2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Review: Bold and Chic

What we like:

Subtle yet effective exterior changes make for a very good-looking car

Built like a proper luxury SUV

Excellent handling for its size and impressive performance for a “base model”

What we dislike:

Tiptronic gearbox may be a tad lazy during city-driving

Options list can add up very quickly

Building upon the recent successful refresh of the Cayenne lineup, Porsche introduces the 2024 Cayenne Coupe, a sleeker yet bold variant that caters to drivers seeking a blend of performance, luxury, and a touch of individuality. This review follows our previous first drive in the facelifted Cayenne and Cayenne S (E3.2) during its launch late last year, delving into the nuances of the coupe version and exploring its unique appeal.

Exterior Design: A Sleeker, “Faster-Looking” Cayenne?

The defining characteristic of the Cayenne Coupe lies in its sloping roofline, which merges seamlessly into the rear haunches. This design element, though not new, does create a sportier and more dynamic aesthetic compared to those of the standard Cayenne. When placed next to the outgoing Cayenne Coupe, you will notice that the new model is distinctly sharper looking—a bolder front fascia and more angular headlight clusters with Matrix LED clusters give the new car a subtle yet bold look, something we rather adore.

Interior: A Proper Luxury Car?

Stepping inside, the Cayenne Coupe retains the luxurious and driver-centric cabin found in its older sibling. High-quality materials like leather and soft-touch plastics adorn the surfaces, while the 12.3-inch Porsche Communication Management infotainment system (PCM) takes centre stage. A new Taycan-inspired 12.6-inch curved instrument panel is now standard, replacing the old instrument cluster with analogue dials. Drivers will find navigating the infotainment system a breeze, and appreciate the depth of its configurability to suit their needs. The physical climate control buttons on the centre console are also a joy to use— milled from a single piece of metal that gives off a reassuring “click” with every toggle. The cabin of the Cayenne Coupe truly is a properly luxurious, yet tactile one.

Our only gripe has to be the compromised headroom in the rear as compared to the standard Cayenne, but hey, we can’t have our cake and eat it, can we?

Powertrain: Potent Performance with a V6 Heart

The heart of the Cayenne Coupe lies in its 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine. This unit pumps out a healthy 349 hp and 500 Nm of torque, a healthy improvement over its predecessor. This translates to a brisk century sprint time of 6.0 seconds, which, take our word for it, is plenty enough for most drivers. Should these figures not quench your thirst for power and big figures, there is a four-litre V8 powered Cayenne “S'' variant available, with a mouth-watering price tag to match.

The car’s 8-speed Tiptronic transmission is smooth, well-engineered, and to most, may be mistaken to be a double-clutched PDK gearbox. This engine and gearbox combination seamlessly delivers power to all four wheels, and if driven as intended, makes for very pleasant journeys indeed.

Driving Dynamics: A Blend of Comfort and Sportiness

The Cayenne Coupe boasts exceptional handling for its size and weight. The steering may exhibit some inherent “lightness” initially, but is sharp on the move and gets the car turning effectively. The car feels light on its feet and demonstrates little understeer during hard cornering, which is in part due to improvements Porsche had made to the chassis and suspension set-up of the car. The test car was fitted with the optional air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which allows for ride height and damping adjustments to suit individual driving preferences. Does it work well enough to justify the staggering S$12,941 add-on? Most definitely—depending on suspension modes, the car wafts along effortlessly, soaking up all the bumps and imperfections of most road surfaces without sacrificing handling. Simply brilliant.

Is the Cayenne Coupe Worth Its Price Tag?

Prices for the Cayenne Coupe will start from a cool S$411,988 (excluding COE), a figure that will very quickly breach the half-million-dollar mark once it is road-registered. Competitors aside, is it worth it? We think so. The facelifted Porsche Cayenne Coupe is a subtle, but proper step-up from its predecessor. It is now a proper luxury SUV more than ever, one that is capable, well-balanced and highly versatile. This is a car that will cater to the one and every need of most drivers—something that has defined the Cayenne for decades. Whether pottering around town conservatively, pretending it’s a 911, or seeking a one-car solution, this bona fide performance SUV may well and truly be your answer.

Photos by Chin Hui

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