2008 Porsche Cayenne Review

Pros

• A brawny V8 provides über amounts of torque
• Traction borders on super-glue proportions
• Big brakes take away speed faster than your Labrador cleaning off a bowl of mac-cheese
• A lot tougher than it looks
• Porsche Active Suspension Mechanism (PASM) and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDDC), combined, work harder than James Brown at the Apollo.

Cons

• The Bose audio system is so weak that the engine and exhaust note sounds better when turned up
• Slurps more gas than Ludwig at Octoberfest

Verdict: The Cayenne is no Miles Crane when it comes to power, refinement, and the ability to get dirty with the other off-roaders in the neighborhood.
Appreciating a good Bordeaux takes more than just a swirl, sniff and spit. A cultured palate takes years to refine and yearns for more than what is available at your local grocery market. Many sports car purists turned up their noses at Porsche’s entry into the SUV market with the 2002 Cayenne, much like a wine connoisseur shakes their head in disbelief when football fans pull out their favorite box wine at a Raiders tailgate party. But Porsche was serious about entering the SUV market and proved that a good vintage tastes superb whether sipped from a fine crystal goblet or from a Dixie cup.

All-new for 2008, the Porsche Cayenne enters its second generation with a new exterior design, new technologies and a power boost. Some of the new technologies include direct fuel injection that provides more power and better fuel efficiency, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control that offsets body roll for better handling and safety, a rollover sensor to trigger belt latch tensioners and curtain airbags and a push-button Sports mode for more performance. The 2008 Porsche Cayenne has four trims available that will match a variety of preferences and budgets.

The Cayenne base model is similar to a full bodied Chardonnay. With a 3.6L V6 engine that outputs 290 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, the base model is a nice ride on the palate; quite simply a good, honest quaffable sport oriented SUV.

Our personal preference is towards the Cayenne S. Much like the subtle, yet captivating flavor of a Pinot grape, the Cayenne S seductively urges you to go beyond legal speeds and feels like silk with the optional PDCC (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control) that delivers flat cornering ability to a vehicle with sizable weight and mass. Equipped with the six-speed Tiptronic S transmission, the Cayenne S accelerates to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph in testing. Estimated EPA fuel economy values for the new Cayenne S are 14 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway. This model year’s improvement of 3 mpg or around 15 percent for highway fuel economy notwithstanding, observed overall fuel economy during our week of testing was 17 mpg.

For the discerning connoisseur who craves a little more road carving agility and a little less off-road capability,  Porsche offers the Cayenne GTS. Acceleration is improved with a 15% reduction of the final drive ratio and a 5% increase in horsepower. With a bump up in power, the naturally aspirated 4.8L V8 engine is up to 405 bhp and  369 lb-ft of torque. The air suspension sets the chassis 20mm lower than the Cayenne S, and its larger wheels and tires (295/35R21) give the GTS astounding road-hugging performance. Zero to 60 mph acceleration of the Cayenne GTS, with manual gearbox, is accomplished in 5.7 seconds. The Cayenne GTS with Tiptronic is three tenths of a second quicker than its Cayenne S sibling, accelerating to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.

If your taste desires something stronger and more intense than the Cayenne S or GTS trims, take a serious look at the Turbo with its 500 bhp 4.8L V8 engine that produces 516 lb-ft of stump pulling torque. Like a full-bodied Shiraz, the Cayenne Turbo has a big presence and seizes your senses into a state of nirvana. Flowing through a six-speed Tiptronic S transmission, that power feeds all four wheels and propels the five-passenger sports machine from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 4.9 seconds. Top speed on the test track has been recorded at 171 mph (275 km/h) by Porsche.

Yes, the standard 12-speaker audio system is fine, but the optional 350-watt, 14-speaker Bose surround sound system is better. Still, these are both a far cry from the sound of the V8 sound system. As if that couldn’t get any better, activating Sport mode alters the exhaust note from “cool” to “stand back” via lower restriction. The engine also becomes more responsive and the suspension lowers itself for impending “vroom.”

Driving Impressions

Performance is the 2008 Porsche Cayenne’s reason for being, since it certainly isn’t the most practical, comfortable, or luxurious SUV on the market. In terms of overall performance, the Porsche Cayenne exhibits some marked strengths and few major weaknesses.

Lordy, lordy! Praise the Porsche Engineers who developed the Cayenne’s dynamic suspension and turned out a fighting bull that isn’t afraid to go charging full speed on a curvy mountain road. We heartily recommend the optional active Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), which does a great job of counteracting body roll. When the PDCC system is on, the body roll typically found in heavy, tall vehicles is gone. The adjustable air suspension is very flexible, offering both a terrific, supple, well-controlled ride in the comfort setting and a fair amount of precision in the sport setting.

In terms of steering feel, the Cayenne is light and responsive. Which makes carving through canyon roads that much more enjoyable. We were even impressed by the  Cayenne’s off-road capabilities. The Cayenne is a superior off-highway performer and more than capable of maneuvering over imposing grades.

If you overstep your limits of confidence, there is a set of muscular binders to reign things back under control. The Cayenne S weighs in at a hefty 4,950 pounds, but we found the brakes to be hella-strong and kept the Cayenne in line better than your grade school Catholic teacher.

Exterior design

The subtle updates to the Cayenne models have helped, further distancing unflattering comparisons to the Volkswagen Touareg. Though the cosmetic changes are now pretty clear, the mechanical enhancements are harder to see through a zoom lens. But those gaping air intakes do suggest a big power increase.

Props to the Cayenne

The Cayenne successfully defended its leading position as the benchmark in the SUV market with several magazines. Readers of Off Road, a specialist magazine for vehicles of this type, chose the Cayenne in their “Off Road Award 2008” as the best luxury SUV. Diners Club Magazine lauded the Cayenne as the “Best Offroader of the Year“, and the internet portal Autoscout24 presented the Cayenne with its “Internet Auto Award” as the best sports utility of its class throughout the whole of Europe. Porsche’s SUV also won the national competitions in Germany, France and the Netherlands, with Autorecht24 placing the Cayenne Turbo right at the top in 2008 as the “Car of the Year”.

Conclusion

The 2008 Cayenne is a step up from previous years with a boost in power, a suspension that works hard keeping a 5,000 pound behemoth agile on the road, and a exterior look that is easy on the eyes. If driving is your game, but need a work mule that is a step apart from the plethora of SUVs on the road today, the Cayenne could be the right ticket for you.