Porsche Cayenne 'changed slightly'

Mildest of updates for the other Porsche SUV, with styling tweaks and a new hybrid

Porsche has now sold nearly 600,000 Cayennes. The second generation car, only available from 2010, has already sold 303,000 units compared to the 276,000 through the first Cayenne's entire eight-year lifespan. To keep the Cayenne up to date in the face of new opposition from Range Rover and BMW, Porsche has refreshed its original SUV.

Keep the trees green with an E-Hybrid

With sales as strong as they are, Porsche understandably didn't feel the need to tinker too much. The 'sharpened exterior design' translates to a new bonnet, bumper and light design at the front with a redesigned rear including different exhausts and lights. Nothing drastic you'll see and certainly not a styling revision to make any more fall in love with the Cayenne's looks.

The latest Cayenne range comprises five models, all bar the S Diesel with improved power and efficiency stats. Given the V8 oil burner was already at 385hp, 626lb ft and 34mpg, that's probably acceptable The Cayenne S has become a bi-turbo V6, replacing the V8 with another 20hp (420) and two mpg (29.7). The standard diesel now has 262hp (from 245) and the Turbo bumped from 500 to 520hp.

Porsche's most significant changes are to the Hybrid, now an E-Hybrid and the first large SUV offered as a plug-in hybrid. The 333hp supercharged V6 is unchanged but the electric motor's power has been doubled from 47hp to 95hp. Total outputs are rated at 416hp and 435lb ft, with 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and 151mph. Porsche also claims 83mpg (!) and 79g/km, with 22 miles on electric power only at up to 77mph. A Porsche Car Connect app is there to track how few of the earth's resources were consumed on the way to Waitrose.

Mmm, brown

Elsehwere, the chassis of the latest Cayenne has been 'optimised' to ensure an even greater spread of abilities between comfort and sporting responsiveness. A 918 Spyder-inspired steering wheel (yes, really) keeps the driver entertained with a 'more comfortable' rear seating system there for your passengers.

The revised Cayenne is on sale today, arriving in OPCs on October 11. There is still a sub-£50K Cayenne by the price list, with a diesel starting from £49,902. For every model at least £60K is required, the S at £60,218 and the E-Hybrid priced identically to the S Diesel at £61,474. Turbo? £93,763, with a Turbo S surely on the way soon.