Taking the Cayenne to Fuji Speedway

The other day, I wrote about joining a track event hosted by 911DAYS magazine, where my husband drove our 992 in Wet mode.

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

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

I’ve made the round trip from home to Fuji Speedway before in our Panamera Turbo and a BMW 320i. This time, I’ll share how the Cayenne compared with those cars and what the drive was like.

One note: our Cayenne had been on winter tires throughout the season, but we switched to summer tires just before the trip.

What It’s Like to Drive the Cayenne Long-Distance

In a word, driving the Cayenne over a long distance was incredibly comfortable.

A Smooth Ride and a Quiet Cabin

I’ve written many times about how smooth the current-generation Cayenne is, but on the highway, the ride was exceptionally smooth and composed, and the cabin was remarkably quiet.

Of all the Porsches I’ve driven, this one had the least road and wind noise. I realized just how much a quiet cabin contributes to comfort when you’re behind the wheel for hours.

A Higher Driving Position

The elevated driving position made it easy to relax behind the wheel, and I was less tired than I’d expected. When I drove the Panamera long-distance, I remember thinking, “I’m not all that tired.” The Cayenne was even more relaxing.

There was a major traffic jam on the way there, but ACC made it much easier

Looking back, the Panamera’s driving position is lower than the Cayenne’s, and it has a stronger sports-car character. Our Panamera was also a Turbo, so I think it naturally put me in a “let’s put my foot down and have some fun” kind of mood.

In the Cayenne, by contrast, I could settle into a more relaxed rhythm.

Confidence-Inspiring Stability on Any Road

There were strong crosswinds both ways, but the Cayenne’s all-wheel drive helped it feel remarkably stable. A particularly fierce gust would occasionally nudge the steering, but it never came close to making me feel unsafe.

The Panamera was also impressively stable thanks to its all-wheel drive. But the Cayenne adds the reassurance of an SUV that’s more than ready for off-road driving, which made me feel confident whatever the road threw at us.

One evening, we drove the Cayenne out for dinner. The rain and wind were at their worst, and it felt like driving through a typhoon—but puddles on the road were no trouble. As long as we drove carefully at a sensible speed, the car handled it without a problem.

This trip reminded me just how dependable the Cayenne really is.

It’s Fast

The Cayenne E-Hybrid is fast. When accelerating on the highway, switching to Sport mode and pressing the accelerator firmly delivered strong, seamless power.

The car weighs more than two tonnes, and we had three kids in the back and heavy suitcases in the trunk. Even so, it never felt sluggish when accelerating.

My husband’s friends and people at the dealership have said the Cayenne E-Hybrid pulls away smoothly and is quick, and I can see why. The electric motor’s assistance makes a real difference.

Our old Panamera Turbo, by comparison, would squat under hard acceleration and surge forward so ferociously it felt as if it were tearing up the road. The Cayenne delivers a more measured level of power, which I found every bit as satisfying.

Fuel Economy Isn’t Great for a Hybrid

Porsche’s hybrid models are said to prioritize improved performance through electric-motor assistance over fuel economy, so perhaps it’s unrealistic to expect great mileage. Still, the Cayenne E-Hybrid isn’t especially economical.

With a full charge (our car usually displays an electric range of around 28–30 km), you can drive without using gasoline. But accelerate hard or climb a hill, and the battery drains quickly, so gasoline ended up powering most of our trip. (We entered our destination and used Hybrid Auto mode, but the charge ran down quickly.)

If only it could manage about 50 km on a single charge…

We were lucky to find a charging station at our hotel on the first night, and the battery was full again after about three hours. But the charge was gone again by the next day.

The Cayenne E-Hybrid is heavier because of its electric motor and battery. On the way home, with no charge left, our overall fuel economy was just under 10 km/L.

I Might Like the Cayenne More Than the 911

At one point, I swapped places with my husband and drove his 911 Cabriolet. Honestly, the Cayenne was so comfortable that I soon asked him to take over again.

Well, then…

After the Cayenne, the 911 felt incredibly solid, with its low seating position. The moment I started the engine, it was as if the car were saying, “Come on, let’s go!” And I found myself thinking, “That’s not quite the mood I’m in right now…” (laughs)

The 911 might be the better choice for a mountain road, but for mile after mile on the highway, the Cayenne is simply more comfortable and less tiring. It’s stress-free in every way, and its ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) is smart enough to make long drives easy. (That said, driving is fun in itself, so I barely used ACC this time and did most of the driving myself.)

My husband even said:

What’s gotten into you? You’re really into the Cayenne lately. You’ve completely fallen for it over the 911.

And he’s right. Lately, I feel as though the Cayenne has tamed me and taken the edge off my enthusiasm for sports cars (laughs).

That said, I know that the moment I get behind the wheel of a manual Boxster, I’ll be thinking, “Wow, this is so much fun!” Every Porsche model has so much to offer that I find myself completely won over all over again each time I drive one.