Porsche Cayenne

If you want a midsize luxury SUV that makes you grin every time you slip behind the wheel, your best bet is the 2021 Porsche Cayenne. With handling that's as dynamic as a Cirque du Soleil performer and a range of available engines that starts out at 335 horsepower and ends at 670 hp with the Turbo S E-Hybrid, the Cayenne deftly combines all-wheel-drive sports car performance with SUV utility.

This year's new addition is the Cayenne GTS. It uses a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 — the same engine found in the Turbo and Turbo S E-Hybrid models — but at a less potent tune. With 453 horsepower, the GTS slots between the Cayenne S (434 hp) and the Turbo (541 hp). The GTS also comes with a few extra performance-oriented features as standard equipment.

As you'd likely expect, the Cayenne is a Porsche first and an SUV second. Want acres of space? Maybe a Cadillac Escalade is more your thing. Value? Err, try the Genesis dealership next door. But few other SUVs drive as well as this one. Want to know more? Check out our Expert Rating below for our in-depth evaluation.

Which Cayenne does MatoCar recommend?

It's easy to get lured into lusting over the mind-bending performance of the higher Cayenne trims, but the S trim is our choice for getting an affordable upgrade over the base Cayenne with its own unique flavor. Upgraded power, brakes and handling make it legitimately fun to drive. We would also add the Premium package to include extra safety and convenience features to round out the experience.

The Porsche Cayenne is a midsize SUV available in six trims: Base, E-Hybrid, S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S E-Hybrid. All models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Base The entry-level Cayenne comes reasonably well equipped with features such as:

Turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine (335 horsepower, 332 lb-ft of torque)
19-inch wheels
LED headlights
12.4-inch touchscreen
Navigation system
Wireless Apple CarPlay compatibility
Four USB-C ports
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Partial leather upholstery
Power-adjustable front seats
Ambient lighting
10-speaker sound system
Power liftgate
Front and rear parking sensors
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

E-Hybrid A plug-in hybrid version of the Cayenne that adds onto the base model with:

Turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine and electric motor (455 total hp, 516 lb-ft)
Plug-in hybrid capability with 14 miles of all-electric range
Adaptive suspension dampers (Porsche Active Suspension Management, or PASM)
Sport Chrono package with Sport Plus drive mode and additional performance menus

S A sportier version of the base model with:

Turbocharged 2.9-liter six-cylinder engine (434 hp, 405 lb-ft)
Power Steering Plus package with speed-sensitive steering response
Panoramic sunroof

GTS New for 2021, the Cayenne GTS emphasizes performance with:

Turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine (453 hp, 457 lb-ft)
21-inch wheels
Air suspension with PASM
Sport seats
Adaptive rear spoiler
Sport exhaust system
Torque vectoring for improved traction and handling
Sport Design package with black exterior trim pieces

Turbo The Cayenne Turbo loads you up with:

Turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine (541 hp, 567 lb-ft)
Adaptive LED headlights
Air suspension with PASM
Upgraded brakes
Power-adjustable steering wheel
Leather upholstery
Heated front and rear seats
Faux suede headliner
14-speaker Bose surround-sound system

Turbo S E-Hybrid The top-line trim adds plug-in range to the turbocharged V8:

Turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine and electric motor (670 hp, 663 lb-ft)
Plug-in hybrid capability with 12 miles of electric range
Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) anti-roll system for improved cornering

Many features on the upper Cayenne trims are available on the lower trims as options. Porsche also offers a wide range of additional packages and options to allow you to further customize your Cayenne. Notable features among them include:

Various interior and exterior color and material trim choices
Rear steering (enhances steering response and nimbleness)
21-speaker Burmester sound system
Ventilated front seats
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Cayenne and the car in front)
Lane keeping assist (steers the Cayenne back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Cayenne and its surroundings for tight parking situations)