SYDNEY: The Cayenne has ruled on the sales charts since it first arrived even saving the 911 and Porsche’s other sports cars from potential extinction but is about to be overtaken by the Macan.
That’s not to say Porsche is going soft on the Cayenne as it continues to do good things at the top end with the GTS. Now come an updated Cayenne Diesel.
There is nothing really new to see, although the CarsGuide test example has a nice sunroof and show-off Porsche logos embroidered on the seats at a cost of $490. However, the 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel is significantly changed.
Most importantly, it now complies with the latest Euro6 emission standard and that’s a big deal for a diesel. One other major car maker, let’s call it Mercedes-Benz, once predicted that the tougher new European emission standard would mean the end of diesels.
But Porsche has cleared the bar, increasing outputs (by 13kW and 30Nm) while reducing the 0-100km/h sprint time by 0.3 seconds and making a 5 per cent improvement in fuel economy.
The Cayenne is big and heavy but justifies the Porsche badge
The feel in the latest Cayenne is a little sharper than I remember, especially if I take manual control of the transmission via the lever or the paddle-shifters.
There is no chance to check the fuel economy, but I have no reason to complain.
The Cayenne is big and heavy but justifies the Porsche badge with great brakes, good cornering balance and lots of driving feedback.
It’s classy in the cabin and the latest steering wheel looks and feels great. This car is sharp and responsive
My most recent spell in the Cayenne completely erases the nasty memories of my first time with a Porsche SUV.
The first-generation Cayenne had really lousy assembly quality and wobbled around so much that I wanted to turn back to the dealership after 10 minutes.
This car is sharp and responsive, with truly great headlamps and punchy audio. I’m not a fan of the electric handbrake, which is counterintuitive to operate and does not have the “auto off” function of many cheaper cars.
VERDICT
Still, the update to the Cayenne Diesel is worthwhile and I like the car. It’s one I’d recommend to friends.
The smaller Macan SUV is a giant worldwide hit and has the combination of space and pace that works for a lot of modern families.
“Yes, in a full calendar year the Macan will be the No. 1-selling SUV for us,” says Porsche spokesman Paul Ellis.
“But Cayenne’s market share will remain the same and, as usual, we’re aiming for 10 per cent against its natural competitors.”
Those competitors, mostly amount to the BMW X5 and the go-faster versions of the Mercedes-Benz ML and Audi Q5.
Specifications:
Price: From $104,700
Warranty: 3yr/unlimited km
Resale: 63 per cent
Service Interval: 12 months/15,000km
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo diesel, 193kW/580Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto, AWD
Spare: space-saver
Thirst: 6.6L/100km, 179g/km CO2 Tank 100L
