2024 Porsche Cayenne Review and Test Drive
Refreshed for the 2024 model year, the Cayenne continues to set the bar for performance SUVs.
Perry Stern
QuickTakes:
It was 100 years ago that racers at the famed Le Mans circuit would stand across from their race cars, and when the flag dropped the drivers would run to their cars to start the race. This practice became known as the Le Mans Start. Around that time, Porsche began putting the ignition for its cars on the left side of the steering wheel so that drivers could start the vehicle while still climbing in, giving them a slight advantage.
That practice in racing ended in 1970, but the first thing I noticed when I hopped into the 2024 Porsche Cayenne was that the ignition was still on the left — as it is for every Porsche model. So the Cayenne will have a distinct advantage if you ever require a Le Mans Start, which is an unlikely scenario. But it would be fun.
Porsche introduced the Cayenne as its first SUV in 2003, much to the chagrin of the brand's enthusiasts who felt an SUV would be the downfall of this legendary marque. That concern proved unwarranted, as 20 years later Porsche is selling more vehicles in the United States than ever before, led by the Cayenne and Macan SUVs.
Now in its third generation, the five-passenger Cayenne is refreshed for the 2024 model year. Changes include revised styling, an updated interior, an upgraded chassis, and more power across the board. Also noteworthy is the return of a V8 engine to the Cayenne S, which is the model I drove.
Available in both SUV and coupe styles, the 2024 Cayenne continues to hold its own against strong competitors such as the Audi Q8, BMW X5 and X6, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.
Perry Stern
Cayenne Prices Reflect the Premium Commanded by the Brand
The 2024 Porsche Cayenne is available in five trims: base, E-Hybrid, S, S E-Hybrid, and Turbo E-Hybrid. Prices range from the low $80,000s to the high $140,000s, including the destination charge to ship the SUV from Stuttgart, Germany, to your local dealership.
For this review, Porsche provided me with a 2024 Cayenne S that I test-drove in southeast Michigan. Highlights from the optional equipment list included an adaptive air suspension, a Premium Package Plus, and Porsche InnoDrive driving-assistance technology. The manufacturer's suggested retail price came to $121,440, including the $1,650 destination charge.
Perry Stern
Updated Styling Inside and Out
The 2024 Cayenne receives evolutionary styling updates so subtle they're difficult to discern. The Porsche SUV gets a new hood, redesigned headlights, updated fenders, and a slight front fascia refresh. More noticeable are changes at the rear, where the streamlined LED taillights span the back of the vehicle and have a 3D look. The license plate is now lower on the updated rear fascia.
While it isn't what I'd call luxurious, the Cayenne's cabin has a clean, purposeful appearance. Porsche offers the Cayenne with a wide range of premium materials, including several leather grades and available trim in brushed aluminum, carbon fiber, or eucalyptus wood. Additional options such as contrasting stitching and multiple colors of seat belts add a sporty vibe.
The Cayenne is virtually devoid of physical controls, adding to the uncluttered design. You access most functions via the 12.3-inch central display, except the climate controls on the center console with clearly labeled soft-touch controls on a stylish black panel. I was glad to see that Porsche provides a volume control knob.
As I mentioned, the engine Start button is to the left of the steering wheel, while the gear selector is a simple lever on the dashboard to the right of the wheel.
Perry Stern
Comfortable All Day Long
The Cayenne's front seats are stylish and comfortable, with good padding and multiple power adjustments. They're supportive enough, but I was surprised they weren't more heavily bolstered. Porsche offers adaptive sports seats as an option, which solves this problem.
The rear seat is spacious with plenty of legroom and headroom, easily fitting taller passengers comfortably. The outboard seats feature soft padding, and the available seat heaters and dual-zone rear climate controls enhance occupant satisfaction.
Perry Stern
The Cayenne Is Still a Utility Vehicle
Porsche provides numerous storage areas in the Cayenne's cabin, but they don't offer much space. The bin beneath the armrest is shallow, with little room for storing anything but a wallet or phone. Additional cubbies in the center console are also undersized, and one contains a wireless phone charger. Fortunately, the door pockets are generous and can easily store a large water bottle.
If in-cabin storage space comes up short, rest assured the Porsche Cayenne offers a good amount of cargo space, easily accessed via the power liftgate. For easier loading, you can also lower the air suspension using buttons on the side of the cargo area.
With 27.2 cubic-feet of space, the Cayenne can fit multiple pieces of luggage behind the back seat without a problem. To accommodate larger items, the 40/20/40-split folding rear seats flatten to increase available space to 60.3 cu-ft.
Perry Stern
The Infotainment System's Voice Recognition Is User Friendly
The 2024 Cayenne's Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system features a 12.3-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth with wireless music streaming, a navigation system, and voice control. Shortcuts to the navigation, media, and vehicle settings menus live on the left side of the display for quick access, and you can configure the rest of the screen to personal preferences.
Porsche also offers a 10.9-inch passenger-side touchscreen display, which provides your co-pilot access to the navigation system and other infotainment functions. The person riding next to you can also stream video to this display, which is only visible to the passenger so the driver won't be distracted.
I connected my Samsung Galaxy S23+ to the PCM system via Bluetooth, and the prompt to run Android Auto appeared immediately. Android Auto utilizes the entire screen, making it easier to use.
PCM also features natural voice recognition. It doesn't work as well as what you'll find in some of the Cayenne's rivals, but it is still helpful. For example, I told the system I was cold, and it responded that I would be warm soon as it raised the cabin temperature by three degrees. Requesting directions to the closest coffee shop provided several options, but the system had trouble understanding requests for directions to specific locations.
Perry Stern
The Digital Display Adds a High-Tech Vibe
A highlight of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne's interior is the new 12.6-inch digital driver display. For the driver, the view of the curved display is crystal clear. In addition, you can configure it to personal preferences using the buttons and dials on the steering wheel.
For example, you can set the display to show a traditional speedometer and tachometer or change it to a full-screen navigation map overlaid with a digital speedometer. For those who prefer a classic look, you can choose a traditional Porsche five-gauge cluster like the one in the 911 sports car.
Perry Stern
InnoDrive Is Effective yet Annoying
The 2024 Cayenne is available with the latest advanced driving-assistance systems (ADAS). Automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, and lane-keeping assist systems are standard, but you'll have to pay extra for Porsche InnoDrive.
InnoDrive includes predictive adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and automatic emergency-stop assist, giving the Cayenne a hands-on, semi-autonomous driving-assistance system. Let go of the steering wheel, and the system warns the driver to put their hands back on the Cayenne's tiller.
My test vehicle had the InnoDrive upgrade, and I found it simple to operate. During testing on Interstate Highway 94 outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, I found the adaptive cruise control effective, and on two-lane back roads, it performed admirably, adjusting speed for upcoming curves, pacing the car ahead after catching slower traffic, and smoothly coming to a complete stop when that car stopped to make a left turn.
Unfortunately, though the lane-centering assist worked as advertised, the constant steering corrections grew tiresome. On longer highway trips, it became annoying enough that I turned that feature off.
Perry Stern
The V8 Returns to the Cayenne S
Porsche has returned a V8 engine to the Cayenne S for 2024, replacing the previous V6. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 puts out 468 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, representing increases of 34 horses and 37 lb-ft compared with the outgoing V6. All-wheel drive is standard, as is an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Perry Stern
Sports Car Meets Sport Utility
Two decades ago, Porsche purists thought the Cayenne would ruin the company. That didn't happen, and while the 2024 Cayenne doesn't perform to the level of the legendary 911, it raises the bar for five-passenger crossover SUVs.
With the grip of all-wheel drive, a quick-shifting transmission, and a powerful V8 under the hood, the Cayenne S moves quickly off the line. Porsche claims the SUV will reach 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, but in my experience, that figure seems conservative. Accelerate smoothly, and effortless speed is your reward, accompanied by a deeply satisfying V8 growl.
Better yet, the handling is outstanding. The precise steering delivers excellent feedback, the brakes are robust with predictable response, and the Cayenne corners with a firm, flat attitude. Even on wet or rough surfaces, the Cayenne inspires confidence.
Perry Stern
When you're loafing around town or cruising on the freeway, the air suspension provides a comfortable, smooth ride, and the cabin is quiet with minimal wind and road noise. A Cayenne S might be capable of impressive performance, but it is an agreeable daily driver, too.
While I didn't have an opportunity to take the Cayenne off-road, Porsche designs and engineers the SUV to tackle terrain that most owners will never attempt to traverse. For example, with the air suspension, the Cayenne provides an impressive maximum ground clearance of 9.3 inches and can wade through up to 20.8 inches of water.
The EPA estimates the 2024 Porsche Cayenne S will return 15/21/17 mpg city/highway/combined. During my evaluation, the trip computer indicated 16 mpg. That's not bad considering my extra "testing" of the new V8.
Perry Stern
The 2024 Cayenne Is a Proper Porsche
Well known for creating outstanding sports cars, Porsche has built the Cayenne SUV for 20 years now, and while it isn't a sports car, it certainly comes close.
Plenty of other performance luxury SUVs are gunning for Cayenne customers, such as the Audi SQ8, BMW X5 M and X6 M, and Mercedes-AMG GLE SUV. However, with its understated but purposeful design, perfect steering, and impressive performance, the 2024 Cayenne S stands out as a proper Porsche.
At the same time, it makes the daily drive something to look forward to with a comfortable and attractive cabin, an intuitive and versatile infotainment system, and the utility and abilities expected of an SUV.
