2020 Porsche Cayenne Review

Porsche completely redesigned the Cayenne just last year, but the luxury automaker is far from done tinkering with its midsize SUV. Next up is a coupe-style variant for the 2020 Porsche Cayenne. Like its rivals such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe, this coupe doesn't constitute a two-door body style. Instead, it features an aggressively swept roofline for an arguably more attractive profile, at the expense of rear headroom and cargo capacity.

There's also a new range-topping powertrain for standard and coupe models. An upgrade over the existing E-Hybrid, the new Turbo S E-Hybrid turns the performance wick up considerably with a plug-in version of the Turbo's V8. Power output for this uber-ute stands at 670 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque, versus the Turbo's 541 hp and 568 lb-ft.

Though SUV coupes are less popular than their conventionally styled siblings, a more stylish body style fits right in line with Porsche's sports-car ethos. To bolster this image, a number of the Cayenne's optional performance upgrades come standard on the Cayenne Coupe. These include Porsche Active Suspension Management, the Sport Chrono package and 20-inch wheels, which can be equipped with sticky summer tires to maximize traction on asphalt. The fact that the Cayenne Coupe is available with the Cayenne's full complement of engine choices means Porsche is fully committed to this more specialized model.

The Turbo S E-Hybrid appeals to two different types of luxury buyer. As evidenced by the existence and popularity of Tesla's high-output Performance variants, even eco-conscious buyers are enticed by neck-snapping acceleration. Conversely, the Turbo S E-Hybrid gives shoppers who value speed both a boost to their eco cred and the ability to run on electric power — saving on trips to the gas station — when not driving the Cayenne to its limits.

The 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe competes against a trio of German rivals that sacrifice practicality for style. The BMW X6 impresses with a serene interior and an increased emphasis on technology. The Audi Q8 has more rear headroom than rivals, and acceleration from its turbocharged V6 is competitive. And while it hasn't been officially announced yet, we expect to see a new generation of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe based on the recently redesigned GLE.

The Turbo S E-Hybrid has few direct competitors since no rivals produce a super hybrid. In terms of price, the Cayenne costs almost the same as its corporate cousin, the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid. The Bentley uses the same powertrain configuration as the Cayenne E-Hybrid but weighs more, so its estimated 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds is quite far off the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid's 3.6-second sprint. But if you can sacrifice a bit of outright acceleration and handling prowess, the Bentley's interior truly stuns with materials of superlative quality.

The Cayenne Coupe's standard 3.0-liter V6 moves the base model without complaint. It goes about its business in a workaday manner, never feeling overstressed nor especially sporty. The S model's twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 isn't vastly more urgent in day-to-day driving and is slightly more likely to be caught off-boost at low speeds. But it has noticeably more punch when you give it the spurs. This zestier engine better matches the chassis.

No such ambiguity exists with the Turbo. With prodigious power and an exhaust note that announces attitude, the Turbo means business. There's effortless thrust available at all revs. And you'll want plenty of open road ahead if you plan on flooring the throttle for more than a half-dozen seconds. It's properly quick. But it's also expensive, with a base price that is more than $41,500 dearer than that of the S model one rung beneath it. To be fair, Turbos are equipped as standard with features that are optional on lesser trims.

We haven't driven the Cayenne Coupe with the S E-Hybrid powertrain but have tested it in the standard Cayenne. Around town, it feels very much like the more pedestrian E-Hybrid. That is to say that mild to moderate acceleration is easy to modulate, and thrust feels linear after the battery depletes. In short, you'd never know there was a 670-hp monster under the hood.

The Turbo S E-Hybrid is pricier still, representing a $35,400 increase over the Turbo. Stomp the accelerator pedal and you'll know exactly where your extra money went. Acceleration is explosive at speed, and even more so if you engage launch control from a dead stop. It's unbelievable that an SUV this large and heavy can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds.

That's only 0.3 second quicker than the Turbo, but the Turbo S E-Hybrid has a few extra tricks to justify the significant price increase. Several of the Turbo's options — including carbon-ceramic brakes, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, and the Sport Chrono package — are all standard on the Turbo S E-Hybrid.

Essentially lifted intact from the Cayenne, the Cayenne Coupe's cabin is an exceptionally inviting, attractive and comfortable place. The space is contemporary and comprehensively rich-looking. Despite the lower roofline, front headroom is ample and forward visibility doesn't noticeably suffer. The vast rear roof pillars heavily obscure the view over your shoulder, but the backup display is among the best we've encountered. It truly makes reversing an eyes-forward operation.

While the standard Cayenne has plenty of headroom and legroom in both rows, the Cayenne Coupe is a different story. To preserve some headroom in the back, rear passengers will sit about 1.2 inches lower when compared to a standard Cayenne. As such, there's still headroom to spare, even for 6-foot passengers. This height affects the ease of getting in and out of the vehicle. And it means that shorter rear-seat passengers may be stuck staring at the door panels — nothing inspires an early round of are-we-there-yets like not having a view. Then again, the Cayenne Coupe is catering to different needs than the standard Cayenne, and the buyer must be willing to accept these trade-offs.

The sleeker roofline also causes reductions to the Cayenne Coupe's ultimate cargo capacity, but it's not a deal-breaker. Behind the seatbacks is about 22 cubic feet of cargo space, which actually isn't too far behind the regular Cayenne's 27.1-cubic-foot cargo area. While battery packs and other plug-in hybrid components typically eat into a car's cargo space, the E-Hybrid and S E-Hybrid barely reduce the size of the cargo area at all.