Great expectations from Porsche

placeholder image — Porsche Cayenne Electric | Pics: Hugh Maguire

Roadtest: Hugh Maguire tests the Porsche Cayenne Electric to gauge its electric switch

Porsche has recently had some well-publicised problems of late. Profitability has collapsed, with operating margins falling to record lows.

The model line-up has had to be revisited. There are a few reasons for this, namely that the Chinese market for Porsche cars weakened rapidly as buyers there opted for less expensive domestic products. There are also tariff pressures and restructuring costs. An early adoption of EV powertrains has proven to be a costly mistake too, as sports car buyers have been slower than most to adopt the electric vehicle.

Porsche also no longer has a more affordable mid-engined two-door sports car, as ICE Boxster and Cayman production is finished while they continue to develop their electrically powered replacements. It is within this environment that they have launched the new Cayenne electric.

The Cayenne range is available with three powertrains, namely e-hybrid, petrol or, as on test here, electric, and there are two body styles - an SUV and a Coupe SUV. I should point out that this new Cayenne electric does not share the body style or interior with the Cayenne e-hybrid or the petrol version. It has its own look and interior.

The car on test here is the entry-level Cayenne electric.

First impressions

It is distinctive and very much a Porsche in its styling, though I think they could have been a bit braver with the front end. The side profile is excellent, as is the rear with the Porsche name illuminated within the full-width light bar. The new Cayenne leaves the onlooker in no doubt that this SUV is indeed a Porsche.

So what’s it like inside?

I found the cabin of the new Cayenne to be simply superb. The driver's display is all digital but done in a way so as to keep an analogue style, which I particularly like. It is also fully configurable so that, should you wish you can have the traditional Porsche five-dial layout too.

The central screen, which Porsche calls the ‘Flow Display’, sweeps down from the dashboard into the centre console. I found this to be absolutely superb to use as your hand rests on a pad while operating the menus which are in the lower part of the screen.

Finally, someone put some common sense thinking into how a touchscreen should work in a car. Below that are beautifully crafted knurled switches for the climate control and audio volume.

The whole interior is beautifully executed with bulletproof build quality as you would expect from Porsche. The dash and that sweeping ‘Flow Display’ layout are ergonomically perfect and look beautiful too. The detail, such as the aluminium switchgear right down to the electric seat switches and the precise stitching of the gorgeous sports seats, makes it very obvious that this is not just a luxury premium SUV but also a very sports-oriented one.

Porsche calls its central screen the ‘Flow Display’. | Pic: Hugh Maguire

The driving position is perfect and, of course, fully variable via the electric steering and seat adjustment. The level of standard equipment is very good, but as always with Porsche, there is an extensive and expensive options list. You can “build your own Cayenne” to exactly your specifications with the dealer or on the Porsche car configurator.

I really like the whole ambience of the cabin. At night it is beautifully illuminated too, with multiple choices for the ambient lighting. It all feels just about perfect.

The Cayenne electric will seat four adults in absolute comfort. That middle rear seat is really not suited to anybody but maybe a child. There is a huge load area of some 781 litres (rear seats in more upright cargo position) or 1,588 litres with the rear seats folded forward, which they do electrically at the touch of a button.

The precision and poise it displays are second to none.

Hugh Maguire

The rear load area also has a button for raising or lowering the back of the car to assist with loading, and the whole area is accessed via gesture control or the button on the rear hatch. With gesture control, a wave of your foot towards the rear bumper opens the tailgate if the key fob is on your person. All very nicely high-tech but practical too.

So what’s under the bonnet?

The new Cayenne electric uses a dual-motor powertrain on an evolved version of Porsche’s PPE (Premium Platform Electric). Power comes from a big 113kWh battery powering the two motors, giving it all wheel drive. The 800 volt architecture enables very fast DC charging of up to 390kW from a suitable high-power charger if you can find one!

In reality, this means you could go from 10% to 80% charge in about 15 mins again if at a suitable high-power charger. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Distinctive Porsche styling. | Freelance

Max power is 442 PS with launch control and overboost, and this results in pretty lively performance for such a big, heavy vehicle. It seems to have relentless acceleration no matter the speed. 0 to 100 km/h is dispatched in just 4.8 seconds, and top speed where legal is 230km/h. Porsche claims a range of around 640km WLTP, but from my road test results, expect closer to 540km in real-world mixed driving, which is still excellent. Road tax is €120.

Will I enjoy driving it?

A car weighing some 2.5 tonnes has no right to handle this well, but with an excellent chassis and Porsche adaptive air suspension, this Cayenne handles very well indeed. I found the steering to be precise and responsive, while there is almost no body roll in corners; the brakes are mighty and the grip tenacious whether on wet or dry roads.

It corners as though on rails and displays a nimbleness normally reserved for the best sports cars. Ok I acknowledge it's no 911 but the new Cayenne electric is truly a drivers car disguised as an SUV! I loved every Km behind the wheel. The precision and poise it displays are second to none. With a choice of drive modes, Sport, Sport Plus, Normal, Individual and off-road, you can tune the car to your particular driving style or environment.

When you want it to be a relaxed motorway cruiser, it is, yet flick the round drive mode switch to Sport Plus, and everything becomes more finely tuned and very reactive, turning it into a very involving and lively sports SUV.

Hugh’s verdict

Prices start at €113,600, and remember that is before you tick any of the juicy options on the configurator, which can quickly add as much as €20,000 in options to your base price (as on my test car). Trust me, you will tick quite a few as Porsche are not as generous as some other brands with their standard kit.

In my opinion, the new Porsche Cayenne electric offers everything you would expect from a luxury SUV from this sporting brand, plus two unmatched ingredients. Porsche pedigree and Porsche driving dynamics. If you value a rewarding driving experience in an electric vehicle, the Cayenne delivers on that. A! MORE BELOW PHOTO.