Driving to Fuji Speedway in the Cayenne

The other day, I wrote an article about my husband participating in a track day hosted by the magazine “911DAYS” and driving the 992 in wet mode.

As for me, I followed along in the Cayenne E-Hybrid, driving nearly 1,000 km round trip from home to Fuji Speedway (including transfers to the hotel, etc.).

Most of the journey was on the highway, but it was my first time driving such a long distance alone in the Cayenne.

Previously, I had driven round trips to Fuji Speedway in a Panamera Turbo and a BMW 320i, so this time I want to share my impressions including how the Cayenne compared to those experiences.

By the way, the Cayenne had winter tires on during the winter, but I switched to summer tires just before the trip.

Impressions of Driving Long Distances in the Cayenne

In short, my impression of driving long distances in the Cayenne is that it’s extremely comfortable.

Smooth Ride and Quiet Cabin

I’ve written many times on this blog about how smooth the ride of the current Cayenne is, but the ride on the highway was truly smooth and seamless, and the cabin was very quiet.

Among all the Porsches I’ve driven, this one had the least road noise and wind noise, and I realized that not hearing those sounds greatly enhances comfort on long drives.

High Driving Position

The higher driving position allowed me to drive comfortably over long distances, and I didn’t get as tired as I expected. When I drove the Panamera on a long trip before, I also felt it was not very tiring, but the Cayenne was even more relaxing.

We hit heavy traffic on the way, but ACC made it easy

Looking back, compared to the Cayenne, the Panamera’s driving position is lower and it has a stronger sports car feel. Also, since our Panamera was a Turbo, I think it put me in a “mode where I just want to press the accelerator and go fast.”

In that respect, the Cayenne allowed me to drive with a more relaxed mindset.

Stability on Any Road Surface

Both on the way there and back, the crosswinds were quite strong, but as expected from an all-wheel-drive vehicle, the Cayenne was very stable. Sometimes when the wind was really strong, the steering wheel did wobble a bit, but it was never at a “scary” level.

The Panamera also had great stability with AWD, but the SUV Cayenne added a reassuring “off-road capability” that made me feel very confident no matter what kind of road I was on.

When we went out for dinner locally, it was pouring rain and windy like a typhoon, but the Cayenne handled puddles without any trouble. As long as I drove safely within common sense speeds, there was absolutely no problem.

This trip made me realize once again that the Cayenne is such a trustworthy car.

Fast

The Cayenne E-Hybrid is fast. When accelerating on the highway, putting it into Sport mode and pressing the accelerator firmly results in powerful yet smooth and seamless acceleration.

Despite weighing over two tons, and with three kids in the back seat plus heavy suitcases in the trunk, there was no feeling of sluggishness during acceleration.

My husband’s acquaintances and the dealer have said, “The Cayenne E-Hybrid has smooth yet quick initial acceleration,” and I can truly feel how amazing the motor assist is.

Also, our previous Panamera Turbo would squat and accelerate with terrifying force like it was scraping the ground when you pressed the accelerator hard, but the Cayenne accelerates with just the right amount of power, which felt very pleasant.

Fuel Economy Is Poor for a Hybrid

Porsche’s hybrid cars are said to prioritize performance enhancement through motor assist over fuel economy, so you probably shouldn’t expect great mileage… but the Cayenne E-Hybrid’s fuel economy is not good.

When fully charged (our car shows about 28–30 km of electric range), it can run without using gas, but pressing the accelerator hard or climbing hills quickly drains the battery, so this trip was mostly gasoline-powered. (We drove in hybrid auto mode with a set destination, but the charge ran out quickly.)

I wish it could run about 50 km on a single charge.

Fortunately, the hotel on the first night had charging facilities, so we were able to fully charge in about three hours, but the charge was gone again the next day.

Because the Cayenne E-Hybrid is heavier due to the motor, the overall fuel economy on the way back without charging was under 10 km/l.

I Might Like the Cayenne More Than the 911

During the trip, I swapped driving with my husband who was driving the 911 Cabriolet, but honestly, the Cayenne was so comfortable that I quickly asked to switch back.

Wow…

After driving the Cayenne, getting into the 911 felt so stiff and low-seated, and the moment I started the engine, it was like the car was saying, “Alright, let’s go!” which made me hesitate thinking, “No, I’m not really in that mood right now…” (laughs)

Maybe the 911 is better for winding roads, but for long stretches on the highway, the Cayenne is definitely more comfortable and relaxing. It’s stress-free in every way, doesn’t tire me out, and the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) is smart, so I could drive for hours. (Though I mostly drove myself this time because driving is fun, so I barely used ACC.)

My husband said,

What’s up? You really like the Cayenne lately. You like it way more than the 911 now.

And he’s absolutely right. Lately, I feel like I’ve been tamed by the Cayenne, my wild side softened (laughs).

That said, when I get behind the wheel of the manual Boxster, I’m sure I’ll be thinking, “Wow, this is so much fun!” again. Porsche models are so irresistibly attractive that every time I drive one, I’m completely captivated.