The Cayenne is not as richly appointed as a similarly priced Range Rover Sport, but it's not supposed to be. The emphasis here is sporting flair and German efficiency rather than traditional luxury. (We like both vehicles for different reasons.) We liked the contrasting stitching on the Porsche seats. The standard leather upholstery is high grade, while the standard metal trim has a brushed finish; on premium models what looks like aluminum is aluminum. The front seats stand out for their balance of support, comfort and adjustment range; the sport seats in the GTS yet a notch or two better because of the low-slip Alcantara centers and deeper side bolsters.
The navigation display screen is sizable and mostly out of sun glare. Called Porsche Communications Management, the navigation system comes with a 6.5-inch display and calculates routes and makes adjustments very quickly. It uses DVDs rather than CDs, allowing for maps for the entire United States on a single disk, rather than several that must be changed from region to region. An optional electronic logbook automatically records the mileage, journey length, date and time, starting point and destination address for every trip made. In addition, buyers can opt for a module that will help you find your way back to your starting point, even if the roads or trails aren't on the system's map. Voice recognition and off-road navigation are available options.
Cayenne transports five adults in reasonable comfort. The rear seat is well contoured, with excellent headroom and decent legroom, even when the front seats are well back in their travel range; by virtue of its heavily bolstered outboard seats the center of the GTS rear is best reserved for kids or their child safety seats. The rear floor angles up slightly toward the front creating a very mild footrest that eases leg fatigue. Seating for five is something we're not used to seeing in a Porsche, but don't expect the interior volume of a Lincoln Navigator and don't look for a third-row seat because it isn't available.
The rear cushions lift and the seatbacks fold forward in a 60/40 split, and includes a pass-though slot with a ski sack, allowing Cayenne to haul longer, narrow items inside without flattening or messing up the rear seat. Four D-rings and a cargo net keeps grocery bags and other items from sliding around during travel and a retractable shade-type cover opens and closes over the cargo hold. The cargo area is nicely finished in heavy carpet and the cover is mounted high to preserve maximum concealed storage.
Cargo capacity is nearly 62 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, and nearly 19 cubic feet with the rear seats in place. The tailgate is two-stage, so either the glass or entire gate can be opened upward, and the electronic latch lets you simply lower the gate to the latch while the electric mechanism pulls it shut; the upgraded power hatch require just a button push. The dimensions of the tailgate opening and load floor allow Cayenne to haul small appliances such as a bar-size refrigerator or a large TV set. With a payload of 1600 pounds, the Cayenne can haul just about anything that'll fit inside without worrying too much about exceeding recommended weights.
In addition to a conventional moonroof you can also order a Panorama Roof comprising four glass panels, three of which slide open under electric power. The massive glass section can be opened either above the first row of seats, the second row, or both rows. A power sunblind is integrated into the roof. Next Page