Test drive report

[Jobbo]

My wife's Macan had its first oil change today. Since it was a while you wait, when I booked it I asked if we could test drive a Cayenne since she's a fan of them. So we had a good play with a couple in the showroom and drove one. This one in fact: https://finder.porsche.com/gb/en-GB/det ... ship=14258 - she wouldn't want a hybrid or the coupe shape so it was the most representative one they had in. This has the V6 turbo engine, same basic engine as the Macan S in 340bhp tune. The facelift Cayenne comes with a 353PS version of the same engine.

Is it just a bigger Macan? Very, very far from it. It's bigger of course, but definitely does not have the same sporty feel as a Macan; you sit higher, it feels far heavier and it is very unperturbed by the road surface. It did not feel like it would ever particularly want to be chucked around. My wife loved it; I prefer the Macan but it's not for me Not to say I disliked it; one of the first comparisons I made was to a friend's Range Rover classic LSE because you sit high on a comfy, almost springy seat and feel imperious. It would be a very relaxing car in which to do lots of miles.

Anyway, it turns out that the Cayenne S with a V8 engine takes about 12 months from order to delivery so we're going to put down a deposit on one in a few weeks' time. It's a bit frivolous but I was silly to think a 2.0 4-cyl Macan would be the last ICE car my wife has. And she has agreed that I can spec the blackberry and black two-tone extended leather interior I anticipate it being a while before there are any actual purchasing updates to this thread though - this is as a replacement for the Macan and that's only about 8 months old so I don't want it too soon.

[Beany]

I can only assume the interior looks more Jobbo-Spec in natural light than it does on the configurator, where it appears to be almost subtle!

[Ascender]

Some great V8-based work there, well done

[Jobbo]

I can only assume the interior looks more Jobbo-Spec in natural light than it does on the configurator, where it appears to be almost subtle!

It's by no means as vibrant as the blackberry/crayon interior on the facelift Taycan, but I still count it as a win.

[Mito Man]

Nice, are you going for air suspension for the ultimate waftability?

[Jobbo]

The one we drove didn't have air so I didn't think it is necessary; but if you want the 4 wheel steering (which I think would be useful in a big old thing like a Cayenne for parking etc) then you have to have air, so probably. I think it may also give the vague option of making it sportier to hurl around. Was contemplating PDCC (active anti-roll bars) because I loved that on my old 545i Touring, but I think it's unlikely to add to the experience.

[GG.]

Ooh - very interesting!

I would definitely have air but it sounds like you'll be going for that by default to get the 4WS. On something like Cayenne I think it will really add to the duality of it as a waft-maching but also sporty when you want it. PDCC on my 911 effectively removes the hard/soft damper mode and to be honest I can't tell much difference between the modes unlike the 997 where sport was far too stiff.

I spec'd a couple of these up when I was toying about swapping for one and PX ing the RR. I was looking at V6s as the Macan S I had as a demo was amply powerful but the V8 will be great! My must have options would be:

- extended leather - I can't believe such an expensive car gets rubberised Boxster like material on the dash and doors (like the one you linked to)
- pan roof - each to their own on this one but it makes the cabin a much lighter place;
- light(er) coloured leather. I'd go for the Mojave beige but the red you're going for will be great too;
- adaptive front seats with the intergrated headrests - the headrest on the Macan I had were rock hard so I'd actually go for the sportier looking seats as (assuming they're like a 911 seat), they're well padded and v comfy.

You'll have to send us your spec when you have it nailed down.

ETA: my problem speccing from new is that when I add everything to have spec similar to what I'd have in a FFRR... it ends up the same price as a FFRR... https://configurator.porsche.com/porsche-code/PRF15QY4

[Jobbo]

GG, so much of that is exactly what I felt - the one we test drove felt so hairshirt inside. Extended leather is an absolute must, and my wife likes the pano roof so that's also a given.

Provisional spec is this: http://www.porsche-code.com/PRESWMG7 - I'm not final on the alloys, and there are some details to be played around with (I think roof rails may be something we spec for looks, for instance) but it's a starting point. Spec lockdown will be aeons away anyway.

We did sit in the showroom car with crayon/black 18-way seats and they look lovely but they're just too awkward to climb in and out of. The doors cut into the sills in the Cayenne, which they don't on the Macan, and my wife found it easier to get in and out of the Cayenne as a result with her dodgy back but not to climb over the bolster. We'd muller it in weeks.

Oddly it seems the coupe Cayenne gets a non-opening glass panoramic roof as standard and no choice of speccing an opening version. I have to say I'd be split between the coupe and normal version; both have the same sized boot below the cover and there's a proper parcel shelf in the coupe; the manual roller cover in the normal one feels a bit cheap when I've had automated rollers in my last few estates. But the coupe has no rear wiper, not even as an option: bizarre. And Mrs J prefers the bigger one because it reminds her of her old Suburban

Edit: if you are going to splurge on Paint To Sample and those alloys which aren't much of an upgrade but still cost £3k, then it's not surprising your spec comes out expensive!

[GG.]

Love the chromite black metallic. Would look great with the red interior.

My spec was obviously the kitchen sink of everything I'd possibly want so obviously not realistic!! I'd ditch things like the Burmester if I were actually buying one but still think it would come out c.110k!

[Jobbo]

Thanks for speccing ambient lighting though; I missed that and will add it.

[GG.]

Mine with my sensible trousers on. Realised I'd missed adaptive cruise off before - I would want that as well.

https://configurator.porsche.com/porsche-code/PR7WV6N9

[Jobbo]

My wife won't use adaptive cruise (or even standard cruise) so I don't see any point speccing it, sadly. Cayenne options seem to be 50% more than the same thing on a Macan and for ~£600 I might have added it because she never needs to use it, but not for a grand.

[Mito Man]

I'm surprised that adaptive cruise is still an option and don't think green suits the Cayenne, it's not a Range Rover. Needs 22" wheels as it's a massive car and looks underwheeled otherwise. I'm sure it'll still be more than comfortable enough on air suspension. I'd generally want a darker interior in a practical car because I have a dog and they don't end up looking mucky.
Also how can you have a V8 and not go for the sports exhaust system? Surely it will otherwise be so muffled from the emissions appendages that it will be making no noise bar whatever the speakers are playing.

[GG.]

Disagree! They look great in Green - though actually Porsche Racing Green may be the better shade (as per the below pic).



p.s. real dogs go in the boot

[Jobbo]

Two things I'd say:
- Air suspension for a comfy ride: actually the standard suspension is plenty comfy enough. Air would be to make it stiffer and lower if you felt like chucking it around.
- Sports exhaust: the standard exhaust noise is already good. Having the option to make it noisier is something I'd press once to try it and then never use again. Not worth over £2k; you get quad pipes as standard anyway.

[GG.]

- Air suspension for a comfy ride: actually the standard suspension is plenty comfy enough. Air would be to make it stiffer and lower if you felt like chucking it around.

Plus lower for access (assuming it does that) would be a good feature. Particularly if your wife has a bad back.

[Jobbo]

Another good point - I was thinking that it looks nice lower but it has a practical benefit too

I did think as I drove it that you really need to see if a Macan would suit you for size. They are much more of a driver's car than the Cayenne.

[Matty]

Another ECPOTY, and it's only turned Feb.

I can see the engine appeal, and the waftyness, but I'm do like the Macan. When you move into that price bracket though, there are some big players...was there nothing else a consideration or are you now both beholden to the brand

[Jobbo]

It is indeed a bit of a price bracket. And it won't be a EFCPOTY qualifier if the waiting list is 12 months - next year maybe (when it'll beat a field which is only EVs otherwise ). The thing is, once you get on the Porsche treadmill it doesn't actually cost you as much as it looks to trade up to a pricier model because they effectively insulate you with low depreciation on your previous car. And hey, if I keep going maybe I'll get a GT3 RS allocation which will offset all previous depreciation They'd probably demand I buy half a dozen Taycans from stock to get that...

My sensible head says get a £30k diesel Touareg or £40k diesel Q8 for much of the experience with better economy. But we'd like new or ex-demo and really what else can you get tailored to your spec in V8 form for £100k these days without PHEV gubbins? I'm not saying it's a small amount of money, I'm simply saying there isn't much like it without spending a lot more. Probably the closest thing on paper is the F-Pace SVR but it's a totally different car, much more of a Macan competitor.

[Carlos]

That interior is unsurprisingly glorious