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2011 Porsche Cayenne

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Overview

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2011 Porsche Cayenne Review

By KBB.com Editors

The first Cayenne felt like a Porsche SUV; this one feels more like a Porsche. The all-new, second-generation Cayenne is lighter, more powerful and delivers even more Porsche-like precision, especially when outfitted with all its high-tech handling technologies. It's also roomier and more fuel efficient, still overly capable off-road, and now the lineup includes a hybrid model. There's still no third-row option - see the BMW X5 lineup if you need one – and its attractive $47,000 base price can be deceptive if you want "extras" like an auto transmission and a decent sound system.
Last four: Real Porsche, real SUV.

You'll Like This Car If...

If your sixth sense is a keen appreciation for driving feel - or maybe high-style interiors - the 2011 Porsche Cayenne is the SUV for you. And it's just as utilitarian as any of its two-row competitors.

You May Not Like This Car If...

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne isn't the smoothest highway cruiser in the segment, and it's pretty pricey.

What's New for 2011

The all-new 2011 Porsche Cayenne larger and roomier, but 400 pounds lighter. It's more powerful, but more fuel-efficient. The lineup now includes a hybrid model, and offers a torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system that actually raises its Porsche-ness to a new level.

Driving the Cayenne

Driving Impressions Our track time with the 2011 Porsche Cayenne included back-to-back drives in the new and old Cayenne Turbos. When we got out of bed that morning, the outgoing Cayenne Turbo...

was the performance SUV benchmark; at the end of the day, we talked about it pushing in corners and looking bloated. With 400 fewer pounds to lug around and an available new torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system, the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo just feels more Porsche-like in translating driver input into action. Fortunately for those trying to keep the final tally south of six figures, the Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Cayenne S benefit from the same the improvements. We were also impressed by the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid on the track, but were more interested in testing its around-town performance, during which it demonstrated the little brake and throttle quirks still present in most hybrids. The 2011 Porsche Cayenne is also quieter and more comfortable than its predecessor, but it's still not the softest-riding car in its class.

Favorite Features

Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus
In short, PTV Plus sends more torque to the outside rear wheel when cornering, helping the vehicle track truer to steering input. Especially when combined with PASM and PDCC suspension and chassis control, PTV Plus can make the 2011 Porsche Cayenne feel like a lightweight, low-slung sports car.

Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB)
On one hand, the Cayenne's ceramic composite brake option adds more than $8,000 to the sticker. On the other hand, shorter braking distances, more fade resistance, rotor lifespan of up to 200,000 miles and a notable reduction in unsprung mass are all very good things.

2011 Porsche Cayenne Details

Interior

The interior of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne is instantly reminiscent of the Porsche Panamera's. Fine design and materials combine with a multitude of controls in an elegantly busy cockpit that's richer and more interesting than a BMW X5's. Rear passengers are treated to a roomy backseat that slides 6.3 inches, reclines and offers 40/20/40 split-folding for maximum passenger/cargo compatibility.

Exterior

The slightly larger 2011 Porsche Cayenne actually looks smaller than its predecessor, thanks in part to a more forward-leaning rear window and black side pillars. Some of our favorite design touches include the Cayenne Turbo's larger trapezoidal grille and the fact that the Cayenne S Hybrid is distinguished from the Cayenne S by only a Porsche-script "Hybrid" on the front fenders. Some purists are sure to be put off by the addition of "Porsche" spelled out on the tailgate. Cayenne spotters take note: black brake calipers indicate a V6 model, silver calipers denote Cayenne S or Cayenne S Hybrid, and red calipers are reserved for the Cayenne Turbo. Yellow calipers announce the presence of the $8,000+ ceramic brake option.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

At its base price of about $48,000, the 2011 Porsche Cayenne includes a 300-horsepower V6 engine, six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive, a power rear liftgate, Bluetooth phone connectivity, auxiliary audio input, dual-zone auto climate control, a 10-speaker/100-watt sound system and leather seats. The 2011 Porsche Cayenne includes six airbags as standard equipment, plus electronic stability and traction controls that deliver both performance and safety benefits.

Optional Equipment

A fully-loaded 2011 Porsche Cayenne will have a 16-speaker, 1,000-watt Burmester audio system, panoramic glass roof, 18-way adjustable front seats, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist, active headlights and many of the other options you'd expect in the category. Performance upgrades include torque vectoring, ceramic composite brakes, air suspension, active suspension, chassis control and off-road underbody protection for those inclined to take their Porsche off-pavement.

Under the Hood

In addition to more powerful, more fuel-efficient engines, 2011 Porsche Cayenne powertrain highlights include a new eight-speed automatic transmission, new torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system and an Auto Start Stop function that mimics hybrid-car behavior, shutting off the engine at full stops and quickly restarting it when the brake pedal is released. The available air suspension automatically lowers the Cayenne at 86 mph – and lowers it some more at 130 mph – and can also raise the vehicle a couple inches to provide more than 10 inches of ground clearance. Other physics-defying features familiar from the outgoing Cayenne include electronic dampers with Comfort, Normal and Sport modes (PASM), plus active anti-roll bars that reduce corner lean and improve off-road traction (PDCC). The Cayenne's new all-wheel drive system is lighter and less complex than the previous system, but can now distribute 100 percent of the available torque to the front or back. The reduction gearbox is gone, but first gear is lower and the system can still be locked for more extreme off-road conditions. The multi-tasking 2011 Porsche Cayenne also offers impressive max towing capacity of 7,716 pounds.

3.6-liter V6
300 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/22 (manual), 16/23 (auto)

4.8-liter V8
400 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/22

3.0-liter, supercharged V6-based hybrid
380 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
427 lb-ft of torque @ 1,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/24

4.8-liter twin-turbo V8
500 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
516 lb-ft of torque @ 2,250-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/22

To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Porsche Cayenne vehicles for sale near you.

Trading in or Selling? Know where you stand with the most up-to-date Kelley Blue Book Value at your fingertips. See your car's value

Buying this car?

2011 Porsche Cayenne Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

9.0

Out of 10

Based on 55 Ratings for the 2011 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

8.7/10

Quality

9.5/10
Reliability

9.2/10

Performance

9.5/10
Comfort

9.1/10

Styling

9.6/10

Terrific car

By Ron k (OH) on Friday, November 23, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 340

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: Not Rated

Pros: "Design and performance outstanding. Tint windows"

Cons: "V6 a little light in the front end but OK"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Well made and design is beautiful... V6 has plenty of power. Had an S and for price difference, it is not necessary."

4 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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I love this car

By Bea on Thursday, November 08, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 22,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I love this car. It really gets up and goes, when you need it to. It is comfortable, easy to get into, classy, and looks great. It is fun to drive and fabulous. How lucky I am to be able to own the Porsche Cayenne S."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Love/Hate

By PDF (CA) on Saturday, August 04, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 80,000

10 5.0

overall rating 5 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 5/10
Value: 5/10
Reliability: 6/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Fun to drive, very fast"

Cons: "Expensive to maintain/insure"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"Awesome car to drive, very expensive to maintain/insure. Rear wheel bearing repair, $1800 Coolant system gasket replacement $2000 (location required removing engine). 4WD system requires changing all 4 tires if you pop 1 and there is more than 5k miles on them. Have replaced all 4 brake rotors twice. Uses one quart of oil ever 700 miles. More expensive to insure than 2008 Tesla Roadster and 2012 MB E63."

29 people out of 30 found this review helpful

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Disappointed

By Stew (FL) on Monday, April 30, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 44,000

10 7.0

overall rating 7 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 7/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 5/10
Quality: 5/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "Great handling, hauls lots of stuff"

Cons: "reliability has gone way down from previous models"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 5

"This is my 3rd Cayenne---first V8 - 44,000 miles - the previous cars were amazing-85K and 75K miles respectively-ZERO issues..this one is a different story--in the first 30,000 miles I--had a major radiator pipe blow out necesitating a special part from the factory to be flown in (two weeks)(adhesive failure), two major water leaks around the windows, the engine knocks (or pings) constantly (car has been tuned, plugs changed, software reset)(factory rep has looked at it) and will not stop, requires 1 quart of oil every 400-450 miles (dealer has kept a log of the usage. The engine knocking happens no matter what brand of gas I use (dealer suggested a switch) - it impedes performance and engine reacts sluggish - no one seems to care----am trading the car in right before the warranty expires-NO WAY will I own this particular car without a warranty---the radiator issue alone would have cost over $5,000 according to the service rep.....too bad--I had really enjoyed the previous Cayennes I owned--not sure I'll buy another one."

57 people out of 59 found this review helpful

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