3 days Ago By Renita Naraine
Article content This is the third Porsche vehicle I’ve driven — the first was the 911 on ice , and second was the all-electric Taycan GTS Sport Turismo — and I’ve got to say, I expected more from the 2024 Porsche Cayenne . I mean, after driving the previous two, how could I not? Before we get started, I think it’s safe to say the moral of this story review is to not drive the fun cars first. Don’t get me wrong, the 2024 Porsche Cayenne is a great SUV, and I can see why it’s popular, but it just doesn’t scream Porsche to me — at least not as loud as the other Porsches do — especially not with the badging outlined with a highlighter that seems a bit tacky.
If not for the headlights, I don’t think it would be quite as obvious that it’s a Porsche. And isn’t part of owning a Porsche being able to flaunt to the outside world that you’re very obviously in a Porsche? That said, after driving it for a week, it really proves to be a great car. Did it prove to be worth some $140,000? Well, much like the G-Wagen I drove last year , I’d have to say it’s all relative, in the sense that if you can afford any Porsche and truly want it, then doesn’t that make it worth it? Personally, however, I can’t afford a Porsche and therefore, I don’t think it’d be worth saving up my entire salary for a few years.
But maybe, just maybe , if I drop a few of the optional features...
How much is the 2024 Porsche Cayenne in Canada? The base trim of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne starts at $89,800, plus $2,850 freight and PDI (note that the 2025 models start at $93,400). I tested the Cayenne S E-Hybrid, which, according to the build sheet, starts at $113,700 for the 2024 model year ($117,900 for 2025). However, as with most luxury-branded vehicles, the price can quickly grow once you start adding options and personalizations.
The Carrara White Metallic paint costs $970 (rather inexpensive for Porsche paint); the black/Bordeaux Red leather interior is $4,770; the heated GT Sport steering wheel is $370; while roof rails, heated windshield, and soft-close doors total another $2,470. Then there’s the $9,790 Premium Package Plus that adds four-zone climate control, panoramic roof, heated front and rear seats, Bose sound system, and more. If you want massage seats, it’ll add $2,070 to your total.
When all is said and done, this tested 2024 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid has a total before-tax price of $143,360 — more than double the average new-car price. Just saying. Driving the plug-in hybrid Porsche Cayenne This tester is a great middle ground for those wanting to get a taste of the electrified world.
It’s a plug-in hybrid that offers roughly 70 km of electric range before reverting back to gas. I’m not sure how many Porsche owners are looking to save money on gas, but it’s definitely possible. If you aren’t regularly charging it, then you’re going to be spending quite a bit on that premium fuel.
The 2024 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid is powered by a turbocharged 3.0L V6 that makes 348 hp; and it offers a total of 512 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque when said V6 is paired with the 174-hp electric motor. The S E-Hybrid can get to 100 km/h (62 mph) from zero in 4.
7 seconds and has a top speed of 263 km/h (163 mph), which we obviously never got to during our time in this Porsche. I found the drive to feel a lot better and smoother on the highway, where it picks up really nicely and gives a bit more of a driving-a-Porsche feeling, as opposed to on normal roads where it sort of feels like every other SUV, but maybe just a bit heavier. It also makes some weird noises that I can only describe as a pig singing with auto-tune.
Is the Porsche Cayenne a good family car? The short answer is yes, the Porsche Cayenne is actually a great family car and a great all-around driver. For shoppers who might want to get on the track every once in a while, but also have a family to lug around on normal roads, it’s a good option. Personally, I was surprisingly pleased by how well it fit my three kids into the second row.
It’s generally been a problem with other two-rows, but this one seems to be wider in the right interior areas. That said, it’s a pretty wide vehicle, overall. However, I’m not a huge fan of the backup camera in the Porsches, and don’t find them to be as helpful as others.
It’s not terribly difficult to park, as it’s not a huge SUV, but it does look a bit distorted, sort of like it’s been hit with a fish-eye filter effect . There’s a whole lot of usable trunk space (627L behind the second row), which I made use of when picking up my parents from the airport and easily fitting two large suitcases back there. If you need more space, you’ll get 1,563L if you fold the second row’s seats down.
There’s an optional passenger screen, though its usability wasn’t a part of this tester’s package. It seems odd that a vehicle would be equipped with the screen if you can’t use it. I spent far too long trying to figure out how to turn it on before realizing that would never happen in this tester.
The centre infotainment screen is nice and big and because I found everything easy to operate, it kind of made up for not initially understanding that passenger screen. The sound system in the Cayenne S E-Hybrid is amazing. I’m not an expert when it comes to sound systems, but I can appreciate a good one when I hear it, and the Bose surround system that comes with the Premium Package can get very loud without feeling all distorted and stuff; it is one of the best I’ve heard.
The Bordeaux Red leather seats are comfy and eye-catching, but if I had to choose, I’d pick the Club Leather Interior in Basalt Black and Barrique; I like the darker colours, especially when they go beyond a boring black or grey. Final thoughts Remember a couple years ago when people were angry because the Ford Mustang Mach-E wasn’t really Mustang-y enough? That’s how this Porsche feels for me: it’s not Porsche-y enough. The modern world is full of boring SUVs, and from a business standpoint, I see the benefits of a Porsche SUV (or a couple) in the lineup, but it’s just not doing it for me.
Actually, scratch that. It’s not doing what I expected it to do. Instead, it’s giving average, which is not a bad thing at all, but again, it’s just not very Porsche; not flashy enough.
If someone stuck me in the driver’s seat and removed all the badging, would I be able to tell I was driving, or even in, a Porsche? Likewise, if I couldn’t see the telling Porsche headlights or rims, would I be able to say this SUV is a Porsche? It’s obviously something expensive, but any luxury brand would be. But when it comes to Porsche, I want to be able to tell I’m in a Porsche, and I want the people around me to know it also — otherwise, what’s the point of owning a Porsche, amiright? But sometimes you just want a Porsche, and if that’s the case then you should know that it’s still a great everyday car despite feeling like a rather typical SUV on local roads. If you push it, which I didn’t, it’ll do a lot more.
So, if you’re looking for an average SUV that can do way more, and if you really want a Porsche, then the Porsche Cayenne would be an awesome choice. But whether it’s worth nearly $150k, well, that’s up to you. ✔ Lots of second-row space ✔ Decent cargo space ✔ Awesome Bose sound system ✘ Weird backup camera ✘ Auto-tuned pig noises ✘ Doesn’t quite feel as Porsche-y as other Porsches Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.
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