Gen 3 Cayenne S - What do I need to know?
Discussion
Looking at an early gen 3 2.9 S. I've seen a few low mileage ones which seem good value at the moment. I have to admit these are cars which have never been on my radar, but it's a while since I've had anything quick, and I fancy a change. There doesn't seem to be many tales of woe on these forums, which I take as a good sign, however...
Is there anything I need to look out for? Any known weak points? Any common failures or show-stopper recalls?
I've owned a lot of big SUVs, but never Porsche. How will running costs compare to a Land Cruiser or Discovery?
TIA
Is there anything I need to look out for? Any known weak points? Any common failures or show-stopper recalls?
I've owned a lot of big SUVs, but never Porsche. How will running costs compare to a Land Cruiser or Discovery?
TIA
Had one as a courtesy car for a couple of weeks.
Mixed thoughts.
It was around £90k, but didn’t feel it. Interior was very plasticky and creaked and groaned everywhere. When you turned the stereo up the door trims farted along in time to the music.
It’s not as quick as you think, as it lacks torque and needed high revs, which isn’t how you typically drive a big SUV, in normal driving it felt a bit flat.
Sounded great and steering and handling fantastic.
Oh and the dealbreaker for myself, 16mpg average over the fortnight.
Get an X5 40d, maybe not quite as sharp handling, but better value, quicker day to day and just much better at being an SUV in every other way.
Mixed thoughts.
It was around £90k, but didn’t feel it. Interior was very plasticky and creaked and groaned everywhere. When you turned the stereo up the door trims farted along in time to the music.
It’s not as quick as you think, as it lacks torque and needed high revs, which isn’t how you typically drive a big SUV, in normal driving it felt a bit flat.
Sounded great and steering and handling fantastic.
Oh and the dealbreaker for myself, 16mpg average over the fortnight.
Get an X5 40d, maybe not quite as sharp handling, but better value, quicker day to day and just much better at being an SUV in every other way.
Thanks Stu. MPG not really a consideration as I don't cover many miles. Interesting about the build quality though, I'd have expected Porsche to be a level above other Germans, but I know there is a lot of platform and parts sharing within VAG, so maybe it is just a fast VW?
Coming from a 200bhp (0-60 eventually) Land Cruiser, I'm sure it will be quick enough!
One advantage of the X5 I suppose is the seven-seats, so there is that to consider. I just can't really get excited about owning a BMW though.
Coming from a 200bhp (0-60 eventually) Land Cruiser, I'm sure it will be quick enough!
One advantage of the X5 I suppose is the seven-seats, so there is that to consider. I just can't really get excited about owning a BMW though.
We ended up with a 2020 non S with the 3.0T.
It is not that quick, in fact a second slower than the S, but it meant that we could get into a car with better spec, air suspension, extended truffle leather, better hifi, better seats, better lights etc. and it was still coming in around £12k less at 2.5 years old than the cheapest S at the time with pretty much basic spec..
No creaks, in fact the interior has been super impressive, materials all feel amazing. The handling is superb, and I really like the steering on these too.
I have never felt the need for it to be any quicker, it is a family car that I just waft in.
Over the last 23,000 miles and 20 months, it has returned 27mpg.
OPC warranty is around £1000 a year. In all honesty, when the warranty runs out on this in April I will extend it, however, it has been faultless in the 20 months with an OPC warranty, it has been faultless.
It is not that quick, in fact a second slower than the S, but it meant that we could get into a car with better spec, air suspension, extended truffle leather, better hifi, better seats, better lights etc. and it was still coming in around £12k less at 2.5 years old than the cheapest S at the time with pretty much basic spec..
No creaks, in fact the interior has been super impressive, materials all feel amazing. The handling is superb, and I really like the steering on these too.
I have never felt the need for it to be any quicker, it is a family car that I just waft in.
Over the last 23,000 miles and 20 months, it has returned 27mpg.
OPC warranty is around £1000 a year. In all honesty, when the warranty runs out on this in April I will extend it, however, it has been faultless in the 20 months with an OPC warranty, it has been faultless.
Edited by Ed.Neumann on Thursday 19th December 11:05
I'm 4 months into an of a non-S 2022 model having purchased from a Porsche centre (Had a Macan S for 7 years before). I did have a Cayenne-S as a courtesy car a few years back and had to say the nature of that engine didn't fit for me, too high-reving and frantic, so decided that the slightly more laid back non-S would do. Engine is strong and I am not going to try and set lap times with a cayenne, it's the family car after all.
I think spec is important - ours has got all the goodies inside and air suspension, 4 wheel steer etc, was loaded to not far off £100k new. Personally I would skip the S, and go for a nicely specced non-S (I would not entertain a hybrid personally). Build quality is a sturdy as they come, have not noticed a single squeak or rattle, and I'm sensitive to anything like that.
Saying all that on the S vs non-S, the new S with the V8 would be my choice budget no option - the V8 likely to be the polar opposite to the 2.9 in the S.
I think spec is important - ours has got all the goodies inside and air suspension, 4 wheel steer etc, was loaded to not far off £100k new. Personally I would skip the S, and go for a nicely specced non-S (I would not entertain a hybrid personally). Build quality is a sturdy as they come, have not noticed a single squeak or rattle, and I'm sensitive to anything like that.
Saying all that on the S vs non-S, the new S with the V8 would be my choice budget no option - the V8 likely to be the polar opposite to the 2.9 in the S.
We’ve had a base 2018 Cayenne for 5 years and I’ve covered a few thousand miles in an equivalent S. as others have said, the 2.9 need lots of revs to really perform and is much thirstier. I find the torquier nature of the 3 litre suits the car better and the only upgrade I’d go for would be a V8 turbo (or the new S with the same V8 but in a lower state of tune).
Build quality on ours has been excellent, no squeaks or rattles to speak of but every so often, I’m sure even Porsche produce a lemon.
Regarding warranty, I wouldn’t run one without one. Ours has had numerous air suspension leaks and electrical gremlins, the latter still haven’t been solved despite numerous trips to the dealer after the main display simply stopped working.
As a car to cover miles in, they’re great, particularly for families but they’re very spec sensitive.
Build quality on ours has been excellent, no squeaks or rattles to speak of but every so often, I’m sure even Porsche produce a lemon.
Regarding warranty, I wouldn’t run one without one. Ours has had numerous air suspension leaks and electrical gremlins, the latter still haven’t been solved despite numerous trips to the dealer after the main display simply stopped working.
As a car to cover miles in, they’re great, particularly for families but they’re very spec sensitive.
There is talk here about the interior quality/rattles issues.
https://youtu.be/z9XgK2D7TSc?si=GuRhCkaO9EF5NcQA
https://youtu.be/z9XgK2D7TSc?si=GuRhCkaO9EF5NcQA
We had the e-hybrid foe 3 years and one of the main reasons for getting it over the S was the fact the 2.9 doesn’t really suit the car as other have said.
Build quality was excellent though and it did feel Porsche-like to drive. Remarkably good off-road too as long as you aren’t running 21 or 22 inch wheels.
Replaced with a Taycan for electrical fun and an X5 50e for family stuff. The X5 is a very comfortable cruiser and also well put together but nowhere near as much fun as a Cayenne can be. And the boot is significantly smaller due to the huge battery.
Build quality was excellent though and it did feel Porsche-like to drive. Remarkably good off-road too as long as you aren’t running 21 or 22 inch wheels.
Replaced with a Taycan for electrical fun and an X5 50e for family stuff. The X5 is a very comfortable cruiser and also well put together but nowhere near as much fun as a Cayenne can be. And the boot is significantly smaller due to the huge battery.
I had an S model earlier this year and ended up giving it back after about a month. I too, found the engine a bit too frenetic, to the point that it was unnerving to drive in traffic slow traffic. My wife found the same so it went back.
Drove well in terms of steering and handling, no rattles, reasonable quality interior but a bit to upmarket VW these days.
Drove well in terms of steering and handling, no rattles, reasonable quality interior but a bit to upmarket VW these days.
Having tried and driven quite a few of these, the regular V6/hybrid Cayenne is not appealing, its just a Toerag or Q7 in a fancier but very cut price suit and with a much bigger sticker.
Cayenne starts to make more sense in V8 guise but then the prices get really silly for the turbo hybrid etc. If I wanted a full on V8 SUV then RSQ8 Perf with the 640PS Cayenne Turbo GT engine. P.S, why aren't Porsche still selling this if Audi can?
Cayenne starts to make more sense in V8 guise but then the prices get really silly for the turbo hybrid etc. If I wanted a full on V8 SUV then RSQ8 Perf with the 640PS Cayenne Turbo GT engine. P.S, why aren't Porsche still selling this if Audi can?
Interesting observations about the non-S and the S, worth thinking about.
The Cayenne is the outsider in the current choice, the reality is we need six or seven seats (X7 or GLS current favourites) but If we can make five work I'd like something a bit 'special'. The kids have already overruled on the Porsche though, so I might just have to wait until the older ones have moved out.
The Cayenne is the outsider in the current choice, the reality is we need six or seven seats (X7 or GLS current favourites) but If we can make five work I'd like something a bit 'special'. The kids have already overruled on the Porsche though, so I might just have to wait until the older ones have moved out.
There’s a reason why I’ve still got my 2017 S Diesel…the engine. I know it is an Audi/VW unit but it’s a superb engine…driven plenty of newer Cayenne’s, unless you’re in the top end cars the power trains are underwhelming and they are not as well built as mine. If I was going to get a new one it would be the Hybrid.
I’ve had one of the very first 2.9 Ss in the country since 2018, now on 46000 miles. No major interior quality dramas, apart from a blown door speaker, fixed under warranty, and now the leather dash is coming unglued, so that’s being done under warranty in the new year. The rear seat leather hasn’t worn as well as my gen 2, being a bit saggy where the kids have sat in it for long drives, but that seems par for the course for this generation. Rear LEDs were all replaced under warranty at massive expense due to water ingress (pools, not just condensation), another common fault, Door b pillar exterior trims (the shiny black bits) came unglued and caused masses of wind noise, so that was another expensive warranty claim. Watch for battery issues on pre 2020 cars, they are LiFePO4 on early gen 3s, and cost about 2k to replace. There was a recall to fix an issue with the battery monitoring computer which addressed what was causing batteries to fail prematurely, plus people have been successful getting new LiFe batteries on the Porsche warranty, despite being officially excluded, but one to watch. Warranty feels like good value at 1k per year, but you’re hostage to OPC servicing and parts, although you can get work like brakes done at an Indy as long as the parts are OEM.
The engine does prefer revs, but it’s perfectly docile in comfort mode around town. Too docile if anything! It livens up a lot in sport and sport plus, a good reason to make sure you get one with sport chrono so you have the mode dial on the steering wheel. Mine has also loosened up nicely with age, so does 30mpg+ on an 80mph motorway trip now. Whole life average economy has crept up to 27mpg, including a load of town driving, so don’t be put off by 16mpg claims; they are nowhere near as thirsty as the lovely sounding v8 in the GTS and new S. Consider the hybrid if you have home charging and do lots of small trips where you will get the benefit of the electric motor, instant torque and economy. Not helpful for me though, parked on the street and doing lots of trips to elderly parents 200 miles away.
Ours has air suspension and rear axle steering, so handles very nicely for a 2 tonne shed. I’m not sure I’d bother with rear steer again though; the active anti roll chassis setup would be better, if rare. Otherwise I still have it because I’d only replace it with a new one, probably a v8, but it would cost me 60k to upgrade, and frankly the 2018 car is still bloody brilliant.
The engine does prefer revs, but it’s perfectly docile in comfort mode around town. Too docile if anything! It livens up a lot in sport and sport plus, a good reason to make sure you get one with sport chrono so you have the mode dial on the steering wheel. Mine has also loosened up nicely with age, so does 30mpg+ on an 80mph motorway trip now. Whole life average economy has crept up to 27mpg, including a load of town driving, so don’t be put off by 16mpg claims; they are nowhere near as thirsty as the lovely sounding v8 in the GTS and new S. Consider the hybrid if you have home charging and do lots of small trips where you will get the benefit of the electric motor, instant torque and economy. Not helpful for me though, parked on the street and doing lots of trips to elderly parents 200 miles away.
Ours has air suspension and rear axle steering, so handles very nicely for a 2 tonne shed. I’m not sure I’d bother with rear steer again though; the active anti roll chassis setup would be better, if rare. Otherwise I still have it because I’d only replace it with a new one, probably a v8, but it would cost me 60k to upgrade, and frankly the 2018 car is still bloody brilliant.
Edited by pete on Saturday 21st December 13:53
pete said:
don’t be put off by 16mpg claims;
If that was aimed at me, it was just my personal experience. My wife had one as a courtesy car while her 911 was getting warranty work. She was so shocked she sent me this picture after she had driven it home. It remained the same for the whole two weeks we had it, and she really doesn’t drive that hard, although granted it was all local driving.
She was glad to get the 911 back, almost diesel like fuel economy compared to that!
Other people’s opinions are just as relevant as yours!
The 2.9 does need revs to give its best but thats part of its charm ! It flies when you gun it (low 10s to 100mph when vboxed.. apparantly) and sounds good yet easily.does high 20s mpg on a.cruise. On a country road there isnt a better full size suv to.drive at pace - it steers sharp and true and is so composed - just be sure to get air suspension and sport chrono... pdcc, rear axle and ptv+ are nice to have but by no means essential.
Cheib said:
There’s a reason why I’ve still got my 2017 S Diesel…the engine. I know it is an Audi/VW unit but it’s a superb engine…driven plenty of newer Cayenne’s, unless you’re in the top end cars the power trains are underwhelming and they are not as well built as mine. If I was going to get a new one it would be the Hybrid.
Totally agree to above,i will run my Diesel into the ground unless they ever bring another Diesel out.The courtesy vehicles i have had are hideous fuel economy even driving like miss daisy,and booting it was plain daft, they also lack grunt unless its a v8.I do alot of towing with mine.Friend purchased as above and changed from a diesel and also tows a race car around the country,i said you will regret it,which he does.
The proposed new road tax to be, may also be a major consideration.
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