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2005 Porsche Cayenne Mid-Size Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle
…Continued
Yes, it's a Porsche: Cayenne SUV has obvious sports-car roots
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She likes cars that are quiet and smooth, the ones designed to keep sleeping babies asleep. I, on the other hand, like cars designed to make babies scream louder than a squadron of Navy jet fighters, cars with suspensions that let you feel every freakin' crack in the pavement so you can stay in complete control at the limits of adhesion.
This Porsche SUV had an incredible race-tuned suspension that brought back memories of some old Porsches I fell in love with -- the vicious 911, the ugly-but-great handling 914, and the ahead-of-its-time 928.
It was the real deal and surprisingly felt nothing like its Volkswagen sibling.
It was also ridiculously fast, as any Porsche should be. It came with a middle-of-the-range, 4.5-liter V8 engine that made 340 horsepower, enough for plenty of trouble with the law, for around $56,000. You can save about $15 grand by picking a V6, or you can pay about $35,000 more to get a turbocharged version that can smoke almost any vehicle on the road -- SUV or not.
Its driving feel was sheer perfection, as its hefty body stayed almost perfectly flat through corners and its nimble, lightweight feel belied its big SUV dimensions. It has a bumpier, firmer ride than you'll find in any other luxury SUV, but it also sticks to the road better than any other SUV, including the brilliant BMW X5 I'd driven a couple of weeks earlier.
Styling is polarizing, as most people seem to absolutely love it or absolutely hate it.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Cayenne's look because it's as if the stylists weren't trying hard enough. They just stuck the 911's front end onto an SUV body, which is like putting Julia Roberts' nose on me -- it ain't gonna do any good.
Inside, the materials are nice and luxurious, but they could be matched or beat by the likes of Lexus, BMW, Mercedes and even Volkswagen. Its real strength on the inside is how incredibly tight its construction feels, almost like the dash and interior trim are attached to a frame of solid granite.
Even the base Cayenne comes with the luxury basics, like leather seats, side impact protection and power everything. Its biggest downside is, like other Porsches, the outrageous price of some options. A loaded turbo model can cost well over $100 grand, and high-end options can add tens of thousands to any model if you get carried away.
But if you want an SUV that can tackle club autocrosses on the weekends, it's worth every penny.
Pros? If you want an SUV that you wouldn't be ashamed to hit the racetrack on weekends, this is it. It was developed alongside a Volkswagen, but its feel and performance are pure Posrsche.
Cons? It's expensive. Even if you choose the bargain-priced V6 model for around $41,000, options quickly drive up the price.
Ratings (1-10)
- Style: 5
- Performance: 10
- Price: 5
- Handling: 10
- Ride: 6
- Comfort: 9
- Quality: 10
- Overall: 8
More Data
Where Built: Germany
Major Options: Leather upholstery, Porsche Active Suspension Management, Cayenne Sport Design Wheels, All-season tires, Bi-xenon headlights, Satellite radio, Panoramic power sunroof, Navigation system, Tire-pressure monitor, Rearview camera.
Seating: 5.
Number of Rows: 2
Length in Inches: 188.3
Warrantees: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper, 10 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection, 4 years/50,000 miles Roadside assistance.
Weight in Pounds: 4949 lbs.
Cargo Capacity in Pounds: 1598 â€' 1797 lbs.
Gross Maximum Vehicle Weight in Pounds: 6790.
Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Available.
Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 26.2
Destination Charge: $815
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