Our Cayenne didn't see much...
Our Cayenne didn't see much time off pavement.
Putting aside the "off-road, on-road" debate, the Cayenne, along with vehicles like the BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport, has helped define a new segment of high-performance SUVs. These are vehicles that combine inherent off-road capabilities and the utilitarian nature of traditional trucks and SUVs with carefully balanced handling characteristics and powerful, sports-car-derived engines.
In light of this, on-road the Cayenne does indeed feel more like a sports car than a truck. This is due in large part to its variable power-assisted steering, which features a transmission ratio of 16.7:1 to put it nearly on par with that of a 911. Combined with summer tires and the sport suspension setting, it makes for a reasonably precise machine. Our Cayenne was further outfitted with Porsche's Active Suspension Management (PASM, standard on the Cayenne Turbo and optional on the S), which works to offset any sort of sway or dive initiated by aggressive driving. Purists have consistently criticized stability management in Porsche's sports cars, particularly the 911, and I'll remain neutral on that argument. In a vehicle the Cayenne's size, however, we always regarded PASM as more a blessing than a curse. So if tossing this vehicle up a twisted mountain road strikes your fancy, keep in mind it's no Carrera-higher center of gravity, engine in the front, and about 1,800 pounds of extra bulk. Most will need all the help they can get.
OK, enough with the analysis-anyway, we've probably said it all before. The long and short of it is we enjoyed our time in our Cayenne S. The problems we did encounter were relatively minor. Cost of fueling the beast was first and foremost on our list. Its annual estimated fuel cost, according to the window sticker in our filing cabinet, is $1,828. I'm sure that number was calculated when gasoline was still well under 3 bucks a gallon-and in any case, we probably put a bit more mileage on the vehicle than an "average" driver might. Our Cayenne developed a fuel system malady late in its stay with us, which caused hard starts immediately after fueling the vehicle. In the time remaining on our lease, Porsche's dealer network was unable to obtain the parts to fix the problem. Not a big deal; the only time the glitch became evident was when we were ready to drive away after using the gas pump.
The key fob is a little goofy. First of all, it's shaped like the Cayenne itself, complete with little headlights, which I guess could be cool if you're into those dorky little sort of details. This aside, occasionally we took issue with the process of locking or unlocking the doors. Sometimes, inexplicably, the central locking/alarm system became confused, doing the opposite of what you expected or tripping the alarm when you went to open a (presumably) disarmed door. The problem was perplexing to the point that it cannot be fully quantified; after a few dozen clicks on the key fob it would eventually fix itself. Again, not a big deal, but it might be rather disconcerting for some in, say, an unlit parking lot on a dark and stormy night.
All things considered, though, we're going to miss the big guy and we'll be looking far ahead to the day another piece of Porsche machinery graces our garage.