Porsche got it right nearly two-dozen years ago when the Cayenne was introduced to the world. Despite the marque’s sports car-loving fanatics calling heresy, the Cayenne’s overwhelming sales success was an undeniable boon for future sports car development.
More importantly, the Cayenne was darned good to drive, even then offering a fusion of genuine utility and performance the likes of which had never been seen in the SUV segment. For 2024, Porsche gave its third-generation Cayenne a notable overhaul, updating everything from the mechanicals to the technology. It was enough to wow AutoTrader’s group of more than 20 experts who cast votes, earning it the Best Midsize Luxury SUV award last year. It turns out, the Cayenne is so good, there’s still no better choice in the segment, making it a repeat winner for 2025.
One of the biggest appeals for the Cayenne is the breadth of drivetrains offered throughout the lineup, every one of them offering impressive performance. The base Cayenne is motivated by a twin-turbo 3.0L V6 with a seemingly modest 348 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque, but your humble writer found it ample for sustained left-lane speeds on the Autobahn without breaking a sweat.
Move through the model range and there are mild-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid variants, offering differing measures of efficiency and mind-bending power, right up to the utterly bonkers high-performance Cayenne Turbo GT with its record-holding 7-minute, 33.95-second lap time around the Nürburgring. The sweet spots for us are the V8 models in the Cayenne S and GTS trims. The V8s not only offer abundant thrust for exciting motoring, but the harmonics and throaty exhaust note are music to a driving enthusiast’s ear.
The Cayenne remains an astonishingly agile handler for such a sizable and relatively tall machine. Hurried around on favourite serpentine roads, Porsche’s decades of suspension tuning prowess shine through with the Cayenne exhibiting unflappable stability and composure, even when driven at speeds that would embarrass many sports cars. When the pavement disappears, the Cayenne can do a pretty good rally car impression, its standard all-wheel drive clinging to the earth, and various drive modes designed to turn the Porsche into a mountain goat off-road.
The Cayenne’s driving dynamics are only part of the appeal. The interior is spacious enough to comfortably accommodate four adults, with a fifth able to squeeze into the back seat for short jaunts. The front seats blend ample lateral support with road trip-worthy comfort, and the fit and finish throughout the Cayenne are the best in the business. The driving position is commanding with controls within easy reach, and the digital gauge display and dashboard shape mimicking the analogue look Porsche has used for decades.
The Cayenne’s 772-litre luggage space is sufficient to swallow a few sizable suitcases and carry-ons for a weekend away, but drop the rear seats, and it expands to more than 1,700 L when the Cayenne is needed for real work. If that work entails towing, the Cayenne is rated to haul a properly practical 3,500 kg. And, if a buyer doesn’t get carried away with the nearly limitless options, the Cayenne can be spec’ed to offer competitive value.
Measured against the Cayenne’s key competitors from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW, AutoTrader’s Road Test Editor Dan Ilika states, “None of those rivals delivers the same distillation of driving enjoyment as the Cayenne GTS, which feels focused, fun, and functional.” The 2025 Porsche Cayenne is once again our expert pick for Best Midsize Luxury SUV because no other vehicle offers such genuine practicality blended with the quality, comfort, and performance.