Test Drive: 2004 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
| I drove the 2004 Porsche Cayenne Turbo this weekend up in the Rocky Mountains around Denver while visiting my brother. His Porsche SUV was Basalt Black Metallic which wrapped the Beautiful Havanna/Sand Beige Leather cockpit. Fit an finish of the vehicle are fantastic - with stitched leather throughout (including portions of the dash), illuminated foot wells, illuminated arm-rests, and tons of other amenities.
This German people mover is graced with a fantastic engine: a 4.5 Liter 8-cylinder Turbo Charged behemoth, which puts out 450 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. Why a soccer mom would need something like this is beyond me. This is truly a vehicle meant for dads who love driving but had to give up their two-seater to make way for kids. Interior: The leather is soft and supple, the wood is handsome, and the controls are all very simple to use. Porsche has done an excellent job of keeping excess noise (in the way of buttons) out of the cabin. I agree with other reviews that the Bose Sound System was very capable, but not the best available out there. Tiptronic controls on the steering wheel were in the right position and felt great to the touch. Steering & Feel: The steering of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo is fantastic. This is the first Porsche I have actually driven and let me tell you, if they have managed to make steering this accurate and precise on a heavy, long, 4-door SUV, then I can’t wait to drive the GT3! Weight was nice, but a touch on the light side compared to my M3. Road Feel was also good, but felt closer to what it would be in a nice sporty sedan like a 5-series BMW - it was good and you could feel most of what road and tires were trying to communicate, but it did feel a bit numb. Performance: Porsche has produced a monster SUV that is well-deserved of the Porsche Badge. Acceleration in the Porsche Cayenne Turbo is amazing. Stomp your foot on the gas, wait until the tachometer reads 3000 RPM and a wave of torque hits you like a ton of bricks. If you listen carefully you hear the faint whine of the turbo spooling before you’re thrown back in the seat as the Turbo 8-cylinder engine rears its head. An angry growl from the exhaust lets you know that it is actually feeding on the flock of small children you just roared through while the school bus disappears into vapor in the rear-view mirror.The Cayenne hungrily devours road and children as it dives in and out of the corners. Amazingly, with the suspension setting in sport, the body has very little roll and is incredibly easy to steer into and out of the corners, the 4 wheel drive kept all 4 wheels firmly planted on the road even though the thermometer read 20 degrees and there were spots of frost and light snow on the pavement. While the steering and throttle are not as responsive as in my M3 - it was easily dismissed because I was driving a 5,200 lb SUV! Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) allowed only the faintest of body roll while comfortably absorbing potholes and keeping the tire patch consistent through the corners. Driving the Cayenne Turbo was truly a joy! If I ever have to give up my two seater to make room for offspring, the choice would be a difficult one between this, the E63 AMG, and the BMW M5. Donuts In Snow Test: passed! |
 Porsche Badge  2004 Basalt Black Metallic Porsche Cayenne Turbo test drive  Cayenne Turbo with quad tipped exhaustTurbo 8-cylinder Cayenne engine, making 450 hp/456 lb-ft of torque  21 inch wheels - similar in style to the GT3 Wheels  Handsome Havanna/Sand Beige Leather and Wood Interior of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo  Fantastic Leather-wrapped steering wheel  Speedometer and Gauge Cluster  Intuitive leather-wrapped dash and center console  Porsche manual/automatic shifter with leather and aluminum  Ride Height and shock stiffness adjustment switches  roomy back seats - sat 3 adults comfortably - they're heated too! |
