The Porsche Cayenne arrives after a facelift with a sharper design, more powerful engines and a new interior

It’s no longer a secret that around halfway through the decade, an all-electric fourth-generation Cayenne will appear on a new platform specifically for large, luxury electric cars.

The third edition on the MLB platform, which has been on the market since 2017, is getting a facelift this year and, logically, not just for a few years. It will most likely remain in the offer next to the new electric car, just as it will be with the Macan first and the upcoming second, also completely electric generation.

Comparison of the front of the third generation Cayenne before the facelift and after the modernization (right). Move the slider to compare.

From a visual point of view, modernization means rather subtle retouches for the SUV and the derived version of the Coupé with a sloping roof. Others are the bumpers, with the front one even more reminiscent of the first generation Cayenne with its larger side openings.

The front headlights have a more angular shape, but above all they offer advanced technologies. They handle Matrix LED technology with coverage of surrounding traffic in HD resolution.

“With two high-resolution modules and more than 32,000 pixels per module, their innovative technology detects other vehicles and blocks their high beam light with pixel precision so it doesn’t dazzle them. The brightness of the modules can be adjusted in more than 1,000 steps depending on the driving situation,” says Ben Weinberger, spokesperson for this model line.

Comparison of the rear of the third generation Cayenne before the facelift and after modernization (right). Move the slider to compare.

The stern has also changed, although the lamps remain horizontally divided and the belt extends across the entire stern, but they have a different shape and light signature. The license plate has moved outside the trunk lid.

The color range of paintwork has also been expanded, and there are also new looks for alloy wheels with 23-inch discs.

Despite the fact that it is a car with a combustion engine, let’s look for inspiration in the design language of the interior in the Taycan electric car. We are talking about rounder curves or a digital instrument panel, which is very elegantly set into the dashboard and retains the typical five virtual “alarm clocks”.

Comparison of the interior of the third-generation Cayenne before the facelift and after modernization (right). Move the slider to compare.

Starting is traditionally to the left of the steering wheel, only it is a button instead of a built-in “key”, which is a bit of a shame for old-timers. The shifter can now be found to the right of the steering wheel, freeing up space on the center console.

It was the central tunnel that pleased me with its user-friendliness. You have physical volume and ventilation controls at your fingertips, two of the most used elements in the car that you don’t need to touch. The physical buttons also remain on the steering wheel, and everything works with beautiful precision.

The central 12.3-inch display is based on the infotainment used until now. It has high resolution, great contrast and the system is very intuitively structured.

A completely new feature is the optionally integrated, 10.9-inch display for the front passenger. The additional touch screen is a separate world for the passenger, in addition to almost all the information that is available on the screen in the middle, it also allows the use of media services including streaming platforms. Then just put on the headphones.

In order not to distract the driver’s image, there is a special film on the screen. I focused on this element, and the driver does not really notice the film turned on with peripheral vision, if he turns his head and concentrates, he sees only a weak brightness without clear outlines.

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Interestingly, Porsche used foil for this purpose instead of stacking pixels, as offered for example in Jaguar Land Rover’s center screens, but it is undoubtedly a cheaper and very effective solution.

In terms of technology, it is a very pleasant place to live, the workmanship is excellent and there are well-known design elements for the Cayenne, such as the handles at the center tunnel.

The facelift for the Cayenne model also means significant technical changes. The basic suspension with steel springs included has new dampers with two-valve technology. Separate rebound and compression stages allow for optimized performance in multiple driving situations.

Porsche states that this has notably improved comfort at low speeds, controllability during dynamic cornering and suppression of body roll.

Adaptive air suspension with two-chamber, two-valve technology is also new. This improves the driving experience thanks to the soft suspension characteristics, stabilizes the vehicle and simplifies handling on the road and off-road – compared to the standard suspension as well as its predecessor, according to the automaker. Porsche also promises a more pronounced differentiation of the Normal, Sport and Sport Plus driving modes.

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Changes also took place in the range of engines. It debuts in Europe with three engines. The basis is the version Cayenne with an optimized three-liter six-cylinder engine. It now generates 260 kW (353 hp) and 500 Nm, which is 10 kW (13 hp) and 50 Nm more than before.

The same six-cylinder also forms the basis of the powertrain of the plug-in hybrid variant Cayenne E-Hybrid. Combined with the new electric motor, which has an increased output of 30 kW to 130 kW (176 hp), the combined output is increased to 346 kW (470 hp).

With a high-voltage battery with a capacity increased from 17.9 kWh to 25.9 kWh depending on the trim level, a purely electric range of up to 90 kilometers is now possible according to the stricter WLTP standard. The new 11 kW on-board charger now reduces the charging time with a suitable power source to less than two and a half hours, despite the increased battery capacity.

In the version Cayenne S farewell to the characterful 2.9-liter six-cylinder, but in its place is a modernized four-liter eight-cylinder developed in Porsche, unlike other engines of Audi origin. The maximum output is 349 kW (474 ​​hp) and a torque of 600 Nm – so it has 25 kW (34 hp) and 50 Nm more than its predecessor. The “Esk” SUV and Coupé accelerate to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. The maximum speed is 273 km/h.

Ultimate version Turbo GT unfortunately, after the facelift, it remains reserved not only for the Coupé, but mainly only for non-European markets, the output of the four-liter V8 was increased by 14 kW (19 hp) to 485 kW (659 hp). The Cayenne Turbo GT accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, the maximum speed is 305 km/h.

The new Cayenne can already be ordered in Germany at a price of 89,097 euros including VAT, which translates to just over two million crowns. Czech prices have not yet been published by the domestic representative office.

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