You Understand Porsche by Test Driving It

My husband recently had the chance to test drive the new Cayenne E-Hybrid at the dealer, and he said something that really stuck with me.

I think this applies to other brands too, but especially with Porsche, no matter how much you hear about it, you just don’t get it until you actually test drive one. The new hybrid I drove recently was even better than I expected. It was truly impressive.

He said.

Usually, my husband is pretty calm and composed even after test drives, so for him to be this impressed, the Cayenne Hybrid must have been really something special. At this rate, who knows, maybe he’s about to become a full-on Porsche fan.

He’s test driven various models at Porsche dealers whenever something caught his eye, and here’s what he said about Porsche test drives:

Regarding Porsche test drives, I think it’s important to know that even with the same model, your impression can vary quite a bit depending on the options and specs of the test car. Generally, dealer test cars tend to be loaded with ultra-luxury options, sometimes costing over 5 million yen. Those give you a high-quality feel and comfortable ride, but if you get a test car with sportier options, you might feel like the ride is rougher than you expected.

That makes sense when you think about it.

He continued,

Recently, I got to drive a 911 (992) with a lot of sporty options. It was a 992 Carrera S loaded with PCCB, sport PASM suspension, RS Spyder wheels, and more. It felt completely different from other 992s I’d driven before. The handling was sporty and solid, but the low-speed ride in town felt closer to a GT3, though not as supple as a GT3’s suspension. For me, it was totally acceptable, but if someone expecting a comfortable ride in a 911 tried this spec for the first time, they might come away thinking the 911’s ride quality isn’t very good.

That’s what he said.