vondy

I've been searching for a new vehicle for quite a while now and have been very disappointed in the lack of driving feel with almost everything I've driven or researched.

Having owned a few BMWs in the past, I've grown to love the steering feel and connection to the road. Now with electric steering everywhere, it seems like nothing on the road has that same feel.

So I have not driven a Cayenne yet but from what I've researched, they seem to be one of the few SUVs that are for people who really love to drive.

The only one I could afford at this time in my life would be a CPO with the base v6. Got my eye on a 2014 with 39K miles on it.

Questions for you good people would be...

1. Is the base V6 adequate enough? I'm not looking for a speed demon but don't want to be lacking in low end torque or passing power. I want decent responsiveness.

2. How's the reliability on these?

3. Are they truly a blast to drive compared to other modern SUVs? X5, Grand Cherokee, Touareg, etc.?

Thanks for the info!

nodoors

1. Test drive one see for yourself. We all have different needs for power/speed, so no one is going to be able to tell you if it feels right to you.

2. The base is the most reliable of the group. There is a bunch of info on here to read about the common ailments.

3. Yes. Nothing else to say about that.

vondy

Thanks for the quick response.

I would certainly agree that driving one is the only way to truly tell if it works for me. Sometimes it's hard to tell from a test drive how you will feel about a cars performance long term. You are concentrating on so many aspects of a test drive that it may not be that apparent how sluggish a vehicle will be once you get used to it. So I ask the question in case it's a known characteristic of the car.

Seems like it will be far better as a "drivers" SUV than most others. So from a reliability standpoint, would "you" buy a similar vehicle and expect it to last, let's say, to 100K miles pretty much problem free? I know Porsche at one point was very reliable but that's the expense of my knowledge.

deilenberger

Moving this to the 958 subforum... what you're considering is a 958, and there is a "sticky" there worth reading if you're considering buying one.

Hang on..

Inrev

I bought a CPO 2014 Cayenne Platinum V6 in early 2015 from a dealer that was formerly in their loaner fleet. So far it has been excellent with no issue except for a plastic switch that broke in 2 in the console. I had tested pretty much everything on the market except the X5 (I hate most modern BMWs and can't stand their interiors). The Cayenne was the most fun SUV to drive with the best handling and braking capacity of the lot. (ML350, MDX, RR Sport, Touareg, Grand Cherokee)

I take my Cayenne on dirt roads 3-4 times/year too and it's perfect. Power is adequate and the transmission makes it seem more powerful than it is at times, especially in manual mode. I don't see what else I would buy at this price point that would be such a bargain.

BenCD

I had test driven every SUV out there that can tow at least 7,000-as I have a boat that I need to tow, and the Cayenne was the absolute best for what I wanted/needed. Before my 2016 Cayenne Diesel, I had a 2012 Touareg TDI, that if VW did not buyback for more than I had paid for it 3 1/2 years ago, I'd have been happy with as it handled well and did exactly what I needed it to do.

The Cayenne is on a different level as it does everything the Touareg did, but better.

The only way you will find out is by test driving one.

Inrev, I'm like you, I can't stand BMW interiors and can't get over how terrible the small buttons they have are for everything and the layouts of it all.

projekt-h

Short answer: Yes. Buy one. I haven't even had my 2011 for 5 days (though that's also over 700 miles) and I'm already in love.

Long answer: maybe look into a Cayenne S. 300hp is plenty adequate for a daily driver, but 400 is always better. If you're concerned about fun factor the V8 will probably put that little bit more of a smile on your face. Compared to the others the Cayenne was my top choice as well, aside from already being a Porsche fanatic. Great interior, best to drive in it's class IMO, 958's have proven to be reliable, and built to last and take on anything you could throw at it. My two cents on driving it, is that while my friend's X5 4.8is felt amazing, the Cayenne is better. Even without the active/air suspension that I don't have there is no way a 5,000lb SUV that is plenty capable off-road should feel as light on it's feet, connected and fun as it does. I blasted mine around some northern-Michigan backroads this weekend and it put just as big a smile on my face as my M3 would have.

PJ Cayenne

Coming up on 4 years of ownership and over 27k miles on our Diesel. Yes, it is a bit more powerful than the base, but what I love about the Cayenne is its long legs. You will not find an SUV that handles better, more comfortable and is just plain invigorating to drive on long trips. You'll be amazed at how you can maintain high speeds in complete confidence for hours on end in the Cayenne. The 14 way seats are fantastic and the Bose system (IMO) sounds great. Our Cayenne looks great after 4 years, with little signs of wear. Tires and brakes will be due soon, but no other issues to talk about.

genebopp

I have a v6 2014 base (v6). I have had it for 3 years. It drives like a sporty car. It is not a 911. I expected more storage areas. The console is small. The glove compartment is small. The seat back pockets are small. But I like the way it drives. The second hand fell off the clock and a little chrome edge fell off a window switch. Both were repaired under warranty. An oil change (10,000 miles) costs $400. The 40,000 mile inspection costs $1000. The brakes are supposed to be 50% remaining (i think) on a CPO, but they might cost $2500 to change them at the dealer. So at 39,000 miles I would make sure that 2 things are addressed.

jlusby

Whatever you do, do not test drive a CTT or CTTS because 400 may be better, but 550+,,,, don't even go there

MJG911

just had a v6 loaner for a day while the CD was in for service. Its ok performance wise, but definitely not as torquey as the diesel. I definitely wouldn't be comfortable towing 7000 pounds with it. You should look at a slightly older S model.

Inrev

Brakes are easy to DYI, I just changed my pads at 40k miles, discs were still good.

Hal

Bought a CPO '14 10 months ago. Came form Audi Q5 and before that 3 X-5's. Absolutely love the Cayenne. It is probably the best car we have owned, our 911's excepted.

We wanted a long distance cruiser so we didn't look at the S because MPG was a top need. That said, you can never have too much HP.

TXCOMT

We bought a CPO '14 S six days ago for the wife...yep, I love it way more than her '11 base model we traded in on it! The main reason for that, of course, is the V8 and the air suspension (which I also have on my DD '16 Ram Rebel). I'm really looking forward to a long road trip out west in this thing. I've spent too much time this week looking at mods; if you're into those, you'll find the base has way less aftermarket support than the S or TTs.

TXCOMT