2019 (69) Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Turbo S 5dr Tiptronic S

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

You don't need a Porsche Cayenne Coupe, but we're guessing you'd really, really like one. As the name suggests, this is a sportier-looking version of the standard Cayenne large SUV and it was engineered with all the same Porsche thoroughness. It was the very first large SUV Coupe model the market was offered with handling that could really match the arresting looks that tend to be common in this segment. Here, we check out the earliest 2019-2023-era versions of this model out from a used buyer's perspective.

History

Is this Porsche Cayenne Coupe really the answer to a question no one was asking? That's what some of the car magazines say. But, as so often, they're wrong. Actually, by 2019 when this model was launched, quite a considerable number of well-heeled folk had been asking for a large luxury SUV with a sporting coupe-style look. That's why BMW's X6, the car that started this trend, was by that time in its third generation and Mercedes had just launched the second generation version of that car's closest rival, the GLE Coupe. Porsche wanted a slice of that action too, hence the need for this Cayenne Coupe. You actually wonder why the brand didn't do this earlier than 2019. Its conventional Cayenne SUV has always been the most sporting model in its segment. If its sharp handling prowess could be transferred into a sector rather in need of sharp handling prowess, you'd think fireworks could be in prospect. A GTS version arrived to slot in below the top Turbo version in 2020. This Cayenne Coupe sold in its original form until late 2023, when the range was substantially upgraded. It's the earlier pre-facelift versions of this Cayenne Coupe we look at here.

What You Get

That sloping roof line trims around 20mm from the height of a normal Cayenne and to even things out, a few extra millimetres of length and width have been added here and there. The result, to most eyes, is much more elegant than either a BMW X6 or a Mercedes GLE Coupe from this era - but then, those cars are supposed to have an 'in your face' demeanour; in a way, that's the point of them. A Cayenne Coupe doesn't bother with pavement theatrics of that kind, though it's equally style-conscious in its own rather more mature way. Take for example, the two available roof options - a full length panoramic glass affair or a carbonfibre panel with a 'double bubble' finish similar to that of a 911 GT3 RS. Up front, it's basically the same as a normal Cayenne, but various 'Lightweight Packages' could be specified from new, each offering various carbonfibre interior and exterior trim elements and seats with a combination of alcantara and checked cloth upholstery. In the rear, the normal bench makes way for a couple of individual seats, separated by a storage tray and a couple of cup holders. If you need the occasional option to take three, a '2+1' layout can be specified at extra cost. Out back, as you might expect, the boot shrunk in size over that in the SUV version - from 745 to 625-litres - though folding the rear chairs liberates 1,540-litres, only 138-litres down on the standard car.

What to Look For

We've heard reports of squealing brakes and Porsche issued a recall for a brake warning light that didn't let you know your pads were about to wear through. We also come across a few models with faulty powered tailgates. If the Cayenne Coupe you're looking at is loaded up with high-tech extras - like heat-sensing night vision, a head-up display, a 360-degree parking monitor, 14 or 18-way power front seats with massage, ventilation or heat functions - make sure that all these features work properly. And don't entertain inflated prices designed to cover the original cost of these extras. Check for scratched or kerbed alloy wheels and for the usual child damage in the back. And of course insist on a fully stamped-up service history. We came across some particular specialists in Cayenne information, sales and maintenance; try www.jzmachtech.com (sales and service), www.saxton4x4.co.uk (sales), www.cayenneforums.com (forums) or www.porscheownersclub.org.uk (club).

Replacement Parts

(Estimated prices, based on a 2019 year Cayenne Coupe S) - ref www.design911shop.com Cayenne Coupe spares are predictably quite pricey, although they never cross the border into exorbitant. An air filter will be priced at around £40-£66. An oil filter is in the £14-£28 bracket. A wiper blade is around £80. Front brake pads are around £273; for rear pads, you're looking at around £99. Front brake discs are around £180; for a rear disc, you're looking at around £236. A rear brake pad and disc package is in the £357 bracket. A pair of PDLS-spec headlamps would cost you £1,100. For a rear lamp outer section, you're looking at around £489.

On the Road

You might not be surprised to hear that a Cayenne Coupe drives almost exactly like an ordinary Cayenne. Of course, the standard Cayenne isn't 'ordinary' in the way it hurls nearly 2.3-tonnes of Zuffenhausen real estate up the road. Porsche reckoned this variant was even better because of its fractionally lower centre of gravity, though any difference, is there is any, is virtually impossible to detect - on the public road anyway. As with the conventional car, the steering is on another level to what you get from large SUVs from most other brands, being meaty and direct. And, as on the conventional car, from new there was the option of 'PDCC' 'Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control' that features active anti-roll bars that aim to reduce body lean at speed through the corners. Through those bends, traction can be maximised if you get a car whose original owner paid for the 'PTV Plus' 'Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus' rear differential and the rear wheel steer axle. As in the straightforward Cayenne SUV line-up, the engine range kicks off with a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol unit developing 330PS. Next up is the Cayenne S, which gets a twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 good for 440PS. Then there's the first of the V8s, a GTS model with 466PS. At the top of the range is the Cayenne Turbo, which gets a 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 putting out a potent 550PS. There are also two plug-in variants, making up for the lack of a diesel: first the 462PS E-Hybrid and, for the really high rollers, a top Turbo S E-Hybrid with 680PS.

Overall

Why is the motoring press so disparaging towards car like this? Increasingly, people aspire to them just as much as to a top Porsche or Ferrari. Ideally of course, you'd have sportscar and sports SUV and if your oak-timbered garage was fortunate enough to accommodate both a Cayenne Coupe (preferably a Turbo) and a 911, we reckon your motoring life would be pretty well covered. The technology on offer here is awesome - rear wheel steering, air suspension, anti-roll systems and so on - but even if you don't get a Cayenne Coupe fitted with all of that, you'll still get a car that dynamically, redefines what's possible in its segment. Just as Porsches always have.