New Cayenne Detailed Review
08-10-2012, 07:39 PM
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New Cayenne Detailed Review
This is my review of the 20113 Cayenne S. First, thank you all (too many names to mention) for a great forum. I have learned a lot and have enjoyed reading about Cayenne’s. This post is my attempt of giving back and to help the next buyer make better-well informed decisions. I am borrowing w00ts format as it seems to be popular and was helpful to me. Although there are already so many great detailed pictures on the site, I have posted some shots for your enjoyment. My new Jet Black Metallic Cayenne S came with PSAM/Air Suspension, PDCC, PTV+, ACC, 20” sport design II wheels, aluminum roof rails, running boards, trailer hitch, compass, voice control, premium package plus with14 way seats, heated steering wheel, and the piano black interior. FWIW, as I write this review, I am sitting in back seat of the vehicle on a 6-hour trip.
Background/Why a Cayenne: Interesting story on how became a Cayenne fan (maybe a different post). I am coming from a new 2005 Cayenne S (340 HP), Silver/Grey, PSAM/AS, and 19” design wheels. After the factory summer sport tires wore at about 10K miles (Michelin tires were a lot of fun, but turns the Cayenne into a coffin in the snow) ran with Scorpion Ice and Snow’s year round for over 150,000 with no major issues other than typical maintenance. Except for deep snow, I ran full time one notch below normal height. This was a great mountain winter ride and just plain fun to drive, very impressed with performance, and the utility was outstanding. I did look around and drove the new RR, BMW X5M, Jeep GC SRT, and Audi Q5/Q7. All of them are fine vehicles, but none handle like a Cayenne both in the streets, towing, and off streets. I was hooked after my first 100 miles in 2005. This is my daily driver and I plan keep this for at least 5 years and probably longer. I do enjoy spirited driving in the mountains and on twisty roads. I tow a boat (6000lbs) and seadoos in and out of the water twice a year and the occasional trailer of stuff. I use the roof rails for ski box, kayaks, and bikes. I drive a lot of highway miles (6 hours one way to the lake house) in some tough weather in the upper mid-west especially around lake Michigan and in the Rockies in the winter, with an occasional southern Florida trip. Although, I can see how it would be fun, I do not plan to track my SUV.
Overall impressions: Nothing new to report, this is a massive improvement in handling, acceleration, styling and quality. The Cayenne has always been a great sport utility vehicle (mid size), but now you can add luxury to the list. Without question, the Cayenne is the best performing and safest SUV in the world. The new S is fast and strong at all power levels with outstanding handling and braking. With all of the suspension options installed, you won’t believe you are in an SUV, until you realize how high you are sitting. FWIW, with ACC set at 74, I have been getting about 24 mpg, which gives me a range of close to 600 miles per tank (Note keeping her at 74 is hard to do
!).
Turbo vs. S vs. GTS: This was the biggest decision point for me. I thought for sure I was going to go with the Turbo. Not that I didn’t want to get this vehicle for as cheap and I can, but price wasn’t a factor, as the Turbo was only about 22% additional and the GTS was at around 7% more than the S for my configuration. I test drove the Turbo 3 times; unfortunately these Turbos did not have PDCC or PTV+. Although going 0-60 one second faster is always a good thing, straight-line speed is just one factor in spirited driving. In the end I wasn’t sure I would use the extra power that much, thought it had too much power for winter high elevation mountain driving, and could be more maintenance and problems long term with a lot of miles (this is probably not fair to Porsche as CTT is mature proven product). I guess more power is not always better (did I just really write that). I prefer the naturally aspirated engines for long term—high mileage daily drivers. After passing on the Turbo , the next decision was weather to get the GTS or the standard S. The GTS wasn’t out so couldn’t test it. The GTS’ 20HP gain and adjusted timings are intriguing. My guess is the extra hp is negligible, but the timings you will feel the difference. Also, I do like the GTS front end (Turbo style), painted rocker panels and wheel arches, and you can now can get leather instead of suede only seats, which I prefer. However, the GTS is blacked out only. I decided to go with aluminum trims to be a littler different (95% of all black Cayennes I see are black trim, which does looks awesome, just want to go with a little different look). So I went the S and I am happy and have no regrets. It is fast, plenty of power across the bands, and just plain fun to drive. Also, the S /GTS with the Sports Exhaust provide the best driving sound of all of them, which to me is a part of the Porsche driving experience, more to follow on sports exhaust. Excellent.
PASM /Air Suspension: I had these on my 05 CS and didn’t realize how much the Air Suspension makes a difference until I test drove a used 11 CS with PASM/Steel springs and 20” all season rubber. The best way I can describe it is, AS provides a more refined, controled and confidence driving experience. Also, the ability to change the ride height is great. I run one notch down full time, unless the roads are really bad or in deep snow. The lowered Cayenne fills out the wheel wells and provides an improved stance/look. If you enjoy spirited driving these are must haves. If you tow often with heavier loads, Air Suspension is highly recommended. Recommend PASM at a minimum for all models. Excellent
PDCC / PTV+: PDCC and PTV+ were new and not available in 2005 and big decision point for me. I wasn’t sure if I would really see the difference without tracking it. I couldn’t find one to test drive with PDCC. So it was somewhat a leap of faith. All I can say is after PASM/AS, these are the two best options you can purchase… well maybe sport exhaust would come after PASM/AS, more on the that later. Yes, you can feel the difference in daily driving on the streets; the handling is amazing and makes the cayenne even more fun to drive. The combination of PSAM/AS/PDCC/PTV, along with being about 230lbs lighter in the front verses the Turbo make this new S the best handling Cayenne yet. I know PDCC/PTV are expensive, but are so worth it not only the performance factor, but for safety as well. No moose test issues with this SUV, see link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaYF...layer_embedded If you are getting the Turbo, PDCC and PTV+ are must adds and should be standard from the factory for safety. FYI, PTV+ also provides the full rear differential locking, which is no longer standard. Excellent
20 Sport Design II Wheels: As for the wheels, I preferred the look of both of the 21s wheels, but went with the 20 sport design II wheels. The primary reasons are 1- I will be running Scorpion Ice and Snow tires and 21 is too wide for winter driving, even 20 is pushing it. My old cayenne with 19s was a fantastic handling SUV and a great winter plow horse (no I didn’t put a snow plow on it, now that would be an interesting picture ☺) 2- the 20s ride is much better on the terrible roads in the upper mid west. 3- the sport design has more of an aluminum look, which I preferred with the other aluminum trim items. I didn't care for the look of the current 19s. If the old 19" design wheels were offered, I would have considered them, as 19s seem to be the perfect all round size. One mistake was not getting summer tires, as I will be added the winter tires anyway, so why not rip up the summers for a couple of months. Excellent
Sports Exhaust: My 05 CS had a great throaty sound that I really enjoyed and was a big part of the Cayenne driving experience, this is how it came stock. The current stock S sounds like a Lexus ☹ and was disappointing to me. This was an easy, all be it expensive after delivery fix, the Porsche Sports Exhaust is being added. What a difference (at the dealer another customer pulled up and let me drive his S with PSE and I let him drive mine with PDCC/PTV), it makes the whole driving experience feel like driving a Porsche should and what I remember from the old Cayenne. Disappointed I didn’t notice on the test drive and searching this forum, which has some great info on PSE and the salesman for not suggesting it coming from the 05… oh well Porsche Cayenne buying lesson learned number 28, order the Sports Exhaust! Excellent
Exterior: Overall I like the new styling, except I prefer the old rear end, but it is starting to grow on me. Obviously, these are very personal and subjective choices. I went with the Jet Black Metallic to hide the black wheel well arches, rocker panels, and mirror bottoms. Then decided on the aluminum accents with the window trim, roof rails, running boards, and 20” sport design II. I am happy with my choices and like the look, save the running boards. This probably isn’t fair, but I felt the aluminum would hold up and look better for the long term. I have seen the black trim chip, etc on other vehicles over time. Regarding roof rails and trailer hitch, these are just the basics for my needs. They are much cheaper to buy from the factory verses after market. In fact the roof rails cannot be added after delivery. Also, the tow hitch does not come with the connector plug. Fortunately, when I saw this in the walk through, I gave the sale rep one of those looks and he had the service department install it for free… a little win, which I appreciated. Very Good
Running Boards: They are disappointing. I added them to avoid stepping inside the vehicle to put on and off the skis, bikes, and kayaks, especially in the winter. Also, I like the aluminum look with the other trim. With the new mandatory factory roof racks, the toys sit about 4 inches higher than the old Cayenne’s. I think they will meet this objective well and like the look for the most part, but I am pulling them off as they create an annoying problem. The problem is they do not assist for me in getting in and out of the vehicle and are in the way. Every time I exit I hit the board with my leg, this often leaves mark on pants. This will only get worse with rain, snow, salt, dirt, etc. I would not order these again. If you are looking for the aluminum trim look, I recommend the aluminum rocker panel option, which it looks like can not be purchased or added after delivery. Poor
Interior: As stated above now it is truly luxurious. Everything is improved, especially the quality of the materials. The console is intimidating at first, but within an hour you begin to appreciate how well laid out it is and intuitive it is. The ergonomics are fantastic. I like the fighter jet cockpit feel, it is both sporty and luxurious. One down side is there not a lot of room for phones, money clips, keys, etc. No offense... although the two tones are beautiful, very luxurious, I prefer the more sportier look of single color interior for Porsche vehicles. My 05 had grey, so wanted to try something new and the choice was between Umber and black. At the end of the day I went with black. Tough call, this will be my first all black vehicle. I have been advised the black will wear better, we will see. Then I allowed myself to get talked out of full leather, which I regret. With the wood trims same as the two tone leather, they are very elegant, the carbon fiber is cool, the brushed aluminum brightens up the interior but clashes with the polished aluminum, I prefer the cleaner, sportier look of piano high gloss black, especially against all of the black buttons in the console. Excellent
Full Leather Interior: When I decided to with the black interior, it was recommended not get the leather for long-term care/wear, daily driver vehicle, etc. Although the standard black interior is very nice, receives compliments, the leather with the stitching is a more luxury look that I would have enjoyed. As for the care/wear not sure which will be better long term we shall see, this is my first black interior. Unfortunately at this point in the ordering process, I wasn’t able to see full black leather to compare (didn’t even notice when testing the Turbos, focused on other things). Having now seen the full leather in black, I would have ordered it. Very Good
Seats: I preferred the 14 way. I found them easier to get in and out of, comfortable with plenty of support. The 18-way is an awesome seat, better than the 14-way, but IMHO the 14 way will wear better over time and the rear seats fold a little flatter, that is not to say the fold flat, they don’t. I was surprised and disappointed in this, but not a big deal. Speaking of the rear seats big improvement in room and comfort. The best thing to do is to try them first to see what works best for you. Excellent
Heated Seats, Vented Seats, Heated Steering Wheel: They are well done and worth it. The vented seat are unique in they do not blow cold air up your back side, rather they draw air away from you down through the seat and recirculation. I do like the lack of buttons on the steering wheel, much cleaner look than most, although I do miss the skip forward/back buttons. Excellent
Camera and Parking Sensors: These are required due to the poor visibility out back. The camera is not up to Porsche standards. A lot has been written about the camera quality and I agree it is poor. If you trying to save a buck, one could get away with just the parking sensors, they are that good. However, I would give up other items to get the camera and it will help with resale/trade down the road. Camera – Poor. Parking Sensors - Very Good
PCM and NAV: Both are excellent and work well with blue tooth and usb devices. I liked the previous version; the new touch screen is even better. Adding the TFT screen with NAV and other options is really nice. With voice you now have three input options -- touch screen, buttons/*****, and voice. More on voice later. One button missing in the sea of buttons is ‘scan’, the functionality is there but you have to go options and menus to get to it. Not a big deal, but surprised they didn’t fit it in. Very Good
Instrument Cluster and TFT Display: Looks great and functional. The TFT screen is excellent and offers a lot options for viewing vehicle information. My favorite setting for the upper line is the speed limit sign, brilliant, now I now how much over the speed limit I am driving ☺. One bizarre item is the RPM gauge is in grey ,which is different than the black in the other gauges. Not a big deal but is a little harder to read in daylight and doesn’t look as sharp as the others in black. Not sure why they did this, must be a reason, do the V6, Turbo have the same grey? Anyone else notice this, care? Very Good
Compass: It looks great. I enjoy the quick look of what direction it provides. I didn’t know that it has the time and altitude in the middle, very cool. At $270 is a bargain in Porsche pricing. However, the instrument TFT screen does have options to show a compass and the elevation in the four screen slots, so if you are looking to save a buck you can pass and get the same info on the TFT. Excellent
Bose: Bose is a good upgrade, Burmester is better. If you like listening to music and can afford it, get it the Burmester. These audio options may appear to be expensive, but when compared to high end after market products they are reasonable. Good
LCA: It is well done and worth it. IMO LCAs will someday become a government requirement like parking sensors, air bags, etc are today. Excellent
Adaptive Cruise Control: ACC is well done and makes long trips more enjoyable. I wasn’t sure about this option and took a chance and I am glad I did. Note if you get ACC it is ACC only and doesn’t offer the ability to use traditional cruise. The best ACC feature is you can step on the gas when you need to without disabling your settings. After your ‘maneuver’, it goes right back to where you set it without touching anything. Excellent
Voice control: I need to play with it more to give it a final verdict. So far it works well for switching source, stored NAV destinations like ‘go office’ go home’, and basic phone calls ‘call home’ ‘call voicemail’ ‘call 312-555-1212’ and music playlists ‘playlist 1’. In terms of say making a phone such as ‘call Mike Krzyzewski’, it struggles as they all do with complex names. How do you pronounce Krzyzewski any way? It will work for easier names like Dean Smith or Roy Williams. Any college hoops fans out there! What it does do that is different is it offers lists that you can scroll up and down and pick the number to call someone or play a song, etc, which is a little clunky but you can get to what you want hands free, where other systems just get caught in a endless loop of frustration. That is not to say the Porsche Voice system doesn’t have its frustrating moments, but not like other systems I have experienced. I will say the cockpit is so well laid out that using buttons and/or touch screen is very intuitive, easy, and fast. So, not sure voice control is needed more to follow. Jury is still out
Light Comfort Package, Memory Package, Rear Roll Up Sun Screens: They just came in the package and work fine but I wouldn’t have purchased them separately. Good.
What would I do different: Overall great SUV, best in the world by far and I enjoy it every time I drive it. However, as mentioned above if I had to do it over again, I would have ordered, sports exhaust, full leather, aluminum rocker panels, and summer tires. I would have passed on the running boards. Still not sure about voice control, more to follow… I passed on several popular options including: Entry Drive - I didn’t care for Porsche implementation (see Ford’s version with tailgate feature as an example); Pano Roof – is really nice and reasonably priced. This is probably not fair but was concerned for long term issues in heavy winter outside parking/usage; PCCB – If PCCB improved stopping significantly, I would have bought them even at the high price. I like the added bonus of no brake dust and long life. Unfortunately, I could not get a quantitative answer. My guess is that PCCB doesn’t stop significantly better in daily use. As stated, the primary advantages of PCCB are heat and weight savings in the ‘unsprung and rotating mass’ category, which I know are important at the track lap after lap.
Features/Functions that I am disappointed in: Again, overall happy with most features/functions. However, there are some annoying items. Driving with Windows Down: As they say in the movie Donnie Brasco ‘forget about it’! I enjoy driving with the window down on occasion. In these Cayenne’s it is unbelievably windy, too windy to enjoy. I suspect the mirror position is the reason, not a big deal, but annoying nonetheless. I wonder if Porsche new about this before production? Rear Tailgate: I don’t understand why the only way you can close it is to hit the button on the tailgate. You should be able to double click on the key to close and the button on the driver’s door should not only open it, but close it as well. Sports Deign Steering Wheel: Why is the sport design wheel with paddle shifters not heated? I would have preferred this wheel, but in the end the heated wheel is too nice not to have. Horseshoe Light: Is just way too bright for my tastes. It fades out nicely, but it can only be on at 100% or you can turn it off. Similar to the door ambient lighting, the horse shoe light should be able to adjust brightness. I have it off full time, but on occasion it would be nice to have more light inside the cabinet upon entry/exist.
Porsche has always seemed to struggle with these electronic features (lighting, memory, entry, etc). Although I do think they are improving. However, what do any of these have to do with performance, which we all know is the area Porsche shines. Isn’t that why we buy them? Anyone who drives any of the Cayenne’s should feel fortunate. Enjoy what you have no matter what options you end up with. Happy and safe driving!
Background/Why a Cayenne: Interesting story on how became a Cayenne fan (maybe a different post). I am coming from a new 2005 Cayenne S (340 HP), Silver/Grey, PSAM/AS, and 19” design wheels. After the factory summer sport tires wore at about 10K miles (Michelin tires were a lot of fun, but turns the Cayenne into a coffin in the snow) ran with Scorpion Ice and Snow’s year round for over 150,000 with no major issues other than typical maintenance. Except for deep snow, I ran full time one notch below normal height. This was a great mountain winter ride and just plain fun to drive, very impressed with performance, and the utility was outstanding. I did look around and drove the new RR, BMW X5M, Jeep GC SRT, and Audi Q5/Q7. All of them are fine vehicles, but none handle like a Cayenne both in the streets, towing, and off streets. I was hooked after my first 100 miles in 2005. This is my daily driver and I plan keep this for at least 5 years and probably longer. I do enjoy spirited driving in the mountains and on twisty roads. I tow a boat (6000lbs) and seadoos in and out of the water twice a year and the occasional trailer of stuff. I use the roof rails for ski box, kayaks, and bikes. I drive a lot of highway miles (6 hours one way to the lake house) in some tough weather in the upper mid-west especially around lake Michigan and in the Rockies in the winter, with an occasional southern Florida trip. Although, I can see how it would be fun, I do not plan to track my SUV.
Overall impressions: Nothing new to report, this is a massive improvement in handling, acceleration, styling and quality. The Cayenne has always been a great sport utility vehicle (mid size), but now you can add luxury to the list. Without question, the Cayenne is the best performing and safest SUV in the world. The new S is fast and strong at all power levels with outstanding handling and braking. With all of the suspension options installed, you won’t believe you are in an SUV, until you realize how high you are sitting. FWIW, with ACC set at 74, I have been getting about 24 mpg, which gives me a range of close to 600 miles per tank (Note keeping her at 74 is hard to do
!). Turbo vs. S vs. GTS: This was the biggest decision point for me. I thought for sure I was going to go with the Turbo. Not that I didn’t want to get this vehicle for as cheap and I can, but price wasn’t a factor, as the Turbo was only about 22% additional and the GTS was at around 7% more than the S for my configuration. I test drove the Turbo 3 times; unfortunately these Turbos did not have PDCC or PTV+. Although going 0-60 one second faster is always a good thing, straight-line speed is just one factor in spirited driving. In the end I wasn’t sure I would use the extra power that much, thought it had too much power for winter high elevation mountain driving, and could be more maintenance and problems long term with a lot of miles (this is probably not fair to Porsche as CTT is mature proven product). I guess more power is not always better (did I just really write that). I prefer the naturally aspirated engines for long term—high mileage daily drivers. After passing on the Turbo , the next decision was weather to get the GTS or the standard S. The GTS wasn’t out so couldn’t test it. The GTS’ 20HP gain and adjusted timings are intriguing. My guess is the extra hp is negligible, but the timings you will feel the difference. Also, I do like the GTS front end (Turbo style), painted rocker panels and wheel arches, and you can now can get leather instead of suede only seats, which I prefer. However, the GTS is blacked out only. I decided to go with aluminum trims to be a littler different (95% of all black Cayennes I see are black trim, which does looks awesome, just want to go with a little different look). So I went the S and I am happy and have no regrets. It is fast, plenty of power across the bands, and just plain fun to drive. Also, the S /GTS with the Sports Exhaust provide the best driving sound of all of them, which to me is a part of the Porsche driving experience, more to follow on sports exhaust. Excellent.
PASM /Air Suspension: I had these on my 05 CS and didn’t realize how much the Air Suspension makes a difference until I test drove a used 11 CS with PASM/Steel springs and 20” all season rubber. The best way I can describe it is, AS provides a more refined, controled and confidence driving experience. Also, the ability to change the ride height is great. I run one notch down full time, unless the roads are really bad or in deep snow. The lowered Cayenne fills out the wheel wells and provides an improved stance/look. If you enjoy spirited driving these are must haves. If you tow often with heavier loads, Air Suspension is highly recommended. Recommend PASM at a minimum for all models. Excellent
PDCC / PTV+: PDCC and PTV+ were new and not available in 2005 and big decision point for me. I wasn’t sure if I would really see the difference without tracking it. I couldn’t find one to test drive with PDCC. So it was somewhat a leap of faith. All I can say is after PASM/AS, these are the two best options you can purchase… well maybe sport exhaust would come after PASM/AS, more on the that later. Yes, you can feel the difference in daily driving on the streets; the handling is amazing and makes the cayenne even more fun to drive. The combination of PSAM/AS/PDCC/PTV, along with being about 230lbs lighter in the front verses the Turbo make this new S the best handling Cayenne yet. I know PDCC/PTV are expensive, but are so worth it not only the performance factor, but for safety as well. No moose test issues with this SUV, see link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaYF...layer_embedded If you are getting the Turbo, PDCC and PTV+ are must adds and should be standard from the factory for safety. FYI, PTV+ also provides the full rear differential locking, which is no longer standard. Excellent
20 Sport Design II Wheels: As for the wheels, I preferred the look of both of the 21s wheels, but went with the 20 sport design II wheels. The primary reasons are 1- I will be running Scorpion Ice and Snow tires and 21 is too wide for winter driving, even 20 is pushing it. My old cayenne with 19s was a fantastic handling SUV and a great winter plow horse (no I didn’t put a snow plow on it, now that would be an interesting picture ☺) 2- the 20s ride is much better on the terrible roads in the upper mid west. 3- the sport design has more of an aluminum look, which I preferred with the other aluminum trim items. I didn't care for the look of the current 19s. If the old 19" design wheels were offered, I would have considered them, as 19s seem to be the perfect all round size. One mistake was not getting summer tires, as I will be added the winter tires anyway, so why not rip up the summers for a couple of months. Excellent
Sports Exhaust: My 05 CS had a great throaty sound that I really enjoyed and was a big part of the Cayenne driving experience, this is how it came stock. The current stock S sounds like a Lexus ☹ and was disappointing to me. This was an easy, all be it expensive after delivery fix, the Porsche Sports Exhaust is being added. What a difference (at the dealer another customer pulled up and let me drive his S with PSE and I let him drive mine with PDCC/PTV), it makes the whole driving experience feel like driving a Porsche should and what I remember from the old Cayenne. Disappointed I didn’t notice on the test drive and searching this forum, which has some great info on PSE and the salesman for not suggesting it coming from the 05… oh well Porsche Cayenne buying lesson learned number 28, order the Sports Exhaust! Excellent
Exterior: Overall I like the new styling, except I prefer the old rear end, but it is starting to grow on me. Obviously, these are very personal and subjective choices. I went with the Jet Black Metallic to hide the black wheel well arches, rocker panels, and mirror bottoms. Then decided on the aluminum accents with the window trim, roof rails, running boards, and 20” sport design II. I am happy with my choices and like the look, save the running boards. This probably isn’t fair, but I felt the aluminum would hold up and look better for the long term. I have seen the black trim chip, etc on other vehicles over time. Regarding roof rails and trailer hitch, these are just the basics for my needs. They are much cheaper to buy from the factory verses after market. In fact the roof rails cannot be added after delivery. Also, the tow hitch does not come with the connector plug. Fortunately, when I saw this in the walk through, I gave the sale rep one of those looks and he had the service department install it for free… a little win, which I appreciated. Very Good
Running Boards: They are disappointing. I added them to avoid stepping inside the vehicle to put on and off the skis, bikes, and kayaks, especially in the winter. Also, I like the aluminum look with the other trim. With the new mandatory factory roof racks, the toys sit about 4 inches higher than the old Cayenne’s. I think they will meet this objective well and like the look for the most part, but I am pulling them off as they create an annoying problem. The problem is they do not assist for me in getting in and out of the vehicle and are in the way. Every time I exit I hit the board with my leg, this often leaves mark on pants. This will only get worse with rain, snow, salt, dirt, etc. I would not order these again. If you are looking for the aluminum trim look, I recommend the aluminum rocker panel option, which it looks like can not be purchased or added after delivery. Poor
Interior: As stated above now it is truly luxurious. Everything is improved, especially the quality of the materials. The console is intimidating at first, but within an hour you begin to appreciate how well laid out it is and intuitive it is. The ergonomics are fantastic. I like the fighter jet cockpit feel, it is both sporty and luxurious. One down side is there not a lot of room for phones, money clips, keys, etc. No offense... although the two tones are beautiful, very luxurious, I prefer the more sportier look of single color interior for Porsche vehicles. My 05 had grey, so wanted to try something new and the choice was between Umber and black. At the end of the day I went with black. Tough call, this will be my first all black vehicle. I have been advised the black will wear better, we will see. Then I allowed myself to get talked out of full leather, which I regret. With the wood trims same as the two tone leather, they are very elegant, the carbon fiber is cool, the brushed aluminum brightens up the interior but clashes with the polished aluminum, I prefer the cleaner, sportier look of piano high gloss black, especially against all of the black buttons in the console. Excellent
Full Leather Interior: When I decided to with the black interior, it was recommended not get the leather for long-term care/wear, daily driver vehicle, etc. Although the standard black interior is very nice, receives compliments, the leather with the stitching is a more luxury look that I would have enjoyed. As for the care/wear not sure which will be better long term we shall see, this is my first black interior. Unfortunately at this point in the ordering process, I wasn’t able to see full black leather to compare (didn’t even notice when testing the Turbos, focused on other things). Having now seen the full leather in black, I would have ordered it. Very Good
Seats: I preferred the 14 way. I found them easier to get in and out of, comfortable with plenty of support. The 18-way is an awesome seat, better than the 14-way, but IMHO the 14 way will wear better over time and the rear seats fold a little flatter, that is not to say the fold flat, they don’t. I was surprised and disappointed in this, but not a big deal. Speaking of the rear seats big improvement in room and comfort. The best thing to do is to try them first to see what works best for you. Excellent
Heated Seats, Vented Seats, Heated Steering Wheel: They are well done and worth it. The vented seat are unique in they do not blow cold air up your back side, rather they draw air away from you down through the seat and recirculation. I do like the lack of buttons on the steering wheel, much cleaner look than most, although I do miss the skip forward/back buttons. Excellent
Camera and Parking Sensors: These are required due to the poor visibility out back. The camera is not up to Porsche standards. A lot has been written about the camera quality and I agree it is poor. If you trying to save a buck, one could get away with just the parking sensors, they are that good. However, I would give up other items to get the camera and it will help with resale/trade down the road. Camera – Poor. Parking Sensors - Very Good
PCM and NAV: Both are excellent and work well with blue tooth and usb devices. I liked the previous version; the new touch screen is even better. Adding the TFT screen with NAV and other options is really nice. With voice you now have three input options -- touch screen, buttons/*****, and voice. More on voice later. One button missing in the sea of buttons is ‘scan’, the functionality is there but you have to go options and menus to get to it. Not a big deal, but surprised they didn’t fit it in. Very Good
Instrument Cluster and TFT Display: Looks great and functional. The TFT screen is excellent and offers a lot options for viewing vehicle information. My favorite setting for the upper line is the speed limit sign, brilliant, now I now how much over the speed limit I am driving ☺. One bizarre item is the RPM gauge is in grey ,which is different than the black in the other gauges. Not a big deal but is a little harder to read in daylight and doesn’t look as sharp as the others in black. Not sure why they did this, must be a reason, do the V6, Turbo have the same grey? Anyone else notice this, care? Very Good
Compass: It looks great. I enjoy the quick look of what direction it provides. I didn’t know that it has the time and altitude in the middle, very cool. At $270 is a bargain in Porsche pricing. However, the instrument TFT screen does have options to show a compass and the elevation in the four screen slots, so if you are looking to save a buck you can pass and get the same info on the TFT. Excellent
Bose: Bose is a good upgrade, Burmester is better. If you like listening to music and can afford it, get it the Burmester. These audio options may appear to be expensive, but when compared to high end after market products they are reasonable. Good
LCA: It is well done and worth it. IMO LCAs will someday become a government requirement like parking sensors, air bags, etc are today. Excellent
Adaptive Cruise Control: ACC is well done and makes long trips more enjoyable. I wasn’t sure about this option and took a chance and I am glad I did. Note if you get ACC it is ACC only and doesn’t offer the ability to use traditional cruise. The best ACC feature is you can step on the gas when you need to without disabling your settings. After your ‘maneuver’, it goes right back to where you set it without touching anything. Excellent
Voice control: I need to play with it more to give it a final verdict. So far it works well for switching source, stored NAV destinations like ‘go office’ go home’, and basic phone calls ‘call home’ ‘call voicemail’ ‘call 312-555-1212’ and music playlists ‘playlist 1’. In terms of say making a phone such as ‘call Mike Krzyzewski’, it struggles as they all do with complex names. How do you pronounce Krzyzewski any way? It will work for easier names like Dean Smith or Roy Williams. Any college hoops fans out there! What it does do that is different is it offers lists that you can scroll up and down and pick the number to call someone or play a song, etc, which is a little clunky but you can get to what you want hands free, where other systems just get caught in a endless loop of frustration. That is not to say the Porsche Voice system doesn’t have its frustrating moments, but not like other systems I have experienced. I will say the cockpit is so well laid out that using buttons and/or touch screen is very intuitive, easy, and fast. So, not sure voice control is needed more to follow. Jury is still out
Light Comfort Package, Memory Package, Rear Roll Up Sun Screens: They just came in the package and work fine but I wouldn’t have purchased them separately. Good.
What would I do different: Overall great SUV, best in the world by far and I enjoy it every time I drive it. However, as mentioned above if I had to do it over again, I would have ordered, sports exhaust, full leather, aluminum rocker panels, and summer tires. I would have passed on the running boards. Still not sure about voice control, more to follow… I passed on several popular options including: Entry Drive - I didn’t care for Porsche implementation (see Ford’s version with tailgate feature as an example); Pano Roof – is really nice and reasonably priced. This is probably not fair but was concerned for long term issues in heavy winter outside parking/usage; PCCB – If PCCB improved stopping significantly, I would have bought them even at the high price. I like the added bonus of no brake dust and long life. Unfortunately, I could not get a quantitative answer. My guess is that PCCB doesn’t stop significantly better in daily use. As stated, the primary advantages of PCCB are heat and weight savings in the ‘unsprung and rotating mass’ category, which I know are important at the track lap after lap.
Features/Functions that I am disappointed in: Again, overall happy with most features/functions. However, there are some annoying items. Driving with Windows Down: As they say in the movie Donnie Brasco ‘forget about it’! I enjoy driving with the window down on occasion. In these Cayenne’s it is unbelievably windy, too windy to enjoy. I suspect the mirror position is the reason, not a big deal, but annoying nonetheless. I wonder if Porsche new about this before production? Rear Tailgate: I don’t understand why the only way you can close it is to hit the button on the tailgate. You should be able to double click on the key to close and the button on the driver’s door should not only open it, but close it as well. Sports Deign Steering Wheel: Why is the sport design wheel with paddle shifters not heated? I would have preferred this wheel, but in the end the heated wheel is too nice not to have. Horseshoe Light: Is just way too bright for my tastes. It fades out nicely, but it can only be on at 100% or you can turn it off. Similar to the door ambient lighting, the horse shoe light should be able to adjust brightness. I have it off full time, but on occasion it would be nice to have more light inside the cabinet upon entry/exist.
Porsche has always seemed to struggle with these electronic features (lighting, memory, entry, etc). Although I do think they are improving. However, what do any of these have to do with performance, which we all know is the area Porsche shines. Isn’t that why we buy them? Anyone who drives any of the Cayenne’s should feel fortunate. Enjoy what you have no matter what options you end up with. Happy and safe driving!
Last edited by dddd; 08-13-2012 at 02:30 AM.
08-10-2012, 07:59 PM
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Very nice detailed write up and beautiful CS, congrats. You can adjust brightness on the horseshoe light (cannot remember where but I found it). Also, try doing the voice adaptation for voice control. I found that made a big, big difference on calling names stored on my phone (of course, I don't know any basketball coaches' numbers so that may explain it too)
08-11-2012, 10:48 AM
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08-12-2012, 11:00 PM
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Very nice detailed write up and beautiful CS, congrats. You can adjust brightness on the horseshoe light (cannot remember where but I found it). Also, try doing the voice adaptation for voice control. I found that made a big, big difference on calling names stored on my phone (of course, I don't know any basketball coaches' numbers so that may explain it too)
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08-13-2012, 01:00 PM
#10
Great review!
To adjust the horseshoe light, you push and hold one of the light button near it. Forgot which one but you press and hold, it will cycle from dim to bright, just release the button where you want the light intensity. Yes those LEDs are annoyingly bright, I always leave it at the dimmest settings.
To adjust the horseshoe light, you push and hold one of the light button near it. Forgot which one but you press and hold, it will cycle from dim to bright, just release the button where you want the light intensity. Yes those LEDs are annoyingly bright, I always leave it at the dimmest settings.
08-13-2012, 05:20 PM
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I've driven the new Diesel and the torque and mileage are phenomenal!
I think they'll surprise a lot of people, I was really looking forward to the car when it was first announced for the US and thus far it hasn't disappointed.
I think they'll surprise a lot of people, I was really looking forward to the car when it was first announced for the US and thus far it hasn't disappointed.
08-14-2012, 09:16 PM
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Nice ride, excellent write up and I am especially grateful that you came back in time from 20113 to tell us about the new model. It looks just like the 2013 model. 
08-15-2012, 09:52 AM
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Great analysis.
Agree with you on PDCC and PTV. Also very accurate look at voice recognition.
I will have to disagree with you on 2 tone interiors....but of course a matter of taste. The full leather 2 tones are some of the most beautiful interiors out there.
The 18 way seats are worth the extra step in being a little more careful entering, at least from my experience of increased comfort.
Good explanation of the stereo upgrades.
If you tire of not being able to close your rear hatch remotely, try this:
Works as advertised.
Agree with you on PDCC and PTV. Also very accurate look at voice recognition.
I will have to disagree with you on 2 tone interiors....but of course a matter of taste. The full leather 2 tones are some of the most beautiful interiors out there.
The 18 way seats are worth the extra step in being a little more careful entering, at least from my experience of increased comfort.
Good explanation of the stereo upgrades.
If you tire of not being able to close your rear hatch remotely, try this:
08-15-2012, 11:20 AM
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Has anybody got one of the comfort hatch systems from kufatec?
How hard to install?
by the nice write up , very detailed (must have been a long trip in the back .
It has given some more thought on the extra's to look for on pre loved as i cant afford a new one, here in Australia they are super expensive so a 3 y.o will have to do.
Thanks
How hard to install?
by the nice write up , very detailed (must have been a long trip in the back
.It has given some more thought on the extra's to look for on pre loved as i cant afford a new one, here in Australia they are super expensive so a 3 y.o will have to do.
Thanks
08-15-2012, 04:35 PM
#15
Here is a detail install instruction for the Audi's, it should be similar to the Cayannes.
I guess Audi has the same problem.
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec165.shtml
I guess Audi has the same problem.
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec165.shtml