Porsche Cayenne Coupe

The other day, I had the chance to test drive the Cayenne Coupe. Now that June has arrived and the kids have started elementary school and kindergarten, I finally have some free time in the mornings. So my husband and I took that opportunity to go for a drive together.

I wonder how many years it’s been since just the two of us went for a test drive… Usually, with the kids around, it’s a challenge to handle all their requests like “I want to play,” “I want juice,” “I need to go to the bathroom,” but with just the two of us adults, everything went so smoothly—it was quite a revelation (laughs).

This time, we test drove the Cayenne S Coupe that landed in Japan this year. The body color was Quartzite Gray Metallic. When I first saw the Cayenne Coupe at the dealer earlier this year, I thought, “Even though it’s an SUV, it looks low and the silhouette is really cool.” Seeing it again on this day, it was still a sporty and beautiful design.

The Cayenne S Coupe we test drove was loaded with options:

Two-tone leather interior, air suspension, PASM, rear-axle steering, sports exhaust, 21-inch Cayenne Exclusive Design wheels, matrix LED headlights, auto-dimming mirrors, privacy glass, head-up display, comfort access, soft-close doors, ambient lighting, 18-way electric adaptive sports seats, seat heaters (front and rear), seat ventilation (front), heated steering wheel, smoker’s package, Alcantara roof lining, aluminum interior package, BOSE surround sound system… etc.

The total cost of these options was a staggering about 5.3 million yen…!!!

Since the Cayenne S Coupe is priced at 14.85 million yen, adding options pushes it over 20 million yen… Honestly, I thought, “If you’re going to spend that much on options, wouldn’t it be better to just buy a GTS or Turbo instead…?”

Anyway, since I’m currently pregnant (8 months along), I naturally focus more on ride comfort than usual, so I’d like to start by sharing my impressions from that perspective.

Cayenne Coupe

① Luxurious Ride Comfort

I’ve had the chance to ride in the current Cayenne several times before, and I believe it offers the most luxurious ride comfort in Porsche’s lineup. It’s incredibly smooth and refined.

It’s so smooth that I found myself wondering, “Has this road been freshly paved or repaired?” as we glided along without any bumps. I’ve ridden in several other brands’ SUVs before, but none matched this level of comfort. (Well, the Bentley Bentayga was even more luxurious, but that’s a completely different price class…)

According to my husband, the ride comfort has improved dramatically compared to the previous generation Cayenne.

I think Porsche cars generally offer different ride comfort and comfort levels between the driver’s and passenger’s seats (the driver’s side is usually better), but in the Cayenne, the passenger seat was also very comfortable. Especially since I’m a pregnant woman with a large belly, every bump can be painful as my abdomen tenses up, so I’m more sensitive to ride comfort than usual—but even I found it very comfortable and smooth.

My husband also said,

As expected, the Cayenne’s ride comfort is amazing. It’s the most comfortable Porsche to ride in.

while driving.

After driving around town for a while, we headed to the Royu Driveway. Since the Royu Driveway has many tight curves, the Cayenne felt more prone to body roll in corners compared to other Porsches. However, my husband said,

When I drove a Cayenne equipped with PDCC before, it didn’t roll much, so if you’re buying a Cayenne, I’d definitely recommend one with PDCC.

That said, the Cayenne comes with triangular grip handles for off-road driving, which are handy to hold onto and stabilize yourself.

Next, I sat in the rear seat. The ride comfort was naturally good, but it felt a bit firmer than the front seats. According to my husband,

SUVs often have firmer rear seats because they’re designed to carry a lot of cargo in the back.

Regarding rear seat comfort, the Panamera might feel smoother.

That said, compared to the Mercedes-Benz GLS450 I rode for a few days previously, the rear seat experienced far less shaking, and I didn’t get motion sickness at all on mountain roads.

Even in the coupe, the rear seat space is generous, and the ceiling is high. Sitting deeply in the seat with my head resting on the headrest, there was still about two fists’ worth of space above my head. While it might feel lower compared to the regular Cayenne, I don’t think you’d ever get the impression of it being cramped or low when first getting in the coupe.

By the way, looking at this, my hair color has faded way too much. I really need to go to the salon…

② Easy to Drive

We switched drivers partway through, and it was just so easy to drive. The start-off was incredibly smooth and pleasant, and the car glided forward effortlessly.

The accelerator pedal wasn’t too light, offering just the right amount of resistance, and the brake pedal had a solid weight to it, responding with that characteristic Porsche bite when pressed. Every time I stepped on the brake, I found myself saying, “This feels so good…!”

Also, the Cayenne S Coupe’s width is 1,983mm, longer than the previous generation Cayenne, but it never felt bulky at all. The high seating position made it easy to drive, and honestly, it even felt smaller than the Panamera.

Of course, the Cayenne boasts Porsche’s high-level performance in “accelerating, cornering, and braking,” so driving it gives you absolute peace of mind. If you just trust the car, you can drive effortlessly and enjoyably without overthinking.

Compared to this Cayenne, I was reminded once again that the Panamera is truly a sporty car.

Wow, driving this is so easy and fun—no wonder the Cayenne sells so well! For everyday use by a wife, a Cayenne is absolutely perfect!

My husband said this as we drove for a while, but I think once you get used to how easy and pleasant the Cayenne is to drive, you’d definitely get worse at driving a GT3 or an air-cooled Porsche… (laughs)

③ Fulfills the Whole Family

With Porsche sports car models, I feel there are many where “the driver has a blast, but the passengers aren’t very comfortable.”

You often see husbands getting excited enjoying Porsche’s driving, while the wife in the passenger seat gets less thrilled due to uncomfortable ride quality… Also, with a standard 911, the front seats are comfortable, but the rear seats can be a bit cramped for kids. (Though, honestly, not many people use the 911’s rear seats anyway…)

Even if the interior is comfortable, many moms with growing kids find Porsche’s limited trunk space frustrating, thinking “Porsches don’t hold much luggage and are hard to use.”

On the other hand, dads who own minivans or SUVs focused on family comfort often say, “The interior is spacious and the family is very comfortable, but the driver doesn’t enjoy driving and gets tired on long trips.” and “The dad is basically just a chauffeur getting the family to their destination.”

In other words, finding and buying a car that “meets the needs of everyone riding in it” is actually quite difficult.

In that context, I think the Cayenne is a “car that can satisfy the needs of almost everyone riding in it.” It offers a refined, smooth ride and spacious interior that keeps the family comfortable. Then, when you press the accelerator to accelerate, the engine sound, acceleration, straight-line stability, and high-speed lane changes make you think, “That’s Porsche for you!” The handling and braking let the driver fully enjoy Porsche’s driving experience.

Plus, with a family of five, you can go on trips, skiing, beach outings—anywhere—and still pack plenty of luggage. I learned for the first time that the off-road settings are finely tuned for different surfaces (gravel, mud, sand, rocks), and pressing a button adjusts the front/rear drive distribution and ride height accordingly.

From the passenger seat, I didn’t notice much difference, but my husband driving said he could clearly feel the changes. With features like this, you almost want to try driving on rough roads on purpose… lol

Also, although the Cayenne is an SUV suitable for outdoor use, it has the luxury to confidently visit ryokans or upscale hotels.

If I had to point out a downside, it would be the vehicle width (body size). The current model’s width exceeds 1,980mm, which means it barely fits in some home apartment parking spaces, and many people choose not to upgrade from the previous generation for that reason.

While driving, the body size isn’t much of an issue, but in Japan, parking space constraints are definitely a challenge…

Also, unlike the Panamera, where you can adjust many settings via the touchscreen while driving, some functions on the Cayenne we test drove couldn’t be operated while driving.

Other than that, it’s truly an all-rounder, and I found the Cayenne to be a very attractive vehicle. After the test drive, my husband muttered,

I really want a Cayenne… Well, realistically, it would be to replace the 320i, but then our car lineup would be full of Porsches, and that’s a bit much…

(laughs)

Well then, I hope to share my husband’s test drive impressions in a follow-up post soon.