2008 Porsche Cayenne Review

March 20th, 2009 by

Derek

2008 Porsche Cayenne
Driving Impressions

Performance is the 2008 Porsche Cayenne’s reason for being, since it certainly isn’t the most practical, comfortable, or luxurious SUV on the market. In terms of overall performance, the Porsche Cayenne exhibits some marked strengths and few major weaknesses.

Lordy, lordy! Praise the Porsche Engineers who developed the Cayenne’s dynamic suspension and turned out a fighting bull that isn’t afraid to go charging full speed on a curvy mountain road. We heartily recommend the optional active Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), which does a great job of counteracting body roll. When the PDCC system is on, the body roll typically found in heavy, tall vehicles is gone. The adjustable air suspension is very flexible, offering both a terrific, supple, well-controlled ride in the comfort setting and a fair amount of precision in the sport setting.

2008 Porsche Cayenne

In terms of steering feel, the Cayenne is light and responsive. Which makes carving through canyon roads that much more enjoyable. We were even impressed by the Cayenne’s off-road capabilities. The Cayenne is a superior off-highway performer and more than capable of maneuvering over imposing grades.

If you overstep your limits of confidence, there is a set of muscular binders to reign things back under control. The Cayenne S weighs in at a hefty 4,950 pounds, but we found the brakes to be hella-strong and kept the Cayenne in line better than your grade school Catholic teacher.

Exterior design

The subtle updates to the Cayenne models have helped, further distancing unflattering comparisons to the Volkswagen Touareg. Though the cosmetic changes are now pretty clear, the mechanical enhancements are harder to see through a zoom lens. But those gaping air intakes do suggest a big power increase.

2008 Porsche Cayenne

Props to the Cayenne

The Cayenne successfully defended its leading position as the benchmark in the SUV market with several magazines. Readers of Off Road, a specialist magazine for vehicles of this type, chose the Cayenne in their “Off Road Award 2008” as the best luxury SUV. Diners Club Magazine lauded the Cayenne as the “Best Offroader of the Year“, and the internet portal Autoscout24 presented the Cayenne with its “Internet Auto Award” as the best sports utility of its class throughout the whole of Europe. Porsche’s SUV also won the national competitions in Germany, France and the Netherlands, with Autorecht24 placing the Cayenne Turbo right at the top in 2008 as the “Car of the Year”.

Conclusion

The 2008 Cayenne is a step up from previous years with a boost in power, a suspension that works hard keeping a 5,000 pound behemoth agile on the road, and an exterior look that is easy on the eyes. If driving is your game, but need a work mule that is a step apart from the plethora of SUVs on the road today, the Cayenne could be the right ticket for you.