2006 Porsche Cayenne Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2016 Porsche Cayenne as a used buy. When sportscar maker Porsche entered the SUV market with the big Cayenne SUV in June 2003 many thought it would ruin the company's image. How wrong they were, the SUVs (there's also the smaller Porsche Macan) saved

When famed sportscar maker Porsche entered the SUV market with the Cayenne in 2003 many thought it could be the end of the marque. Doubters said Porsche 911 was the purest model in the German marque’s range and that diluting it could ruin the Porsche image. Yet, in many countries the Porsche Cayenne outsells the 911 and the pure sportscar’s sales certainly haven’t suffered.Porsche deliberately gave the Cayenne a family resemblance to the 911. Some have described it as looking like a 911 on steroids, saying the stylists have simply added 250 millimetres to the underfloor of a 911. We have to say that the design of the original Cayenne isn’t one of our favourites and it’s interesting to see the Series 2, launched in Australia in July 2010, has taken a different direction in style.The Cayenne Series 2 is larger than the original model, particularly in the back seat which provides comfortable space for two adults. The backrest can be adjusted for rake to further let you tailor your space. Luggage space is slightly more voluminous than before and can be significantly increased by sliding the back seat forwards to create extra length. Up to 160 mm of seat travel is available.Rather than pour huge amounts of money into the all-new Cayenne, Porsche collaborated with Volkswagen and Audi, so the Cayenne, Touareg and Q7 share some out-of-sight components. Unlike the other members of the team, who aimed for quality on-road cruisers with some off-road ability, Porsche leaned very much in the sports wagon direction. This big Porsche SUV has on-road dynamics that defy the bulk of this large wagon.The Porsche Cayenne S Series 2 no longer tries to be a full-on off-road vehicle; it doesn't have a two-speed transfer case to provide low range for extreme driving. That, and others changes have resulted in a mass reduction of about 12 per cent which not only makes it slightly nimbler, but also lowers fuel consumption and emissions.Cayenne was launched in Australia in June 2003 with a 4.5-litre petrol V8 in either naturally aspirated or turbocharged format. Even more power, 383 instead of 331 kW, arrived in a special version of this engine, called the Turbo S, in February 2006.New designs of V8s with a capacity of 4.8 litres were introduced in April 2007, again as turbo and non-turbo engines. A 3.6-litre petrol V6 became optional at the same time, though it doesn’t provide the exhilaration of the V8s it does have enough performance to suit some owners.A V6 turbo-diesel displacing 3.0 litres joined the range in April 2009. With plenty of torque, up to 550 Nm, it performs well and turbo lag isn’t too bad. Naturally fuel consumption is lower than on the the petrol V8s.An interesting hybrid option is offered in the Series 2 Cayenne S. This uses a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine and an electric motor. However, the Cayenne S hybrid costs significantly more than the equivalent Cayenne S in petrol format – and uses more fuel than the Cayenne turbo-diesel.The great majority of Australian imports have a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission. Some six-speed manuals were brought in, but these haven’t been big sellers and may prove unpopular when you come to trade up.Porsche has had a presence in Australia for many decades and runs an efficient dealer network. These focus on major population centres so if you have any problems out back o’ Bourke you might have to get the Cayenne trailered back to the big smoke. Not a cheap exercise.Many Cayennes will have been serviced by these Porsche dealers strictly by the book. We recommend these as used vehicles; you will probably be asked to pay more, but it’s money well spent. Follow this up by keeping to the same servicing routine and you will benefit at trade-up time.Insurance charges are higher than average, but not outrageously so considering the type of buyers attracted to Porsche Cayennes. You will find quite a difference on quotes so it’s worth shopping around. As always make sure you do accurate comparisons between companies.WHAT TO LOOK FORCheck the interior for signs of rough usage, particularly in the back where bored kids can do a lot of damage. Make sure the engine starts easily and settles into a steady idle almost immediately.  The diesel isn’t quite as good as the petrol unit, but isn’t far behind them.The Porsche Cayenne has more off-road ability than you would expect, but few will have been bush bashing. If you do come across a used Porsche Cayenne that’s been on more than dirt roads it’s probably best to pass it up.Few Cayennes are used as heavy-duty towing vehicles, but if you inspect one for sale at a horse riding school, or similar, it might pay to ask a few questions.Cayennes with V6 engines were recalled in 2008 because of a possible fuel line problem that could lead to a fire. Check the problem has been rectified by talking to the seller. Or click on www.porschecars.com.au.Repairs can be expensive so make sure to get a quote on even apparently insignificant problems.CAR BUYING TIPSporting SUVs are likely to be driven harder than those bought as kid carters and probably have greatly accelerated wear rates as a result. 

This one, says Porsche, is for the particularly "power and performance-conscious" SUV connoisseur.It is also about bragging rights, engineering a 2.3-tonne all-wheel-drive wagon to leap from 0 to 100km/h in just over five seconds and on to a 270km/h top speed. (Some may claim an indicated 281 km/h but never took the photo.)With 383kW (521 horsepower in the old money) and a dune-shifting 720Nm of torque this Cayenne Turbo S (discreetly badged and sitting on 20-inch wheels, tyres rated to 300km/h) is a move by the German makers to blunt some new competition in this high-minded, high-speed segment. There's the supercharged Range Rover Sport, a hot-rodded Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT plus a 6.3-litre V8 Mercedes-Benz M Class wagon just down the track. And then there's an all-new Audi Q7 wagon now chasing a slice of the luxury SUV market.It is hard to match the all-wheel-drive Porsche's prodigious outputs. This is the most powerful of allproduction Porsches after the Carrera GT with performance numbers to match some 911 coupes. This looks like the fastest, baddest SUV to date.It moves fast. Australia was allocated 20 machines to July this year at better than $241,000 each, close on $34,000 over the Turbo Cayenne. Get in line, all that first mob are close to sold; others will follow.So the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S is strutting its stuff through the sands of Arabia to show that climbing, diving, slewing through these ancient sands can be a very quick, quite comfortable experience in a powerhouse machine.Perhaps the Cayenne's bulk and centre of gravity mean the four-door wagon, packed with all today's safety and luxuries, is no match for a 911 (or a Cayman or a Boxster) when the tarmac turns tight and twisting. Perhaps some sceptics still question Porsche's move to launch in late 2002 a four-wheel-drive wagon. (At 40,000 in a good year the Cayenne sells twice Porsche's predictions and allows for extra cash to develop the likes of the Cayman and the four-door Panamera due in 2009.) It has not, say the Porsche bosses, diluted the brand. There remain few to touch the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S as the nose rises under acceleration at 150km/h, the wagon sitting firm and steady on an indifferent piece of bitumen road and transmission dropping from sixth back to fifth to get on with business. There remain few with the aural delights as that twin turbocharged V8 rises, always singing, to the occasion.And there remain very few vehicles which could offer these delights off road in the rolling sands outside Dubai. This is not a genuine, rock-spewing, take-no-prisoners four-wheel-drive wagon.It will go a long way in the rough but its real raison d'tre is in the slippy, sloppy stuff — mud and gravel roads, snow or sand to be tackled with surety and speed.Spend this amount of money on an SUV machine and it needs to be special, very special. And so with an open throttle, Michelins down to 14psi, body lifted to 157mm, stability management controls switched off plus a little driver apprehension, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S is tackling sand dune after sand dune in the Arabian desert.Roaring to the top, turning, easy over the lip. Back on the power, power, power. And up those shifting orange sands and off the throttle as the big wagon crests the top, ease down the sharper side.This needs concentration until it's learnt — on the power early to get those turbochargers spinning and the wheels moving. Be wary of full lock on the steering wheel.There is more to this business of charging (and conquering) sand dunes than brute force. For this is also the business of discrete power distribution. In normal driving, the Cayenne gives the rear wheels 62 per cent of power, 38 per cent for the front. Then Porsche's Traction Management redistributes the business according to needs and an array of sensors; up to 100 per cent of drive can be sent to either end if needed.As with most modern systems this is all quite seamless, whether charging sand dunes or hurtling down a long desert highway.There are six ride heights with the Turbo S running air suspension as standard, useful for raising the body off road or allowing the body to hunker down at high speeds. The chassis is essentially the same as for the Turbo but this one has upgraded tie rods and dampers on the front axle.The extra power arrives courtesy of modified intercoolers for the Porsche's two turbochargers.These bigger heat exchangers are all aluminium; the extra performance allowed engineers to turn the turbocharger pressure up to 1.9 bar. And Porsche claims this extra power and torque does not affect fuel consumption over a "normal" Cayenne Turbo with combined consumption of 15.7 litres per 100km. Premium please.The other changes here are the bigger brakes — 380mm front, 358mm rear — with new cooling ducts. The rest is as before.The Porsche Cayenne has a distinctive style, unloved by some and well-accepted by others. It has a tonne of luxury and safety, myriad buttons (maybe a few too many) on the centre console for stereo and navigation and the like.Leather is standard, the seats comfortable at 200km/h and, aside from a little wind flutter around the mirrors, the cabin quiet.For all the power this is a subtle (albeit expensive) flagship SUV, just don't take it on without a machine that is as quick and comfortable and as sure of itself.