The Porsche Cayenne S 1st Generation Facelifted Review

Many have never considered the Porsche Cayenne a sports car, but I don't agree. Why? 

The Porsche Cayenne, which was first launched in 2002 was in the centre of controversy because many people didn't want a Porsche with 4 doors. However, the Cayenne soon proved that it was no different than any other Porsches. The model I tested here is a Porsche Cayenne S with an V8 engine. Although it has a 340hp, its acceleration is still 7.1 seconds from 0-100km/h.

The interior is as luxury and sporty as any other Porsche sports cars. When you get in, you don't feel like you are in an SUV. The gearbox is nice to play with but a PDK gearbox is much preferred.

The one I tested was a re-cond UK spec model so the navigation system is a problem. It could only view Europe but not Asia maps. This is a huge problem faced by many re-cond cars because there isn't any solution to it yet.

The speedometer is great and easy to read. It has a computer system in the middle which tells you the car's status. For example, the meter in the picture is showing the suspension status.

I love the 4WD system very much. It works very well with the car. It has comfort, normal and sport mode for different occasions and situations. You can also tune the suspension to make the car lower or higher. That is a feature not many cars have during its time. So, that's a bonus!

Parking is easy!

Summary


Big outside but small inside.

• Manufacturer: Porsche
• Model: Cayenne S 1st Generation Facelifted
• Transmisson: Tiptronic
• Engine: 4.5 liter V8
• Horsepower: 340hp 
• 0-100km/h: 7.1 seconds
• Top Speed: 241 km/h

Pros: 

• Fun to drive
• Feels like a sports car
• Can tune the suspension from the 4WD system

Cons:

• Using the same chassis as Volkswagen Touareg but more expensive
• Impractical 
• Leather seats are not as comfortable as other SUVs
• Consume a lot of fuel

Overall: 6/10 rating

Regards,
Thomas Lee.