When is a Porsche not a Porsche?

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2008 Porsche Cayenne S - Ride and Handling

Handling
Set the suspension to “Sport” and you have handling that’s as precise and capable as a big brute can get. The 18-inch tires on our test car didn’t have as much grip as the available 20 inchers, but the lower limits may have worked in the Cayenne’s favor by lowering the limits and giving it a slightly tossable feel. It understeers at the limit, but the stability control didn’t intrude until the outer limits of adhesion. Yet you never escape the weight, and feel it in every quick side-to-side transition. The Cayenne may be the Fred Astaire of elephants, but it’s still an elephant.

Fun to Drive
The Cayenne is good, despite its weight, size and height. It’s comfortable on the road, but dial up the Sport mode and it’s satisfying on a mountain road. The V-8 provides good power, although more would be nice, and the brakes are tremendous. Yet every time we see that Porsche crest, we’re disappointed that it’s not more responsive and precise. Yeah, we have high expectations, but this is a Porsche, and that’s supposed to mean something even if it’s a big, heavy SUV. If it were a Volkswagen we’d love it, but as a Porsche, the Cayenne is disappointing.