2024 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Review

Difficult as it may be to believe, Porsche’s first-ever utility is now more than 20 years old, and over the past two decades it has entrenched itself as one of the company’s bestsellers.

True, in some years the smaller Macan SUV may be the ultimate Porsche bestseller worldwide, but it is the Cayenne that has led the charge in transitioning Porsche from a pure sports car-only marque into one that with a more complete range of models.

During a recent trip to Leipzig, Germany, where a small group of journalists (including yours truly) were able to get a closer look at the forthcoming Macan EV – more on that on Dec. 11— we also spent some time behind the wheel of the Cayenne, the E-Hybrid plug-in, to be specific.

Like the rest of the third gen Cayenne lineup, the E-Hybrid sports a wide range of changes as part of a mid-cycle update for 2024.

There’s a lot to get to here, so let’s start under the hood.

The powertrain for the ’24 Cayenne E-Hybrid starts off with a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine that produces 300 horsepower. Working in tandem with the V6 is an electric motor and a high-voltage battery pack. The output of the motor is up by 40 horsepower to 174, while the battery pack’s output has been increased from 17.9 to 25.9 kWh.

Combined, the E-Hybrid produces 468 horsepower and 479 lb-ft. of torque. Despite the increase in battery size, the charge time has been reduced to less than 2.5 hours thanks to the presence of a 9.6 kWh on-board charger. Like the rest of the Cayenne range, the E-Hybrid features an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.

I hesitate to call the 2024 Cayenne’s styling update modest, but what I mean by that is that it still looks a lot like the outgoing model. In fact, unless the two cars were parked side-by-side, you might not notice the differences at first.

That said, Porsche designers have made several changes to the Cayenne’s appearance. Up front, the ’24 receives a redesigned power-dome hood, a new front apron, and bigger air intakes. Other changes include a new arched wing and new LED headlights. I’ll have more to say on the latter further down.

At the rear, the LED taillights are new, as is the rear apron and license plate holder. A redesigned wider tailgate is also on the menu, as are eight new wheels designs.

While it could be argued the Cayenne’s exterior styling is more evolution than revolution, the same cannot be said for the cabin. Porsche has taken some big swings here. The new Cayenne borrows significantly on the themes laid down by the pure electric Taycan sedan.

For instance, large digital screens adorn the dashboard and cockpit areas, and that’s where my eyes are drawn once I open the driver’s door. Much like the Taycan, the Cayenne’s 12.6-inch instrument cluster display is curved and configurable. The 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen anchors the center dashboard and serves as the home for the PCM (Porsche Communication Management) system.

A host of other design changes have also been rolled out. They include a new climate control panel, new dash-mounted gear selector lever, a new control lever for drive assistance systems, and a new engine start button. New optional equipment offerings include a Head-Up display, and 10.9-inch multimedia passenger touchscreen.

Porsche has also increased the number of interior colors and materials, along with a redesigned dashboard, door panels, center console and air outlets, and panoramic roof.

As mentioned, the ’24 Cayenne delivers new tech, and nowhere is it more present than with the new optional HD Matrix LED headlights (Matrix LEDs are standard).

Each headlight housing features several lighting elements that serve different functions: four are thin daytime runners, two are for ground illumination / high beam, one is an HD module for performance with telephoto lens, one is an HD module for illumination with telephoto lens, and finally, one is a static cornering light.

Essentially, these headlights offer better illumination (more than 32,000 pixels per headlamp) and possess the technology to block out the light beam that many temporarily blind (or dazzle, as Porsche says) other road users. Brightness also has more than 1,000 levels of adjustment that change depending on driving conditions.

Before I get to my driving impressions, I’ll note that Porsche has made some changes to the Cayenne’s suspension. The optional Porsche Active Management System (PASM) now uses steel springs, and new shock absorbers with two-valve technology, for separate compression and rebound. Adaptive air suspension with two-chamber, two-valve technology is also part of the suspension package.

With that out of the way, on to my impressions.

The Cayenne E-Hybrid delivers between 48 and 56 miles (77 – 90 km) of pure electric range, which is a notable improvement over the outgoing model (25 – 30 miles / 40 – 48 km). However, the E-Hybrid is still a Cayenne, which means it’s also quite fast: 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 158 mph (254 km/h).

My driving partner and I found out how that feels during stints on the Autobahn outside of Leipzig where we hit 124 mph (200 km/h) with ease. We were struck not only by how fast the Cayenne E-Hybrid is, but how stable it feels at speed. It wasn’t buffeted by wind, it didn’t squirm or feel uneasy, it was like a bullet being shot out of a high-powered rifle. Precise and on target. I should note our European-market tester had a sticker indicating the car was not to exceed speeds above 250 km/h.

Otherwise, the Cayenne E-Hybrid is quite pleasing to drive at lower speeds. Smooth and quiet, with nary a squeak or rattle. Its cabin environment is also quite pleasing; comfortable, with an uncluttered, modern design that’s easy to interact with. Some may lament the lack of buttons on the center console, but I am not one of them.

The 2024 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid checks all the boxes when it comes to a performance hybrid: appealing styling and amenities, plenty of advanced tech, improved pure-electric range, and knockout performance.

It will put a dent in your wallet, especially as optioned here, and for those lusting after pure EV performance, it may not satisfy. But these are not dealbreakers in my eyes. The 2024 Cayenne E-Hybrid is better in every way than its predecessor and is worthy of consideration for those in the performance SUV market.

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