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By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 90

The Cayenne large luxury SUV was the car that turned around Porsche's fortunes and it's a car that still managed to set standards in its segment in this third generation form. This earlier '9Y3' version of the E3 model was smarter, faster, more efficient and impressively advanced than its predecessor, while a Plug-in Hybrid version and efficiency improvements across the range aimed to keep the green lobby at bay. Best of all, it can reward you at the wheel in a way that no other rival from the 2018-2023-era can.

Modelsword count: 8

(2.9, 3.0 petrol,4.0 petrol, 3.0 petrol/electric Plug-in Hybrid)

Historyword count: 372

Back in 2018, Porsche rejuvenated its large luxury Cayenne SUV in this '9Y3' third generation guise. The styling represented a mere gradual evolution, but the changes inside and beneath the skin were genuinely far-reaching. The 911 sportscar may be the model Porsche is known for, but it's the Cayenne large luxury SUV that made the brand the world's most profitable car maker. This was the model that really established the company in this modern era, achieving over 770,000 global sales by the time of this MK3 model's launch in early 2018. For much of this Millennium, this SUV has out-sold all of Porsche's other models put together. The switch to this MK3 design necessitated a need for this Cayenne to fulfil a slightly different role in the company's line-up, following the introduction of the smaller Macan SUV. Where previously, Porsche would talk about this model being a 'family sportscar', 'a five-seat 911' and so on, by 2018 that mantle sat more comfortably with the Macan. The Cayenne by then had more in common with the brand's 'Gran Turismo', the Panamera, sharing much of that executive contender's engineering, including its new-tech active anti-roll bar set-up, its rear axle steering system and its three-chamber air suspension, all of it co-ordinated by Porsche's freshly-developed '4D-Chassis Control' central network system. It was clear from the start that all of that technology would certainly be needed if a genuinely sporting conveyance was to be made out of something this big and heavy. But it was an objective further aided by this MK3 model's adoption of a shorter version of the hi-tech MLB-Evo platform that it shared with Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini. Under the bonnet, there was a range of completely new V6 and V8 engines, all of them mated to a new 8-speed PDK auto gearbox, plus there was cutting-edge hybrid Plug-in technology that from launch was designed to completely replace the need for diesel power (diesels weren't offered in this MK3 Cayenne). A separate 45kg-heavier Coupe body style was introduced in 2019. And both cars sold in this form until late 2023, when the range was substantially upgraded. It's the earlier pre-facelift versions of this '9Y3' third generation E3 Cayenne model we look at here.

What You Getword count: 387

This third generation Cayenne was quite a smart-looking thing but in the past, this car rarely has been. From the front with this E3 model, there was no longer the feeling that Porsche was rather awkwardly trying to graft 911 styling cues into a boxy crossover silhouette and the previously rather bluff frontage had been softened somewhat with a long, sweeping bonnet. This featured a more distinctive power dome that helped to emphasise sleeker wings that flowed into LED headlights featuring three-dimensional light modules and the usual four-beam arrangement favoured by the brand. Take a seat inside and as ever with a Cayenne, you get a driving position that remains remarkably low-set for a large SUV, in keeping with that quest for sportscar-style driving dynamics and a 'cockpit-style' feel. Around the gearstick the fiddly little buttons that previously decorated the centre console were replaced on this MK3 model by a shiny black panel that comes to life with touch-sensitive controls once you fire the ignition. Just above lies the other defining feature of this cabin, the huge 12.3-inch colour touchscreen controlling the standard 'Porsche Communication Management' infotainment system. More screens are found in the instrument binnacle either side of the prominent rev counter gauge. All of it's configurable to your personal preferences as part of one of the most sophisticated cabins you'll find anywhere in this segment from this era. What about the rear seat? There was no wheelbase increase for this E3-series model, so no real increase in leg room, but the scalloped front seat backs help and you can better prioritise space for your feet by making use of seat bases that slide over a range of 160mm across a 60:40 split. The seat backs recline in ten stages in two degree increments from 11 to 29-degrees for greater comfort on longer journeys. And the relatively low height of the centre transmission tunnel means that three adults can be accommodated without too much discomfort for the occupant who's drawn the short straw and gets stuck in the middle. Click the keyfob button for the standard power-operated tailgate (which was optionally operable by foot gesture) and you'll find that all models offer significantly more boot space than the previous generation model could provide. With base and 'S' variants, there's 770-litres of capacity (100-litres more than before).

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