2019 Porsche Cayenne

The car now weighs less and makes more power. It also offers more standard features that are now more practical and useful than they already were. The Cayenne does up against the 2019 Maserati Levante, the 2019 Audi Q8, and the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace S. In its 2019 avatar, the Cayenne steps into its third generation and promises to be better than ever, but is it? We’ll be the authority on that!

Although the Cayenne does have a couple of separate variants such as the E-Hybrid and the GTS, the regular Cayenne can be had in either of two trims, namely, the Base and the S. The Base trim clocks in at $65,700 while the S can burn a very nasty hole in your wallet since it costs north of $82,900. The bump in the price when looking at the S can seem quite steep, but Porsche does bundle in a host of additional features and changes which can somewhat justify the astronomical price difference. Standard features on both the trims include LED headlights, 19-inch wheels, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, Porsche Communication Management infotainment system, and a rear-view camera.

There are two main packages on offer, the Premium Package, and the Premium Plus Package. There is also the Sport Chrono Package. Apart from the packages, you have a ton of stand-alone options such as transmission, ventilated seats, ashtray, etc. that all cater to enhancing the Cayenne’s performance, interior and infotainment, exterior, and safety, and also a palette to choose from colors that suit your style. 

Which Trim should you buy?

If you are looking to squeeze out value from your Porsche Cayenne, then the base trim has pretty much what you are looking for at a relatively reasonable price. Jumping up to the S is not meant for the faint-hearted and the fact that you can essentially option out the Cayenne to include another Cayenne’s MSRP can be a little daunting. In all fairness, Porsche has always charged through the nose for their options and the Cayenne is no different, but even in its base trim, the Cayenne remains to be very impressive.

The base Cayenne comes equipped with a very potent 3.0 Litre Turbocharged V6 that produces a healthy 335 bhp and 332 lb-ft of torque. This base engine is capable enough to catapult this tank from 0-60 mph in a mere 4.8 seconds, but if you are still not satisfied for some reason, you can opt for the upgraded engine in the Cayenne S. The Cayenne S features a 2.9 Litre Twin Turbo V6 that generates a very significant 434 bhp and 406 lb-ft of torque which makes this behemoth turn into a proper warhead. Although these engines are mated to an 8 Speed Automatic transmission instead of the more desirable PDK unit, the transmission feels extremely capable and up to the task. Slapping on the Sports Chrono package with the PDK transmission can definitely shave off a couple of tenths from your drag time, but out in the real world, the difference would be much less apparent.

The 2019 Porsche Cayenne base version completes the 0-60 mph run in 5.9 seconds and takes 14.4 seconds for the quarter-mile. It has a rated top speed of 164 mph. The Porsche Cayenne S takes a sweet 4.2 seconds to hit the 0-60 mph mark whereas the quarter-mile comes up in13.5 seconds. The top speed remains the same on both variants. 

The Jaguar manages to stand tall when it comes to outright acceleration as it vrooms past with a significant lead of 0.8 seconds over the Cayenne. The Porsche sadly comes in last amongst the competition in its 0-60 run, but it is the Maserati that loses out to the rest in a quarter-mile run. The Jaguar again has the best quarter-mile time at 13.8 seconds. The lighter curb weight of the Jaguar lends it a distinct advantage over the rest which straight away translates to better performance. The Porsche Cayenne however has the highest top speed at 164 mph.

How well does the 2019 Porsche Cayenne handle?

If you stay away from the optional 20-inch alloy wheels that make the ride jittery, the Porsche manages to offer to handle and ride comfort that just seems to defy physics. With stuff like Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Rear Wheel Steering, Air Suspension, and Porsche Active Aerodynamics, the Cayenne warps the world around you the moment you step on the accelerator, and the Cayenne carves out a road. 

The way the Cayenne handles turns and corners even at higher speeds seems to defy physics. But as a Porsche, such handling characteristics are expected and the Cayenne does not disappoint. It is sharp and agile, with taut chassis and suspension control; and when reeling back a little it also displays the duality of its phenomenal suspension by being comfortable enough for taking the family along. The cabin is quiet, and the ride comfort is excellent.

Braking Performance

Much like other options from Porsche, the Cayenne could also be had with either the standard braking setup or an upgraded and extremely pricey carbon-ceramic package that could be a little too aggressive for many, but for 2019 the Cayenne brings a certain “PSCB” to the table too. The Porsche Surface Coated brakes have been introduced for the 2019 model year and these feature a thin layer of tungsten carbide on the standard rotors that claim to prolong the brakes by upwards of 30% while also producing negligible brake dust.

To make it even more enticing, Porsche throws in the 10 piston calipers up front and the 4 piston calipers in the rear that are borrowed straight from the carbon-ceramic option. The Callipers also feature a distinct White Powder Coating that differentiates them from both of the other braking setups visually.

The brakes on the Porsche are hands down the best in the segment even with just the regular setup, the moment you opt for the Carbon Ceramics or the PSCB setup, you can expect the stopping distances to drop even further. It is tough to fathom how well such a vehicle can shed speed, especially when looking at the fact that the rest of its competitors are noticeably lagging in this department.

As times have progressed, the Cayenne has consistently improved when it comes to its EPA ratings and for 2019, the Cayenne is on the better end of the spectrum when it comes to fuel efficiency. The 2019 Porsche Cayenne returns 19 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined. It has a fuel capacity of 20 gallons. Even though it has such respectable figures, the car does not cross 500 miles of range at all.

The Porsche offers one of the better fuel economies in the entire segment which could be attributed to the newer cylinder deactivation tech and more modern nannies. The Maserati Levante on the other hand stands out like a sore thumb due to its low in city EPA estimates of 15 mpg which takes away from its already shady reputation at this point. Even though the Porsche does offer better fuel economy than others, it is the Audi that takes the lead when it comes to range, all thanks to its larger fuel tank. The Audi has a range of 434 miles combined, 14 miles more than the Cayenne’s.

With a slew of haptic feedback integrated touch-sensitive buttons and knurled knobs, rockers, and dials, the 2019 Porsche Cayenne has arguably one of the fanciest feeling interiors in its segment. The Cayenne not only employs the use of top-quality materials inside its cabin but also opens up a lot of space both in the front and the rear to keep even the taller occupants happy.

In typical Porsche fashion, every nook and cranny of the Cayenne can be done up to spec provided you have the required cash handy. The front seats offer great amounts of support and comfort, and the driver seat especially is through joy to be in. However, some of the rivals do offer the option of opting for the third row of seats, and the usual Cayenne buyers would be delighted to just have the available additional seating over the standard seating.

All four cars offer similar space on the inside. The legroom offered in all is decent as well. To nitpick and be strict, the Levante is the one that we would consider at a strict disadvantage when it comes to the cabin, as not only is the quality inside questionable, but the overall dimensions of the cabin make for a cramped sitting experience. The lack of a cargo volume serves to be an even harder blow to an already side-stepping Levante. The Audi and the Porsche come close in terms of cargo capacity, whereas the Jaguar F-Pace S  offers the most cargo capacity. Some of the interior features on the 2019 Cayenne are:

• Leather upholstery
• Cruise Control
• Climate control
• Keyless ignition
• Universal door opener
• Internal air filtration

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 12.3 Inch Porsche Connect Plus Infotainment System available on the Porsche Cayenne is a definitive highlight as it is a pleasure to operate. The touch response is extremely fluid while the user interface feels intuitive to navigate and upmarket to look at. The 10-speaker standard audio setup on offer is more than enough for most as it offers great sound separation and thumping bass, but if you are an audiophile at heart, then upgrading to the 14 Speaker Bose system or the ear-shattering 21-speaker Burmester System might be something you want to look at.

The 1455 watts of the combined power output of the Burmeister system elevates the overall infotainment experience to the next level and portrays a sound signature that is tough to replicate in the segment. Although the system does come shod with Apple CarPlay, the lack of Android Auto does appear to be a very strange omission. Some of the more notable infotainment features are mentioned below:

• Apple CarPlay
• Sirius XM
• Wifi Hotspot
• 12.3 Inch Infotainment Display
• Porsche Connect Plus System
• 10-Speaker Hi-fi Audio System/14 Speaker Bose System/ 21 speaker Burmester System

The 2019 Porsche Cayenne offers a sleek-looking silhouette that is bedazzled with a set of wonderful Matrix LED headlamps and taillamps. The curvy design, sloping bonnet, and some tasteful air intakes give the Cayenne a very handsome-looking structure, one that is now more widely liked. The 2019 Porsche Cayenne’s exterior does follow more in the footsteps of the Porsche 911. The design is curvier and larger than before. At the rear, the design does remind one of the Porsche Panamera.

All of the vehicles in question offer some great-looking exteriors, but we would have to point out that the coupe-like design of the Audi Q8 does stand out quite a lot. Even though the Q8 sports the humblest badge amongst the lot, the designers at Audi have certainly made the Q8 extremely pretty and it certainly sits well with the likes of the Porsche and Maserati. The Levante is a very pretty vehicle to look at too, but in our eyes, we do believe that the design of the Cayenne is much more graceful. The cars come close in terms of dimensions, and it's the ground clearance that makes the cars appear taller or shorter. Some of the other exterior features that make the Porsche Cayenne stand out are as follows:

• LED Headlights and 4-point LED DRLs
• 3D LED Taillights
• 19-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires
• Rear-wiper Privacy glass for rear windows
• Aluminum accents on body panels
• "PORSCHE" logo and model designation on the rear hatch in High Gloss Silver
• Integrated rear spoiler
• Twin single-tube tailpipes in brushed stainless steel
• Active Aero Flaps in the Front

Like many other higher-end vehicles, the 2019 Porsche Cayenne hasn’t been crash-tested by the NHTSA or the IIHS, but we have our faith in Porsche as a manufacturer and the Cayenne itself when it comes to safety as the Cayenne does offer some great active safety features even if most aren’t standard fitment. Although the Cayenne offers some great active safety features that have been mentioned below, we would have liked more of them to have been standard across the range:

• Automated Emergency Braking
• Lane Departure Warning
• Forward Collision Warning
• Lane Keep Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Night Vision
• Infrared Camera
• Front and Rear Parking Sensors
• Blind Spot Monitoring
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alerts

2019 Porsche Cayenne vs 2019 Maserati Levante

The diminishing reputation of Maserati coupled with a lukewarm interior and high price tag serves to make a very weak argument for the Levante. Yes, the Maserati is quicker by the tiniest of margins, but the moment you step to the Cayenne S, the Maserati Levante is blown to smithereens. It is tough to recommend the Levante over the Cayenne as the Cayenne is not just a better product, but also offers a significantly better after-sales experience.

2019 Porsche Cayenne vs 2019 Audi Q8

With the 2019 Audi Q8 debuting alongside the 2019 Porsche Cayenne, we expect to capture a decent chunk of the audience. Yes, the Q8 lacks the sheer desirability in front of a Porsche, but when comparing both the products, it is pretty evident that Audi has managed to create a fantastic product that would go on to serve as a threat to vehicles even a segment above.

2019 Porsche Cayenne vs 2019 Jaguar F-Pace

The Jaguar F-pace has consistently impressed us in the past when it comes to handling and performance, and even in front of the cayenne, it doesn’t disappoint. Yes, the Cayenne does sport a richer badge on the bonnet, but when it comes to brass tacks, the Jag manages to be significantly faster in its S guise when compared to the base Cayenne while also being significantly cheaper. Yes, the overall luxury quotient of the cayenne is a step above, but the Jaguar F-Pace is still a very worthy opponent. 

The 2019 Porsche Cayenne is everything that the Cayenne has stood for in the past and is more for the future. The third generation of the Cayenne features lavish interiors, striking exteriors, and some very meaty mechanicals. The Cayenne can be shod with plenty of technological features, though some of them can be a tad bit too pricey for our liking. Although there is some stiff competition in the space, as the Cayenne leans more towards performance than practicality, we certainly believe that the Cayenne is the perfect buy for an individual that wants to get a 911 inside his heart, but needs a practical vehicle to lug the family around too!