AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING8.0/10
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Safety8.0/10
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PRACTICALITY7.0/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS7.0/10
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FEATURES7.0/10
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POWER9.5/10
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COMFORT7.0/10
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DRIVING FEEL9.5/10
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FUEL ECONOMY3.0/10
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VALUE6.0/10
It seems I’m quickly becoming a curmudgeon.
It comes with age and impatience, and I’m acquiring both in haste. I grumble at the fashion and music of my son’s generation. Waiting in any line for more than a few minutes can sour my mood for hours. And I believe high-performance sport utility vehicles are pointless — especially ones incorrectly called “coupes.”
The 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is arguably the king of high-performance SUV coupe-things, and I had to spend a week with one. Hrrmff.
Driving Feel: 9.5/10
Seven minutes and 33.95 seconds is surely all the time Porsche needed to convince a bunch of buyers to order a Cayenne Turbo GT of their own. Incidentally, that’s the time it took this 2,293-kg (5,055-lb) SUV to complete a lap of the famed Nürburgring in Germany, earning it the record — as of this writing, at least — as the fastest sport utility to do so. That time also puts the Turbo GT within a half-second of super cars from the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, and Koenigsegg, as well as various generations of Porsche’s own 911 GT2 and GT3 track weapons.
It's an astonishing feat of engineering for a tall, heavy machine like the Cayenne to have the capability of such physics-defying road-holding. But then it’s sort of like winning a hotdog-eating contest: impressive, but kind of silly.
Commuting on traffic-choked arteries, this Porsche’s handling talents remain latent as its dimensions prevent it from ever feeling like it can move like a smaller machine. But escape the urban grind, stitch a route together with as many aggressive corners as possible, and the Cayenne Turbo GT can roll up its sleeves and get to work.
On one particular road with a series of big turns that cut around the edges of farm fields, I arrived at the first corner at a speed I thought was fast enough to exercise the Cayenne. Unfortunately, the standard carbon ceramic brakes are capable of eliminating momentum with the force of a deity’s hand, and the pops and gurgles emitted from the Porsche’s tailpipes sounded an awful lot like it was snickering at me.
Fine then. The next corner was already arriving really fast, and after a gentler brush of the brake pedal, the Turbo GT was flung in full bore. The reaction was immediate and the impossibly sharp steering revealed the giant front tires weren’t stressing, as the Porsche was now pointed 90-degrees from where it had been a split-second before. There was no body roll, no drama — just more than two metric tonnes of metal, glass, and rubber instantly changing direction and rocketing forward on a new course. Incredible.
Power: 9.5/10
Enjoying this nonsense in spite of myself, I repeated the same shenanigans a few more times; sometimes with smooth, calculated inputs resulting in Ginsu-sharp arcs through the corners. Other times, I’d deliberately try to upset the Turbo GT by stomping the pedal sooner than I should, and the result was always the same as the Porsche obediently launched wherever it was pointed.
This can only be achieved by painstakingly engineering an adaptive suspension that helps it squat closer to earth, and by clawing at the pavement with massive, sticky tires. Porsche’s been using all-wheel drive in performance applications for decades, so it’s no surprise the Cayenne’s system is excellent at directing all the power where it’s best utilized.
There’s plenty of power, and thanks to a series of improvements to the twin-turbocharged V8’s pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft, and timing chain, Porsche’s mad scientists amped up the Turbo GT this year to 650 hp (compared to last year’s 631 hp). Still, even with 627 lb-ft of torque, too, this model falls short of the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid’s 729 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. But then the Turbo GT is lighter, ensuring it keeps its crown as quickest Cayenne.
Porsche claims the Turbo GT will rip from zero to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, but published testing has shown zero-to-60 mph runs in less than three seconds flat. It’ll keep accelerating until it crests 300 km/h, too.
The eight-speed automatic transmission does its part by snapping off crisp shifts and intuitively always having the right gear in use for the task at hand.
Fuel Economy: 3/10
What all the genius engineering can’t do is make this wild beast fuel efficient. While commuting, the best I saw was a horrendous consumption rate in the low 16.0 L/100 km range, while at other times — with a lot of urban driving or aggressive corner carving — that figure rose into the 18s. For reference, my brick-shaped, V8-powered Lexus achieves the same while towing a steel trailer and a whole other car.
The government claims drivers with a lighter foot than mine can average 11.8 L/100 km on the highway, 15.5 in the city, and 13.8 combined. At least the big 90-L tank ensures decent range.
Styling: 8/10
I must also grumpily concede that the Cayenne Turbo GT is a cool-looking machine. Normally, taking a perfectly good SUV and squashing its roofline not only offends my pragmatism, but looks weirdly disproportionate with a rakish upper half overtop a bulky, SUV’s lower half. It’s a little like an automotive centaur. But because the Cayenne Turbo GT hunkers down over its 22-inch wheels, its arcing profile just sort of works. For 2024, all Cayennes get subtly refreshed front- and rear ends, and the Turbo GT is included with its slightly squared-off headlight treatment and the PORSCHE font stretched across the rear light bar.
The Turbo GT is quickly identifiable from behind thanks to its large rear spoiler and carbon fibre winglets, and the pair of centre-mounted tailpipes that announce its presence to passersby both audibly and visually. My test unit was adorned with a bunch of extra carbon fibre trim, from the mirror caps to rear valance, as well as the roof.
Although the $3,600 Arctic Grey paint choice might be a little subdued for such a rambunctious machine, having those big, airy wheels painted in satin Deep Sea Blue is a touch of welcome flamboyance. It’s a purposeful design, if not a pretty one.
The same can be said for the interior, finished in black, grey and glass in this case. It’s a place of serious business, not posh elegance.
Comfort: 7/10
Fortunately, the interior doesn’t need to be lavish to be comfortable. The front seats are fantastically supportive, and with the perfect blend of firm support and supple compliance, those faux-suede-trimmed buckets are really comfy. And all this despite not having endless adjustability, nor cooling or massaging units built-in like most other high-end SUVs have to offer.
The four-zone climate control system ensures that each occupant can dial in a comfortable setting. Being the sportiest Cayenne, there’s no middle spot in the back seat, instead offering only two-place rear buckets. Despite the more aggressive roofline, the headroom isn’t compromised front or rear.
The only affront to comfort is the Turbo GT’s ride quality which, even in the softest drive mode setting, broadcasts every pavement crack, divot, and errant pebble encountered on the road up to the cabin. And since I’m grumping, the Cayenne Turbo GT’s mechanical and exhaust noise is abnormally loud, too. Of course, the voluminous racket produced by this monster is also sinfully pleasing and a primary reason to choose this model.
Features: 7/10
Being a premium machine means the Cayenne Turbo GT can be equipped with plenty of features. Being a Porsche means a buyer will need to spend hours poring over the extensive options list to build their rig exactly as desired. My tester lacked a sunroof and cooling seats, but had an Exclusive Design fuel cap, soft-close doors, a separate display screen for the front-seat passenger, power rear side window sun shades, and a little sleeping bag for the key fob that was coloured to match the car’s exterior paint hue. All of those niceties cost extra, but the Smoking package is a no-cost feature. Of note, the optional Burmeister audio system offered incredible sound for its $6,620 surcharge.
User-Friendliness: 7/10
One of the biggest updates affecting the full 2024 Cayenne lineup is the implementation of the multi-screen cockpit setup. First employed in the all-electric Taycan, the system has now migrated to the Cayenne, Panamera, and Macan Electric. It’s a slick setup that manages to maintain the traditional dash shape and look of the three- or five-dial gauge layout Porsche has utilized for decades.
The 12.6-inch curved instrument display can be configured to show all sorts of information. The primary 12.3-inch touchscreen incorporates wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and while the operating system is responsive, the menu layout requires a bit of familiarization time. The climate controls are situated on the lower centre console and operate via a series of toggles. It works well, but is prone to smudges and fingerprints.
Practicality: 7/10
SUVs are vehicles of compromise by design, traditionally favouring utilitarian purposes over comfort and performance. With the Cayenne Turbo GT, the compromises swing wildly toward performance, negating its practicality. Due to the exhaust placement, towing is out of the question. The sloping roofline and having only two rear seats limits passenger-carrying functionality, while the 22-inch wheels wrapped with elastic bands make this Cayenne virtually useless off-road, despite the air suspension’s ability to offer 223 mm (8.8 in) of ground clearance.
Believing an SUV should always be useful for utility, I loaded up the cargo area with lighting and production gear, and with the rear seats folded (offering up 1,486 L of volume), managed to tote a surprising amount of stuff to a photo shoot. With the right roof rack, the Cayenne could also hold another 75 kg (165 lb) worth of gear up top.
Safety: 8/10
When looking at advanced safety features, Porsche offers them comprehensively, but as options to those willing to pay for them. The standard HD-Matrix LED lights are sensational, providing great illumination, but also the ability to prevent blinding on-coming traffic. A safety feature not often seen in production cars these days, an optional fire extinguisher was added to this tester for a modest $160.
Value: 6/10
For some, the bragging rights of driving the fastest SUV around the ‘Ring will be enough to warrant a purchase. For others, the impossible performance capabilities of a vehicle that can be driven year-round as a commuter, plus up to the cottage on the weekends, makes the Cayenne Turbo GT a compelling choice. For the rest of us, the Turbo GT’s $218,300 starting price may be tough to reckon. Add in another $24,000 or so in options, and this Cayenne’s price tag edges a quarter-mil before taxes. Load up a BMW X6 M Competition and it’ll come in well under the Turbo GT’s cost, while a Lamborghini Urus (which shares an awful lot with this Porsche beneath the skin), Aston Martin DBX707, and Ferrari Purosangue each cost considerably more, placing the Cayenne Turbo GT in a unique spot.
The Verdict
Curmudgeonly or not, I have to admit that the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is not only an incredible engineering feat, but considering its functionality as a decently-spacious four-seater with enough cargo capacity for weekend getaways, it can be wildly fun, too. Porsche is putting its best effort forward to create what a few lucky customers want, so it can’t be faulted for that. Still, I can’t help but wonder what might’ve been if all that engineering effort was poured into a new 928 instead.
Now get off my lawn.
| Engine Displacement | 4.0L |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | Twin-turbo V8 |
| Peak Horsepower | 650 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 627 lb-ft @2,300-4,500 rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 15.5 / 11.8 / 13.8 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
| Cargo Space | 576 / 1,486 L seats up/down |
| Model Tested | 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT |
| Base Price | $218,300 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | $2,850 |
| Price as Tested | $244,930 |
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Optional Equipment
$23,680 — Premium sound system, $6,620; Arctic Grey paint, $3,590; Adaptive cruise control and lane departure system, $3,130; Surround-view parking, $1,840; Passenger display screen, $1,690; 4-zone climate control, $1,130; Soft-close doors, $820; Heated steering wheel w/carbon fibre, $780; Power rear sunshades, $740; Heated windshield, $710; 22-inch blue wheels, $690; Air quality system, $530; Vehicle key in body colour w/pouch, $470; Puddle light projectors, $370; Exclusive Design fuel cap, $190; Fire extinguisher, $160; Preparation for dash cam, $150; Wheel locks, $70
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