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First drive: Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.

First drive: Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid
Porsche's hybrid Cayenne thinks it's a supermini. Kind of.

   



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Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

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Porsche's Cayenne was once very much in the sights of eco-warriors, but the latest E-Hybrid model comes with a set of official economy and emissions figures that would put some superminis to shame.

Test Car Specifications

Model tested: Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid
Pricing: £61,474
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged six-cylinder petrol with synchronous electric motor
Transmission: four-wheel drive, eight-speed automatic
Body style: five-door, five-seat SUV
CO2 emissions: 79g/km (Band A, £0 first year, £0 per year thereafter)
Combined economy: 83.0mpg
Top speed: 150mph (77mph in EV mode)
0-62mph: 5.9 seconds
Power: 416hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 590Nm at 1,250- to 4,000rpm

What's this?

Not content with offering a wide variety of performance variants of its Cayenne SUV, Porsche has now gone and given it the plug-in hybrid treatment in the shape of the new Cayenne S E-Hybrid. It is the third PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) to be offered in the Porsche range making the German manufacturer the leader in this segment. Like the Panamera S E-Hybrid and the 918 Spyder, the Cayenne also gets bright green brake callipers and accented badging, but otherwise it is visually identical to the more conventionally-powered Cayennes, barring an additional 'fuel' flap for the charging plug.

The cabin is little changed either, so it remains a 'busy' design. Granted, it is a better layout than the Panamera's, but there is still a huge button count, while we found the legroom for the front-seat passenger to be somewhat limited by the engine bay structure encroaching on the footwell. Further back there is plenty of space for three in the rear while the boot volume of 580 litres can be expanded up to 1,690 litres, though owners of muddy mountain bikes may choose to opt for an external carrier.

How does it drive?

At the core of the plug-in hybrid system is a 10.8kWh lithium-ion battery, which, providing it is sufficiently charged, is the prime mover when you start the Cayenne. It is in fact the same size as that used in the Panamera S E-Hybrid, though its capacity has been increased and charging can be completed in as little as 90 minutes from an optimised supply. When fully charged the battery is good for 22 miles of pure electric driving. It might not sound like a lot but Porsche estimates that this range is more than sufficient to cover the average daily commute of many of its customers.

Should you need that electric drive to last a little longer, the car's 'Hybrid Manager' does give users the option of choosing to retain a set level of charge in the lithium-ion battery to be used at a point further on in the trip. Additionally, the battery can also be charged by using the petrol engine as a generator and this is capable of charging the battery to around 80 per cent capacity in approximately 30 minutes of driving, though this does have an impact on overall engine performance, as well as fuel efficiency.

Prod the throttle a little harder and the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine spools into life with the kind of sonorous tone you would expect from a Porsche. The integration of the additional 333hp from the petrol engine is seamless in all but full-throttle scenarios while the eight-speed automatic gearbox provides the kind of fluidity between shifts that most buyers of such a premium-level vehicle would come to expect. With both motors in use the Porsche puts a total of 416hp and 590Nm at the driver's disposal giving it plenty of pace out of corners and when overtaking.

Dynamically, Porsche's engineers have done pretty well given the 2,350kg weight - a hefty 270kg increase over the standard Cayenne. There isn't quite as much roll in the suspension as some similarly-sized SUVs on the market meaning that, when required, the Porsche can be hustled along at a respectable pace while retaining its composure. The size and weight also have had an impact on the steering, which lacks the finesse of systems found in smaller, sportier Porsches.

Verdict

On the whole, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid is a rather smart package that demonstrates how large, luxurious SUVs that were once the manifestation of automotive vulgarity can now be every bit, if not more, eco-friendly as a supermini. It would be easy to see the Cayenne S E-Hybrid as some kind of green-appeasing gimmick, but it does in fact provide a very real alternative to opting for a diesel model, especially if you're not a high-mileage driver.

3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Exterior Design

3 3 3 3 3 Interior Ambience

3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Passenger Space

3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Luggage Space

4 4 4 4 4 Safety

4 4 4 4 4 Comfort

4 4 4 4 4 Driving Dynamics

4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 Powertrain


Dave Humphreys - 16 Jul 2015



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2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.


2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Image by Porsche.
 






 

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