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By Jonathan Crouch

Porsche's Cayenne Coupe continues to redefine what a large SUV Coupe model should be in this improved form. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 85

You don't need a Porsche Cayenne Coupe, but we're guessing you'd really, really like one. As the name suggests, this is a sportier-looking version of the standard Cayenne large SUV and it's been re-engineered in this improved form with all the usual Porsche thoroughness. Plus the improvements to cabin design are genuinely far-reaching. As before, it remains the very first large SUV Coupe model the market's been offered with handling that can really match the arresting looks that tend to be common in this segment.

Backgroundword count: 307

The Porsche Cayenne Coupe, launched in 2019, was originally billed as the answer to a question no one was asking. That at least was according to the car magazines. And as so often, they were wrong. Actually, quite a considerable number of well-heeled folk have been asking for a large luxury SUV with a sporting coupe-style look - and have been asking for it for well over two decades now. That's why BMW's X6, the car that started this trend, is now in its third generation, Audi has its Q8 and Mercedes has sold us two generations of its GLE Coupe. By the end of this century's second decade, Porsche wanted a slice of that action too, hence the need for this Cayenne Coupe. You actually wonder why the brand didn't do this earlier than 2019. Since the turn of this century, its conventional Cayenne SUV has, after all, always been the most sporting model in the large SUV segment. We always thought that if its sharp handling prowess could be transferred into the coupe version of this sector, a segment rather in need of sharp handling prowess, fireworks might be in prospect. Sure enough, the Cayenne Coupe has sold well for Porsche, contributing significantly to the Cayenne range's position as the brand's global best seller. Porsche wants this current model to remain on sale for most of the rest of this decade (alongside the completely different all-electric Cayenne that's due here in 2026). For this combustion-powered 'E3' design, what that meant in late-2023 was the need for what the brand described as one of the most extensive product upgrades in its history. It certainly was extremely far-reaching, with significant engineering changes and a completely fresh feel for the cabin. You can find out more about this kind of car by downloading the Car & Driving app.

Driving Experienceword count: 441

You might not be surprised to hear that a Cayenne Coupe drives almost exactly like an ordinary Cayenne. Of course, the standard Cayenne isn't 'ordinary' in the way it hurls nearly 2.3-tonnes of Zuffenhausen real estate up the road. Porsche reckons this variant is even better because of its fractionally lower centre of gravity, though any difference, is there is any, is virtually impossible to detect - on the public road anyway. As with the conventional car, the steering is on another level to what you get from large SUVs from most other brands, being meaty and direct. But let's get to what's new with this updated model - starting with the six cylinder variants. The entry-level Cayenne Coupe's previous 2.9-litre V6 gets replaced by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 generating 353PS. That engine also forms the basis for two Plug-in Hybrid variants, where it's boosted by an electric motor powered by a 25.9kWh battery that's larger than the unit fitted previously. The Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe puts out 470PS, while the alternative Cayenne S E-Hybrid Coupe puts out 519PS: both offer around 46 miles of EV driving range and get to 62mph in a fraction under five seconds. Both the V6 PHEV derivatives now feature a new electric brake booster that can take tyre temperature into account and adjust the ABS intervention as necessary, allowing for a smoother mix between friction and regenerative braking. To get the full-fat Cayenne Coupe performance experience though, you need a V8 variant. As part of this update, the mid-range Cayenne S Coupe model, which previously used a V6, adopted the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 unit familiar from Porsche's Panamera and the Lamborghini Urus. In a Cayenne S Coupe, this puts out 474PS, powering the car to 62mph in just 4.7s en route to a top speed of 170mph. That same V8 is also used in a 500PS Cayenne GTS model, which improves those stats only marginally to 4.4s and 171mph. That V8 features again the flagship Plug-in Hybrid version, the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe, which puts out an enormous 739PS with 950Nm of torque; 0-62mph takes 3.7s en route to 183mph. And that's just for the standard version. If you're one of those Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe customers for whom too much is never enough, you'll want your car with Porsche's 'GT Package', which makes this the fastest Cayenne of all time, making 62mph in a frantic 3.6s en route to 190mph. Otherwise, things are much as before. So there's 4WD of course and a ZF eight-speed auto gearbox. It's also worth mentioning that this Cayenne Coupe is just as happy as its predecessor off the beaten track.

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