Porsche’s Rear Axle Steering

The other day, I received this question on the blog.

I’m currently waiting for delivery of a Cayenne Coupe GTS, but I’m curious about the rear axle steering option. I understand it makes handling easier and parking simpler, and also improves handling and stability at high speeds. However, since it’s an expensive option, I’d like a review on whether it’s essential for the increasingly larger Cayenne and Panamera models.

That was the question.

Rear axle steering refers to the system that steers the rear wheels. In the previous generation 970 Panamera, this option was not available, but from the 971 Panamera and the current Cayenne onwards, it can be selected as an option.

When equipped with rear axle steering, at low-speed corners, the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels (up to 2.8°), improving maneuverability. For example, when parking, the effective wheelbase shortens, reducing the turning radius by about 60 cm, allowing the vehicle to move more nimbly even at low speeds.

On the other hand, when cornering or changing lanes at speeds above 70 km/h, the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front wheels (with a maximum steering angle about 1.5° smaller), enhancing stability. At the same time, straight-line stability also improves.
*Source: Porsche Japan “From Passive to Active”

At our home, we have owned the “970 Panamera Edition” and “971 Panamera Turbo” for about five years combined. And for the 971 Panamera, we opted for the rear axle steering option.

My husband said when purchasing the 971 Panamera, “I will definitely get the rear axle steering option,” and his reasons were:

Since the Panamera is a large car, adding rear axle steering will make it easier to maneuver. Also, I want to drive the Panamera sportily on winding roads and mountain passes, so this option is a must-have.

Indeed, when we switched from the 970 to the 971 Panamera, I felt it was much easier to maneuver. (That said, I wasn’t dissatisfied with the 970 Panamera either.)

Especially when driving on mountain roads like the Royu Driveway, it felt like the car was smaller, and I was very impressed by how much easier parking became.

Since the Panamera is a large sedan with a low driving position, it requires more attention than the taller Cayenne. Therefore, having the rear axle steering option makes driving considerably easier.

In particular, for wives or others who may not be confident drivers using the car daily, parking at home or supermarket lots becomes much easier, which is a great benefit.

Cayenne and Rear Axle Steering

So, what about the Cayenne? When equipped with the rear axle steering option, the minimum turning radius reportedly shrinks from the standard 5.7 m to 5.4 m.

Having owned the current Cayenne E-Hybrid,

I feel the rear axle steering option is not particularly essential for the Cayenne.

The Cayenne is surprisingly nimble, so even without the rear axle steering option for everyday use, there’s no real inconvenience, and highway lane changes and straight-line driving remain stable. My husband said,

When I test drove the Cayenne, it turned more sharply than I expected, so I thought I probably don’t need the rear axle steering option. Also, unlike with the Panamera, I wasn’t as focused on driving the Cayenne sportily on mountain roads or winding routes, so I felt it was fine to skip it.

Regarding maneuverability, our “air-cooled Porsche 911 (964)” and “Nissan Note” often feel less nimble. In fact, the current Panamera and Cayenne models, which are much larger than the 964 or Note, even without the rear axle steering option, are easier to turn and park at low speeds.

Of course, opinions vary among users, but in our case, the conclusion is: “If you plan to drive the Panamera or Cayenne sportily on winding roads, it’s better to get the rear axle steering option.”