SPECIFICATIONS

1. The 3.6L V6 engine produces 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. 2. Along with an 8-speed automatic the Cayenne V6 is available with a 6-speed manual transmission. 3. Fuel economy is rated at 15/22 mpg (city/hwy) with the manual 16/23 mpg with the automatic. 4. Priced from $50,575 after destination charges, our test vehicle came in at $65,655.

PREVIEW

Ignore the badge on the front of this vehicle. Pretend you don’t see it like that crazy person trying to get your attention on the subway.

Glancing down on the Cayenne’s hood and seeing that familiar crest with the word ‘Stuttgart’ above a rearing horse sends the brain to the wrong place. Images of screaming down the Mulsanne straight or clipping the apexes of the world famous Laguna Seca corkscrew come to mind.

Forget all that. This isn’t one of those Porsches. This is the everyday Porsche. There is no sport focused steering wheel, no heavily bolstered seats, no lowered suspension, no high performance tiresand no God-of-Thunder exhaust system. This is a true utility vehicle.

INTERIOR

Inside, the Cayenne looks like a proper luxury machine. Everything is power operated and finished in high quality materials. Features include an eight-way adjustable memory driver’s seat, leather seating surfaces, five 12 volt socket outlets (because you can never get enough), a power tailgate, a 7-inch touchscreen color display and a refrigerated glove compartment. The V6 Cayenne uses a conventional steering wheel complete with toggles and switches; no button-less Porsche sport-wheel here.

Like all Cayennes, passenger comfort is top notch. Four people could spend hours inside the cabin and three wide in the back is fairly accommodating. The actual seats are pleasant, but don’t quite match the level of comfort found in some of the Cayenne’s various seat upgrade options. The only place this Porsche really falters compared to its competitors is in cargo capacity; down 12.2 cu-ft to the BMW X5 and 17.4 cu-ft to the Mercedes-Benz ML.

UNDER THE HOOD

With the exception of the more efficient, yet costly Hybrid and Diesel versions, the Cayenne V6 is the budget-choice amongst Porsche crossovers (until the compact Macan arrives later this year). It is down two cylinders and two gears compared to S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S, but does boast one very important feature no other Cayenne can; a clutch pedal.

That’s right; standard on the Cayenne is a 6-speed manual transmission paired to a 3.6-liter V6 engine. For those not wanting to shift their own gears, there is an optional 8-speed automatic, but where is the fun in that?

With a mere 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque being pumped out of the great sounding direct injection V6, the 4,398 lb crossover is not going to win many drag races. But, Porsche still claims this is enough grunt to power the Cayenne from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds and continue onto top speed of 142 mph. It is not, however, recommended to attempt top speed while towing a travelling trailer.