“Porsche Hybrid? Isn’t that kinda like jumbo shrimp?” That question from a friend eyeing the script on the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid’s flanks reflects the uphill battle Porsche faces as it strives to improve the fuel economy of a fleet of vehicles designed and engineered for performance first and everything else second.
“Nothing that makes a Porsche a Porsche is contained in that vehicle.” This comment came from my wife, Vehix contributing writer Liz Kim, a woman who has been test-driving cars, trucks and SUVs for more than a decade, after her first stint behind the Cayenne S Hybrid’s steering wheel. This is a woman who loves Porsches, except for this one. Again, this opinion illustrates the difficulty facing the company for which Tom Cruise’s “Risky Business” character Joel once famously declared, “There is no substitute.”
Why Does the Cayenne S Hybrid Exist?
The answer to this question is two-fold. First, the Cayenne is one of the best-selling Porsches in the world. Purists bemoaned the SUV’s arrival for the 2003 model year as an assault upon everything Porsche stood for. Consumers paid no attention to this uproar, because now there was a practical Porsche model capable of carrying extra people and stuff. The Cayenne has been a best-seller ever since.
Second, the United States is one of Porsche’s biggest markets, and upcoming fuel economy standards dictate that all automakers selling cars in America must achieve certain corporate average fuel economy requirements by the middle of this decade. Porsche is no exception to this rule. So, to oversimplify the situation to some degree, if you expect to be able to continue to buy rolling packages of awesomeness like the 911 GT2 RS, Porsche needs to sell a bunch of more fuel-efficient vehicles like the Cayenne S Hybrid to offset the average fuel consumption rate of all Porsche models.
Therefore, one of the best-selling models in the lineup is now among the most fuel-efficient.
How Fuel Efficient is the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid?
According to the EPA, the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid is rated to get 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, remarkable figures given the Cayenne’s unexpectedly roomy cabin, impressive off-roading capability, and speedy straight-line performance.
Not surprisingly, we didn’t match the EPA’s 21-mpg average rating for combined driving, but we didn’t miss the mark by much, either. Over 400 miles and a week of living with the Cayenne S Hybrid, we averaged 19.3 mpg.
How Does the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid’s Powertrain Work?
To create the Cayenne S Hybrid’s full parallel hybrid powertrain, Porsche marries a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine to an electric assist motor fed by a 288-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack located beneath the cargo floor. Total system output is 380 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque, and Porsche claims the SUV will accelerate to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. An eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission delivers power to all four wheels.
As a full parallel hybrid, the Cayenne S Hybrid’s electric motor sits between the gas engine and the transmission. Electronic engine management determines when to decouple and shut off the gas engine to conserve fuel, and when accelerating gently, cruising at low parking lot or residential speeds, or coasting on the highway, the supercharged V6 is not operational. The SUV also has an E-power function that expands the electric-only driving envelope, but this depletes the battery pack rather quickly.
Is the Cayenne S Hybrid True to Porsche Performance Standards?
On the one hand, this is the most fun hybrid model we’ve ever driven. And the great thing about the Cayenne S Hybrid is that it puts a smile on your face whether you’re on pavement or in the dirt.
On the other hand, it sure seems like Porsche needs to spend more time refining this full parallel hybrid powertrain, because it’s not terribly secretive about its business.
In normal driving mode, there’s frequently a delay when the driver’s right foot makes a request for greater acceleration, and when the decoupled V6 engine rouses it sometimes does so sharply. Switching the powertrain’s programming over to Sport mode using a button on the center console helps eliminate the issue to some degree, but even then the surging nature of the powertrain is evident.
This characteristic is especially disconcerting when driving the Cayenne S Hybrid with gusto. On the downhill portions of my test loop, the system would lapse into “ready” (de-coupled) mode as I approached a corner and braked. Then, just past the apex, I’d dip into the throttle to accelerate out of the turn, only to meet delayed re-engagement. Instinctively, I’d add weight to the accelerator, and then need to manage the frequently unexpected surge of power when the V6 kicked back in with greater eagerness than I anticipated.
The Cayenne S Hybrid’s electric steering is also not as hefty and telepathic as I’ve come to expect from Porsche, but compared to lots of other models with electric-assist, it’s terrific. Nevertheless, it always feels too light for this particular vehicle, and the steering wheel itself is too thin with a sharp radius on its leading edge, almost like the rims that General Motors used to employ before figuring out how uncomfortable it is to grip a design like that.
It’s also hard to stop the Cayenne S Hybrid smoothly. The brake pedal is very soft, and response is very sticky. If you do succeed at bringing the SUV to a smooth stop, which requires more effort than the typical driver is willing to put forth, the Cayenne immediately starts to creep forward after the wheels have come to a momentary halt, necessitating extra pedal pressure and resulting in a head bob from your passengers.
If Nothing Else, the Cayenne S Hybrid is a Ton of Fun…For a Hybrid
As with most German automobiles, velocity awakens an exceptionally talented and sure-footed alter-ego in the Cayenne S Hybrid, especially when the powertrain and suspension systems are both placed in Sport mode. It is remarkable how well body roll is controlled, how accurately the vehicle can be placed in corners, and how much grip it delivers.
Plus, the Cayenne is a capable off-roader, and scrambles up and down trails with grace and ease thanks, in part, to its height-adjustable suspension. We came nowhere near taxing the Cayenne on a little dirt patch high above the Malibu surf, but it was clear that this SUV is far stouter than your typical crossover vehicle.
If you decide that fuel economy is of little concern (which would beg the question: Why get the hybrid?) the Cayenne S Hybrid is quick if not entirely fast. It emits a hint of rumble when you mat the accelerator pedal, but not one that’s nearly as satisfying as a Cayenne S. Porsche’s claim of 60 mph in 6.1 seconds feels right by the seat of my pants.
Daily Driving
The Cayenne’s interior is bigger than you expect. From the outside, the Cayenne appears to be fairly compact and even the intimate front seating area imparts that the Cayenne is a small and nimble vehicle. The rear seat and cargo area, however, are surprisingly generous, making this the Porsche to get – even over the Panamera – if you plan to carry people and things.
In terms of comfort, the Cayenne’s front seats are terrific, and our test model featured power-extending thigh support. Still, we’d likely opt for the 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats because the standard front chairs don’t offer bolstering commensurate with cornering ability.
Ride quality is determined by a selector on the center console that offers Comfort, Normal, and Sport settings. We prefer either Comfort or Sport, not Normal, which seems to be a confused blend of the two. For the vast majority of our driving, we kept the Cayenne in Sport mode. Anything else produced body motions unbecoming of a Porsche.
I’m not a fan of the Cayenne’s control layout, either. The busy control panel melts down onto the center console and surrounds the gear selector, just like in a Panamera. This is fine, because there are few functions on the console itself that require constant reference.
The haphazardly arranged touchscreen control groupings are the problem, and I found them lacking in terms of intuitive operation. Also, I found myself spending too much time hunting the various displays in the dash and gauge cluster looking for things like the current time, the outside temperature, and average fuel economy.
Unfortunately, we’re not done complaining.
- The Cayenne has a fairly vertical tumblehome – the angle from the roof to the body sides – and I kept clunking my head when strapping the kids into their car seats.
- Our test car had a tan interior, including the top of the dashboard. This color scheme reflected lots of light onto the windshield, making it hard to see out. It’s unusual to see this execution in a German vehicle, since Germans take driving very seriously.
- We think additional attention to detail is necessary in terms of refining the sound the motorized tailgate makes when operating. Porsche also needs to quell all the creaks and squeaks in the cabin, especially those resulting when bracing your legs for turns.
Is it a Porsche?
There are two types of people who buy Porsches. You have enthusiast drivers who buy them for their engineering excellence, unparalleled driving dynamics, and visceral driving experience. And then you have people who’ve worked hard at success who view Porsche ownership as a reward, and people with money who think owning a Porsche is their birthright.
The Cayenne S Hybrid is built for the latter crowd, so that the former group can continue to enjoy the Boxster, Cayman, and 911 in all of their glorious permutations.
2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid Photos Copyright 2011 Christian Wardlaw and Liz Kim
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Tags: 2011 Cayenne Hybrid Review, 2011 Porsche, 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid Review, Cayenne, Cayenne Hybrid Review, hybrid, off road, Performance, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, Porsche Cayenne Hybrid Review, suv
The cayenne has completely different design, distinguishing it from any other SUV. Few issues are there with it such as less cargo space, poor visibility, and comparatively expensive.
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