Porsche Cayenne S 2011 Review

BEAR Grylls wouldn't approve of the Porsche Cayenne. The tough “man's man” star of the TV show Man Vs Wild likes to conquer tough terrain with a blunt pencil, a piece of chewing gum and a sharp stick.

The Porsche Cayenne doesn't conquer tough terrain with mechanical grip, but with a host of electronic aids.

The result is the same in both cases: Bear and Porsche climb dizzying heights, inch down ravines and belly crawl through slime. We tested the V8 petrol Cayenne S which makes Bear's sinewy physique look sick. And it's more likely to be invited to civilised dinner parties than the bug-eating Bear.

VALUE

The V8 Cayenne S at $147,900 sits in the middle of the range with prices from $103,500 for the V6 Cayenne right up to $239,900 for the Turbo V8. It would be wrong to compare prices with the VW Touareg which only comes in a diesel V6 at $75,990 even though the two share a chassis and a diesel engine.

On the last Cayenne you could exchange the doors with the Touareg. Now, every panel is totally different and there is a lot more electronics and features in the Porsche. Plus the Porsche emblem has returned to its rightful place on the bonnet which adds value for those who care.

You could also compare it with the luxury SUV benchmark BMW X5 ($134,000) or X6 ($149,000), the Mercedes-Benz ML 500 ($133,895), or Range Rover Sport ($138,900) or Vogue ($158,100). Audi's Q7 doesn't come in a V8 petrol model.

TECHNOLOGY

Oodles of it. You only have to sit in the cockpit to see it. In fact, it is more like a plane's cockpit than a car driver's seat. There are 49 toggles, switches, knobs and buttons on the centre console, alone.

But wait, there's more - 11 controls on the overhead light, four steering wheel stalks and the touch screen includes even more controls. In front of the driver are five instrument pods with so much technical information it's mind-boggling. Perhaps this display of technology is a slap-in-the-face reminder to the driver of what their hard-earned cash has bought.

Apart from technical controls, the new Cayenne has achieved substantial fuel savings thanks to reduced friction in the engine and transmission, weight saving, low rolling resistance tyres, recuperative power from the brakes used to charge the battery, two overdriven gears on the eight-speed tiptronic with 50 per cent faster changes, and stop/start technology.

DESIGN

The designers have tried hard to disguise the fact that it looks like a 911 with a gland problem. If you compare it with the previous model, it looks slightly less J-Lo with a new bumper and lighter one-piece tailgate design. But there is only so much you can do to disguise a big bottom.

To take your attention off the bum, it has had a facelift with a longer bonnet featuring the prominent Porsche badge and the front air intake has been inverted from the previous smile to a menacing grimace.

Inside, the Cayenne cabin is almost identical to the new Panamera, with its sloping centre console, cockpit-like clustered instruments and driver-oriented feel.

SAFETY

Apart from the usual suite of safety features, Porsche added 65kg to the vehicle for structural safety as well as extra features. However, with weight savings elsewhere (103kg from body, 74kg from the chassis, 63kg from engine and 10kg from electrics), overall weight is down 250kg.

Despite the lighter weight, the brakes in all models have been upgraded with larger discs for safer stopping. There is also a vast range of safety options available including lane-change assist and adaptive cruise control that operates down to 20km/h.

DRIVING

On the launch last year, the Cayenne performed all its electronic trickery on an off-road obstacle course.

There are three modes for off-road driving. Mode 1 recalibrates electrical systems such as traction control and ABS for slippery terrain and in the air suspension models it raises ride height. Mode 2 locks the clutch and Mode 3 locks the rear diff. But for the sake of this test, we used the Cayenne S in its more typical environment - the suburban obstacle course.

While it weighs over 2 tonnes and looks like a bloated cane toad, it doesn't feel big and cumbersome in the suburban shopping centre or trolling the city streets.

With the “comfort” setting engaged on the suspension, it rides over potholes better than German luxury saloons and with the sport setting engaged it still hits its limits when punted hard, but those limits are extensive.

There is a moment of impending understeer at turn-in, but a smooth and predictable flick to oversteer. It doesn't quite match the BMW X5/X6 for driver feel, feedback and that connected feeling with the road.

One annoying trait is that the 265mm tyres tend to follow road camber so it constantly feels like it's pulling to the left unless you are in the right lane on a double carriageway; then it pulls to the right. Road noise is substantially reduced which turns your attention to the wind noise around the wing mirrors and bottom of the windscreen.

The cockpit may be like a fighter jet, but it doesn't feel right. My main complaint is the absence of the usual audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel because Porsche wants a traditional, simple look.

The cruise control stalk is handy, but different to almost every other type I've used and difficult to get used to. Cruise also had difficulty staying on the selected speed even on minor hill gradients. I felt uncomfortable in the stiff leather seats and the claustrophobic footwell where my right size 11 hoof kept getting caught on the carpet bump next to the throttle.

The stop-start function felt a little rough and intrusive in crawling traffic. It also momentarily switches off the audio as the vehicle restarts. In Europe, the stop-start function defaults to the switched-on position. In Australia the driver must select it which suits me. It then defaults to whatever setting it was on when the engine was last switched off.

VERDICT

You pay for the badge, but at least it's now back on the bonnet. After all this is a powerful, look-at-me pavement poseur. Surprisingly it's also a good off-roader thanks to electronic trickery.

KEY FACT: Porsche says only 20 per cent of Cayenne SUV owners ever take them off road.

ALPHABET SOUP

The new Cayenne comes with a host of acronyms. Here are the major ones -

• PTV plus: Porsche Torque Vectoring that brakes inside wheels and varies power delivery via an electronically controlled differential on the rear axle in corners. It helps prevent understeer, endemic in most SUVs. It is optional on the Cayenne, S and Turbo.
• PDCC: Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control is a hydraulic system that operates active anti-roll bars to keep the body flat in corners. It is standard on the Turbo and available as an option on all air suspension models.
• PTM: Porsche Traction Management system in active form on the Cayenne, S and Turbo uses an electronic clutch to distribute up to 100 per cent of torque to either the front or rear wheels. In reactive form in the Diesel and S Hybrid, PTM splits torque up to 40 per cent to the front and 60 per cent to the rear.

AT A GLANCE

Porsche Cayenne S

Price: from $147,900
Warranty: 3 years, unlimited km, 12 years body corrosion
Resale: 68%
Service interval: 12 months, or 20,000 KM
Economy: 10.5L/10km; 245g/km CO2
Safety: six airbags, traction and stability control, ABS
Crash rating: Nil. Meets or exceeds legislated requirements

TECHNICAL

Engine: 4.8-litre 294kW/500Nm V8 petrol
Transmission: 8-speed tiptronic with stop/start
Body: 5-door, 5-seater wagon
Dimensions: 4846mm (L), 1939mm (W), 1705mm (H), 2895mm (WB)
Weight: 2065kg
Tyres: 265/50 R19, space-saver spare