it's like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What's new for 2024?
The Cayenne is refreshed for 2024 in both its standard and Coupe forms, but the changes are substantial enough that we called it “version 3.5” in our 2024 Cayenne First Drive where you can read all about the numerous big changes Porsche applied to its biggest car.
What are the Cayenne’s interior and in-car technology like?
Porsche completely revamped the Cayenne’s interior for 2024, leaving virtually nothing from the pre-refresh car. You switch it on via a button instead of a key-like twist toggle to the left of the steering wheel. The instrument cluster is now a fully digital 12.6-inch screen – there are seven different layouts available, and don’t worry, a couple of them put the traditional Porsche tachometer right in the center where it should be. Porsche’s latest Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment software runs on the wide-format 12.3-inch touchscreen integrated into the dash. The system is more colorful than the Cayenne’s previous PCM, with icons easier to differentiate at a glance, but it’s mostly similar in overall UI concept. That includes the column of menu icons permanently docked on the left side of the standard 12.3-inch touchscreen, including one to quickly engage and exit Apple CarPlay. The last screen is an optional one for the passenger measuring 10.9 inches, which allows the passenger to operate the navigation system or watch streaming video, while a polarized filter ensures that the driver cannot see what’s shown.
The climate control panel in the center stack is totally new for 2024, too, and represents a simplification of the button-filled center stack Porsche used before. It’s a better laid-out climate system, but the execution is flawed. Pushing down on the icons provides haptic feedback, but the entire black trim piece moves with each “button” push, which comes across as cheap, especially for a Porsche.
As you’d expect from any Porsche, the details and build quality are as good as it gets. You’ll enjoy a well-insulated cabin, lovely materials (especially should you spend some money on leather and more in the limitless configurator) and ergonomics that’ll make any enthusiast swoon. And don’t forget that you need not limit yourself to the already wide assortment of interior colors in the configurator – Porsche will be happy to outfit the interior of your Cayenne however you want it.
How big is the Cayenne?
For a Porsche, it's huge. For a midsize SUV, it's pretty typical on the outside. Its length and width are comparable to a BMW X5, but it's a little lower in overall height. Its curb weight is much lower, which certainly benefits performance. Inside, Porsche curiously doesn't provide passenger dimensions for either 2024 Cayenne, but in our experience driving it, there is sufficient rear seat legroom for a 6-footer to sit behind another. There's also more than enough space for a kid to kick about in their child seat without hitting the passenger up front. That said, we also like that the back seat slides forward to bring kids (or perhaps dogs in harnesses) a little closer to within your reach or to create extra cargo space. That applies to both body styles, but from there the conventional SUV and Cayenne Coupe diverge.
The conventional Cayenne has no shortage of rear headroom, but the specs say there is only 27.2 cubic feet of space behind the raised back seat. That dips considerably to just about 22 cubic feet if you opt for an E-Hybrid variant. That's notably less than some of its closest competition like the BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE, but we suspect this overt difference is the result of Porsche using a different measurement technique than others. While we’re confident it’s still a smaller space for the segment, we doubt it’s that bad. It’s wide and deep, especially when you utilize that sliding second row, and it's also superior to what you get with the new Cayenne Coupe. The chopped roof body style has noticeably less rear headroom, and cargo capacity drops by about 7 cubes or more relative the SUV body style. We go in-depth with the Coupe’s cargo area in this luggage test.
SUV body style left, Coupe body style right
