Cayenne... which model 2018 onwards?
Discussion
I previously owned a 2017 4.2 V8 diesel, and loved the effortless performance. I'm now looking at the 2018 onwards model and wondered which engine gives the best overall performance, aside from the turbo. Is the 2.9s a better choice than the 3.0 or the hybrids. Thanks
Edited by johnnyBv8 on Wednesday 28th August 21:09
I have had a 2.9 S for 6 years now. It’s a great engine on paper, near enough 450bhp / 450lb.ft, but I’m not convinced it’s ideal for the Cayenne. It needs revs to perform, so doesn’t have the effortless feel of the old diesel or the turbo. It’s very quick when you do rev it though, plus it’s nice and light, and 30mpg is possible on long runs.
The 3.0 plug in hybrid has similar numbers to the S, but quite a different character. If you have the luxury to always run it with some battery power (i.e. home charging and urban use), you get an instant punchy, torquey feel and great around town economy. If you do lots of long trips, you spend a lot of time with 100bhp less than the S, a few hundred kg more weight, and a smaller boot - it depends on your typical use case what’s best. Mine lives on the street, so a hybrid was never a sensible option, although I’ve had plenty of them as loan cars.
Realistically I think the base engine is a good compromise for most people, a bit like the old v6 diesel in the 958, but I suspect you’d be disappointed if you’ve had a 4.2 diesel in the past. If I was choosing again, or indulging occasional thoughts about replacing mine, I’d go for a v8 GTS, or just go the whole hog and buy a Turbo (not the Turbo hybrid). They sound nicer, have a lot more torque, but the downside is pretty appalling fuel economy. The chassis is lots of fun with options like air suspension, rear wheel steering and torque vectoring, so just throw as much power at it as you can and damn the petrol costs!
The 3.0 plug in hybrid has similar numbers to the S, but quite a different character. If you have the luxury to always run it with some battery power (i.e. home charging and urban use), you get an instant punchy, torquey feel and great around town economy. If you do lots of long trips, you spend a lot of time with 100bhp less than the S, a few hundred kg more weight, and a smaller boot - it depends on your typical use case what’s best. Mine lives on the street, so a hybrid was never a sensible option, although I’ve had plenty of them as loan cars.
Realistically I think the base engine is a good compromise for most people, a bit like the old v6 diesel in the 958, but I suspect you’d be disappointed if you’ve had a 4.2 diesel in the past. If I was choosing again, or indulging occasional thoughts about replacing mine, I’d go for a v8 GTS, or just go the whole hog and buy a Turbo (not the Turbo hybrid). They sound nicer, have a lot more torque, but the downside is pretty appalling fuel economy. The chassis is lots of fun with options like air suspension, rear wheel steering and torque vectoring, so just throw as much power at it as you can and damn the petrol costs!
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