testing an all-new version of the cayenne on a spectacular drive
Overlooking the Strait of Hormuz and separated by the UAE, the Musandam Governorate in Oman is also known as the Norway of the Middle East due to its rugged coastline and mountainous terrain.
This is where Porsche decided to test an all-new version of one of its most crucial models, slated to be launched locally this year. Originally introduced in 2003, the Cayenne has been a massive success for the marque.
Our drive started at the seaside town of Fujairah in the UAE before crossing into Oman. The route consisted of a mix of straight boulevards through the border town of Dibba, B-roads passing the Sawt settlement and an off-road trail before we arrived at Six Senses Zighy Bay.
The two variants offered during the drive were the Cayenne and Cayenne S, the latter boasting a meatier 434bhp and 550Nm power output. With twin-turbocharging, the S variant also betters the single-turbo 3.0-litre mill found in the non-S version, even with its slightly smaller 2.9-litre engine.
While it seems rather unchanged in profile at first glance, you will uncover a series of new design touches upon closer inspection. It adopts a crouched front-end echoing the Macan, giving it a more pronounced shoulder line, steeply raked C-pillars, and a lower roof to radiate a sportier feel compared with its traditional-looking predecessors. Adorning the rear is a pair of new, slender-shaped tail lamps connected to a strip displaying the brand’s name. In the Cayenne’s latest design iteration, both the front and rear light clusters now include the trademark four-point LED treatment. Inside, the Porsche Advanced Cockpit has a crisp and sporty atmosphere, with a 918-like steering wheel and black trims.
On the road, comfort levels make every journey an effortless affair with better insulation and myriad seating adjustments to suit your fancy. As we crossed the border and passed Dibba, the tarmac soon transformed to washboard gravel, a surface known to shorten the suspension life of any vehicle. However, the Cayenne succeeded in preventing excessive jolts from spreading into the cabin. This is a feat worth pointing out as the Cayenne isn’t known fondly as an off-roader.
On the new Cayenne, one finds a platform loaded with the latest technologies which included five new driving modes: Normal, Mud, Gravel, Sand and Rock. These features allowed the Cayenne to perform exceptionally well over stone-littered paths and even on the hilly route towards Six Senses with excellent road-holding grip, admirable traction and poise.
Swapping to the Cayenne S on the journey back, I found the extra power hike made all the difference in performance. The stronger low to mid-range pulling power ensures a quicker standstill start. With Sport mode selected, you get a sharper steering and throttle response, with the Cayenne S powering through the remaining stretch of a B-road with sublime precision.
The all-new Cayenne is a significant leap ahead. It still leads the pack when it comes to driving dynamics, but gains more daylight between the chasing pack now that it is paired with beautiful sheet metal, a well-appointed interior and new technologies.
