CAR magazine drives the facelifted Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, a plug-in hybrid SUV that now offers up to 729bhp. Click here for the full CAR verdict
Up until this point, most UK buyers of the facelifted third-generation Porsche Cayenne SUV have been buying the S – it seems largely thanks to the reintroduction of V8 power to that model line. Now, however, the full range of Cayenne E-Hybrid models are available. Culminating with the 729bhp Turbo E-Hybrid, the most powerful Cayenne ever.
As is now the norm, the cabin is dominated by digital displays yet, as is the Porsche way, it doesn’t feel OTT and – rejoice – you’ve still got physical controls for the air-con and heated seats. Another interior detail that deserves a mention is the cooled wireless phone charger. Ever had to stop using one because your phone has overheated? The cooling element allows optimised charging of up to 15 watts and will make sure your mobile won’t frazzle with contactless charging. Sounds like a gimmick, yet it actually works well in reality.
The Cayenne S E-Hybrid gets the full-fat version of the 3.0-litre V6 – meaning 348bhp – and a total combined output max of 512bhp with 553lb ft. Enough for 0-62mph in 4.7sec and 163mph flat out. That’s not a huge step on paper, but a useful enhancement on the road for the comparatively little extra it costs, considering it also includes the now improved air-suspension as standard.
Exactly how much it contributes to the sportier aspects of the Cayenne driving experience is a little harder to define, as all of the S and Turbo E-Hybrid test cars available to us on the launch were loaded up with the full gamut of Porsche chassis technology. Turbo models get torque-vectoring as standard, but even on these you have to pay extra for rear-wheel steering and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control active anti-roll. All of which was also fitted to the S E-Hybrids we’ve so far sampled.
Concerns? Well, the sheer weight of these things, with the difference largely concentrated in the boot-space-robbing battery pack, means a non-hybrid Cayenne S with that punchy V8 is a still sweeter steer. These are very, very impressive hybrid SUVs, but they aren’t quite the Cayenne at its dynamic best.
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