2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Review

　　

2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Review

byKurt NiebuhrSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　Saying something is an SUV coupe seems like an oxymoron when it has four doors. But, hey, since when have grammatical semantics stopped automotive marketing? That's pretty much how we end up with the 2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe. It's just like the regular Cayenne but has a sleeker, more coupe-like roofline at the expense of rear headroom and cargo capacity.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$227/mo  for Cayenne Coupe Base

　　Cayenne Coupe Base

　　4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $76,500 MSRPE-Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A) - $87,600 MSRPS 4dr SUV AWD (2.9L 6cyl Turbo 8A) - $89,900 MSRPGTS 4dr SUV AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 8A) - $110,500 MSRPTurbo 4dr SUV AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 8A) - $131,900 MSRPTurbo S E-Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A) - $166,200 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　It should come as no surprise that luxury SUV manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW (its X6 is the originator of the segment) offer their own take on this body style. While some of the above offer only a few trim levels, Porsche offers six for the Cayenne as well as near endless possibilities for customization. How much performance do you want? Read our review below for not only our expert opinion but also a walk-through of all the trims and engines available for the 2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.6

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Cayenne Coupe drive? The Cayenne Coupe S — the trim we tested — is astonishingly fast in a straight line. In zzdcar testing, it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. Few high-performance midsize SUVs can beat that. When you're not accelerating full out, slow-speed response around town is a little lacking in the default driving mode. Selecting either the Sport or Sport Plus mode sharpens response to more agreeable levels.

　　Considering the Cayenne Coupe S is a sizable SUV, it handles corners extremely well, with almost zero body roll. It changes direction quickly and there's plenty of grip from the ultra-wide performance tires. Steering, though precise, requires more effort at slow speeds and delivers less road feedback than we were expecting.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Cayenne Coupe? The Cayenne Coupe S strikes an excellent balance between comfort and performance. The front seats are bolstered well and hold you in place around high-speed corners, and they're also plush enough to keep you comfortable on long road trips. The ride quality is excellent thanks to Porsche's optional air suspension that soaks up most big bumps.

　　Somewhat surprisingly, the Cayenne loses points here for an unrefined climate control system. Air-conditioning fans are relatively weak at low settings and loud at higher settings. It's hard to strike a comfortable but quiet balance. Engine noise is constant, but it's mostly at low volumes and admittedly a relatively pleasant tone. Tire noise, though, is a bit more grating from the summer performance rubber.

　　

Interior

7.0/10

　　How’s the interior? There's a lot to learn with Cayenne's cabin controls. Small buttons abound, and many are tucked behind the console gear selector, requiring you look to away from the road to see what you're pressing. The driver's seat position is as you'd expect from a Porsche: excellent. There's a wide range of adjustments in the driver's seat and the steering column to suit a variety of people and preferences.

　　Forward visibility is great thanks to a low dashboard. But visibility directly back and at your flanks suffers because of a small rear window, sloping rear roofline and large rear roof pillars. As for interior space, the cabin is roomier than you'd expect thanks to certain design tweaks Porsche made in the Coupe. There's plenty of space for four adults. Headroom and legroom are great all around, though you still have to duck under the roofline a bit when entering the back.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? Porsche's 12-inch touchscreen has crisp graphics and bright colors; it's a great-looking screen. The standard audio system, however, is a bit disappointing at this price point. It distorts at high volume and has a poor dynamic range. Music lovers will want one of the optional upgraded systems.

　　Smartphone integration is a mixed bag too. Apple CarPlay integration works wirelessly or through a USB cord. But in our testing we found that if we connected an iPhone wirelessly, the Cayenne had a hard time figuring out what to do if the USB was plugged in as well. We also noticed other phone disconnects or failures to connect. The integrated voice command system works pretty well, though, and gives you some wiggle room for natural speech.

　　Standard driver aids are also conspicuously absent. Only automatic emergency braking comes standard. Blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise are all optional.

　　

Storage

7.0/10

　　How’s the storage? The Cayenne Coupe loses some space when compared to its standard-roof sibling. Rear cargo space is 22 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 54 cubes with the seats folded. It's a nice, flat space to store larger items in, and side netting helps hold smaller items in the back.

　　The cupholders are small but sufficient for small bottles. Got small children? There are a pair of Isofix anchors in the back seat for installing child safety seats. They are easy to locate and connect to. But getting a bulky seat into the back can be tricky because of the Coupe's lower rear roofline.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The Cayenne Coupe S, which is what we tested, has respectable fuel economy for the performance it returns. The EPA estimates the Coupe S gets 19 mpg combined (18 city/22 highway). On our 115-mile evaluation route, our test vehicle achieved an impressive 22.8 mpg, besting its highway rating over a series of city, mountain and highway driving roads.

　　

Value

8.0/10

　　Is the Cayenne Coupe a good value? Our test Cayenne stickered at close to $100,000, and it didn't even have much added from Porsche's extensive options list. But the price is easier to justify when you consider the Cayenne's muscular acceleration and nimble handling.

　　Warranty and roadside assistance coverage is typical for the class with four years/50,000 miles of coverage. Free maintenance is good for a year; some luxury rivals offer longer coverage.

　　

Wildcard

8.5/10

　　The Cayenne Coupe is a true-blue Porsche. The sheer speed, combined with the excellent handling capability, makes for a truly enjoyable driving experience. It's also comfortable on the inside and unassuming and classy on the outside. Understatement at its best.

　　

Which Cayenne Coupe does zzdcar recommend?

It's certainly tempting to go straight for a high-performance variant like the new GTS or the Turbo, but to keep costs under control we recommend the plenty capable Cayenne S Coupe. To that, we'd spring for the Assistance package for the surround-view camera and adaptive cruise control. We'd also pick up the Performance package for the four-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension.

　　

2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe models

The 2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe is a performance-oriented midsize luxury SUV. Seating for four is standard. (A five-seat configuration is optional.) The Cayenne Coupe is sold in six trim levels: base, E-Hybrid, S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S E-Hybrid. These trim levels mainly differ by what engine is under the hood, though they do typically include a few extra features with each step up as well. All come with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Feature highlights include:

　　Cayenne Coupe

　　Starts you off with:

　　Turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine (335 horsepower, 332 lb-ft ) Adaptive suspension dampers Panoramic sunroof Power cargo hatch Dual-zone climate control Power-adjustable front seats Partial leather upholstery Proximity key with keyless start Forward collision mitigation (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time) Wireless Apple CarPlay integration 12.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation 10-speaker audio systemE-Hybrid

　　Adds hybrid performance with:

　　Plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine and an electric motor (combined system output of 455 hp and 516 lb-ft) 17.9-kWh battery pack good for an EPA-estimated 14 miles of all-electric range Five-passenger seating (four-passenger seating is standard on other trims)S

　　It's equipped similarly to the base Cayenne Coupe but has a turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine (434 hp, 405 lb-ft).

　　GTS

　　Bridges the performance gap between the S and the Turbo models, adding:

　　Turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 (453 hp, 457 lb-ft) Adaptive air suspension with a lower ride height Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (helps the Cayenne Coupe maintain traction under acceleration) Adaptive headlights, known as Porsche Dynamic Light System (change the intensity and direction of the headlights depending on conditions and steering input) Sport front seats with partial faux suede upholstery Adaptive power steering (reduces steering effort at low speeds)Turbo

　　Ratchets up performance with:

　　More powerful turbo V8 (541 hp, 567 lb-ft) Upgraded brakes Upgraded sport front seats Front and rear heated seats Heated steering wheel Full leather upholstery Upgraded audio system with 14 speakers Turbo E-Hybrid

　　The ultimate in performance:

　　Plug-in hybrid powertrain, this time using the turbocharged V8 (combined system output of 670 hp, 663 lb-ft) EPA-estimated 12 miles of all-electric range Upgraded adaptive suspension Carbon-ceramic brakes From here, Porsche offers a bevy of stand-alone and packaged options for everything from color-matched wheels to interior trim to performance upgrades. The most significant options in our opinion to look out for include:

　　Blind-spot monitoring (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Cayenne and the car in front) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Ventilated front seats Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Cayenne and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Burmester premium sound system

　　

2021 Cayenne Coupe Highlights

Type: SUVPlug-in HybridSUV

　　Trim: BaseE-HybridSGTSTurboTurbo S E-HybridBase

　　

Base MSRP	$76,500
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	20 MPG
Cost to Drive	$227/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	22.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles