2009 Porsche Cayenne V6. Click image to enlarge

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Review and photos by Jil McIntosh

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2009 Porsche Cayenne V6

Oshawa, Ontario – Back in 2002, when the first Porsche Cayenne rolled off the assembly lines, it seemed like the world had gone mad. One of the world’s most respected sports car manufacturers was making … a truck? Just what were these Germans smoking, anyway?

Some pretty good stuff, as it turned out. The Cayenne proved to be a smashing success, and gave Porsche some extra presence in driveways where the Boxster previously had to share space with whatever manufacturer supplied the SUV needed for hauling a crowd.

Having received a facelift for 2008, the Cayenne lineup entered 2009 with seven models, with a naturally-aspirated or a turbocharged V8 in most of them. My tester, however, was the entry level model known simply as the Cayenne, with a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre V6. At a base price of $56,100, it is a viable option for many who would like to get into the brand, as all other Cayenne models run from $74,100 to $152,200.

The Cayenne (V6) may be 1.5 seconds slower getting to 100 km/h from a standstill against the next-step-up Cayenne S, but that heartbeat of time will cost you another $18,000. And this isn’t a low-slung chicane carver, but realistically, a 2,160-kilogram, top-heavy hauler. Which is not to say it doesn’t have sporty character, which it has in spades, but that there certainly shouldn’t be any shame in showing up at the country club with anything less than eight cylinders.

The base model comes with the expected list of standard features, including 12-way power seats, automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, power liftgate, garage door opener, 17-inch alloy wheels and heated mirrors. But as with all Porsches, hold your breath when you’re filling out the option sheet: you could have purchased an entry-level subcompact for the extras that were added to my tester.

The V6 churns out 290 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, which peaks at a respectable 3,000 rpm. It sounds great, it pulls away strongly from a stop, and while it’s certainly no economy car, it did better than I thought it would. Against a published figure of 15.4 L/100 km in the city and 9.8 on the highway, I averaged 12.7 L/100 km. I also spent a lot of time with the “Sport” button engaged, which stiffens the suspension and increases throttle response. If my tester had been equipped with the optional air suspension, it would also have hunkered down to a lower driving height. Combined with the sharp handling and sports-oriented but not-too-firm ride, it made the Cayenne great fun to drive.

2009 Porsche Cayenne V6. Click image to enlarge

In fact, this Cayenne probably would have been near the top of my “all-time favourites” list, if it hadn’t been for the six-speed manual transmission. Now, I love rowing gears as much as the next person, but not this time around; my dealer’s sheet would definitely include the automatic Tiptronic S. It’s usually easy to tell when a vehicle is designed primarily around a stick shift, but has had the optional automatic installed instead. In the Cayenne’s case, it’s the other way around: this vehicle is meant for an automatic, but mine had a stick. The throws are too long and the clutch is too short, and it’s not easy getting a smooth shift out of it. It tends to be better if you’re pushing it really hard, but then, we’re back to that 2,160-kg/top-heavy dose of reality. I had trouble finding a comfortable seating position with the clutch. And the final nail was a foot-operated parking brake, which means that you either have to shift to neutral before setting it, or shut off the engine in gear and then activate the brake. My rule is that when there’s a clutch, it should be the left foot’s sole task, especially on a vehicle that has all the locking differentials for serious off-road driving.

The Cayenne’s all-wheel drive is split 38/62 front to rear under normal driving, but it can transfer up to 100 per cent torque either way if necessary. Its off-road cred is further enhanced by a switch on the centre console with four settings, including low range with reduction, the centre differential locked, or the rear differential locked as well. It’s hard to imagine anyone taking a Cayenne into ultra-rough terrain, but with a good set of knobbly tires, it should be able to handle just about anything.

2009 Porsche Cayenne V6. Click image to enlarge

Of course, I also couldn’t envision anyone crawling into my tester’s “Havanna/Sand Beige” leather interior with muddy boots. It’s a handsome cabin, although there are a few quirks, most notably that the low-slung screen that displays the temperature settings is impossible to read in bright sunshine. Auxiliary buttons for the climate control can be hidden with a flip-up cover that displays the logo. Unlike the systems from many German manufacturers, the navigation was relatively easy to use, even without checking the owner’s manual first.

The seats are exceptionally comfortable, and there are several nice touches: double sun visors, so that you can shade both front and side windows, easy-to-open vents (although one vent handle was broken, which I didn’t expect on a low-mileage vehicle), a drawer that pulls out from under the passenger side, and multi-level seat heaters. The steering wheel is big, but it feels comfortable. Still, I thought the huge plastic buttons on either side looked cheap; they’re all backlit, but you can turn the backlighting off, through two buttons on the back that allow you to turn off both sides of the wheel, or just one (I’m sure there’s someone out there for whom it matters). But one thing I simply couldn’t figure out: when the entire cabin is two-tone beige, why are the seatbelts black?

The rear seat is roomy as well, making this a great car for taking friends on a road trip. The cargo area is 95 cm long, and there’s a covered bin on the side that’s big enough to store a jug of washer fluid. The seats fold, increasing the cargo length to a flat 160 cm, but unfortunately, you need to remove the head restraints first, which isn’t the easiest task. Porsche did give it some thought, though, and when you flip the cushions forward, there’s a spot to store the restraints.

2009 Porsche Cayenne V6. Click image to enlarge

The Cayenne’s looks have definitely grown on me, to the point that I’m quite taken with its ruggedly attractive face and tail, cleaned up by its recent style refresh. The large greenhouse makes for good visibility, panel fit is excellent, and I love those twin pipes protruding ever so slightly from the fascia. Driving purists will probably turn up their noses at the fact that the “Cayenne” script on the power liftgate stands all alone, without S, GTS or Turbo attached. But when I stopped by a friend’s store, one of his younger employees insisted on coming out to see it. “It’s just the base model,” I said. “Who cares?” he replied. “It’s a Porsche!”

And that’s really what this is all about. Certainly, you can get the fire-breathing one if you want to spend the money, but if you don’t, the V6 is still a great performer: handling is superb, acceleration is good, it sounds great, and while it isn’t inexpensive, its base price is in line with a number of competitors. Sports car fans might have been shocked when it was introduced, but so far, Porsche has moved out more than 150,000 of them. Get behind the wheel, and it’s easy to see why.

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