A decade or so ago, back when Hummers were starting to lose their cool factor, most of us thought the sport utility vehicle was

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a thing of the past, but creation of car-based crossover utility vehicles, or CUVs, have kept our love affair with the SUV alive despite an overall rise in the cost of living that has included ever-increasing fuel costs.

These last problems haven’t affected the premium sector quite as harshly, where all types of luxury utes are selling very well. Porsche has particularly enjoyed tremendous success with its midsize Cayenne, having sold nearly 600,000 examples since it debuted in 2002 (more than 276,000 first-generation models were produced between 2002 and 2010, and over 300,000 units of the second-gen model since 2010), and now 12 years later has introduced yet another spin on its spicy SUV theme.

For

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model year 2015, along with the most affordable V6-powered Cayenne, thrifty Cayenne Diesel, V6 turbo-powered Cayenne S, even sportier Cayenne GTS, now legendary Cayenne Turbo, and outrageously fast top-line Turbo S, the Stuttgart, Germany-based performance brand has replaced its outgoing hybrid model with a new plug-in hybrid dubbed Cayenne S E-Hybrid, making Porsche the first purveyor of a PHEV within the premium SUV sector, not to mention the only automaker period with three plug-in hybrid models in its line-up – the others being the Panamera S E-Hybrid and the 918 Spyder supercar.

As you might have already guessed, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid borrows its powertrain from the Panamera S E-Hybrid, a model that incidentally received a $3,000

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price drop for 2015, now retailing for $110,000, which is the result of “synergistic effects realized by Porsche in the area of hybrid technology and ultimately passed down to the customer,” says Porsche. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid’s power unit combines a 333-horsepower supercharged 3.0-litre V6 with a 95-horsepower electric motor for a maximum of 416 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and total system torque of 435 lb-ft from 1,250 to 4,000 rpm, the net result being a sprint from standstill to 100 km/h in only 5.9 seconds.

I recently experienced this performance firsthand in and around Whistler, BC where Porsche Canada was holding the national press launch of the Cayenne S E-Hybrid,

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Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo models, an event that just happened to also be the global launch of the S E-Hybrid. After an initial briefing that helped me sift through some of the information above and details to follow, I stepped outside of the hotel conference room to a long line of Cayennes, and quickly dropped my bags in the back of the electrified version. Yes, it might have been wiser to claim the Turbo being that there was only one available, and as it turned out I never enjoyed any seat time in this supercar of SUVs, but just the same I have a certain fondness for vehicles that can be plugged in and this all-new PHEV had my curiosity piqued.

On such events there isn’t normally a lot of time to get acquainted with test vehicles, so after a dozen or so photos and a quick (but excellent) choice of a road-going partner we were driving south on the much-vaunted Sea-to-Sky highway

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heading towards Squamish, where we’d meet up for lunch and exchange vehicles. Even without a lot of time to poke around before getting behind the wheel it was easy to see that the new Cayenne continues to be one of the most appealing sport utes in the luxury sector. Being a mid-cycle upgrade its interior isn’t all that different from the model it replaces, but that’s no bad thing. Along with expected soft-touch surfaces just about everywhere, the Cayenne combines beautifully stitched leathers with nicely finished aluminum trim, some high-gloss piano black lacquered plastics and so many buttons on the centre stack that they almost sent me into a panic attack at the memory of my old Texas Instruments trigonometry calculator. Some of these control the dual-zone automatic climate control and impressive full-colour touchscreen infotainment display up above, stuffed full with standard navigation, a backup camera and a great sounding stereo,

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all combining for a high-tech look that’s only upstaged by a top-line Panamera, the car that first debuted the now trademark Porsche interior design showing up across the entire range. The gorgeous analog/digital clock at dash top central is a must-have option just for how it looks, although the Sport Chrono package that comes with it does a lot more than just tell time.

I’m not sure whether I appreciate the fact that Porsche has maintained its left side of the steering wheel ignition key slot more than I wish the Zuffenhausen brand would finally offer a more convenient pushbutton system like every other premium

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automaker and most mainstream players, but the cool Porsche-shaped electronic key won me over in the end. They must have held blind sensatory market tests to get the feel just right, because once you’ve got this key into your hands and run it through your fingers a few times you’ll never want to let it go.

Of course, that’s how you’ll likely feel about the Cayenne in general after a short test drive, or a longer one if you can talk your local salesperson into it. You’ll find few better sport seats than those occupying the Cayenne’s first row. Even the base eight-way seats are superb, but of course the upgraded 14-way perches are sublime, the Cayenne’s driver seat ergonomics just about perfect either way. Three-way

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seat heaters are standard as is a heatable steering wheel, while heatable rear seats are on the options menu. There’s no third row and hopefully we’ll never see one in a Porsche, the second row ample for three average sized adults comfortably side-by-side and quite comfortable thanks to fore/aft and backrest angle adjustment. They split and fold 40/20/40 to maximize passenger and cargo flexibility, a much more versatile configuration than the usual 60/40 setup. When upright the Cayenne S E-Hybrid allows for a reasonable 580 litres (20.5 cubic feet) of luggage space, which should be more than enough for most peoples’ needs, whereas there’s a sizable 1,690 litres (59.7 cubic feet) available when all three of its seatbacks are tumbled flat. Accessing that cargo area is also made easier thanks to a standard powered liftgate. Yes it’s a practical sports car, as Cayennes have always been.

Still,

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the S E-Hybrid’s cargo bay is some 90-plus litres (3.2 cubic feet) short of the regular Cayenne’s maximum capacity and 87.8 litres (3.1 cubic feet) shy behind the rear seats, but even the thriftiest Cayenne Diesel can’t be driven around in absolute silence with zero emissions emitted and nary a drop of liquefied fuel expended. This is the beauty of a plug-in hybrid, and Porsche’s plug-in not only delivers the above promise of quiet, clean efficiency, but doesn’t shortchange on performance either. Even in 100-percent electric E-Power (EV) mode it gets up and goes like a Porsche, although you won’t want to do that too many times as it’ll deplete the battery almost as quickly as it accelerates, defeating the purpose of its ultimate design.

That

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ultimate design is more about EV range than revs, its 10.9 kWh lithium-ion traction battery allowing between 18 and 36 kilometres of pure electric propulsion, depending on how you’re driving and the amount of hills (preferably downhill) you’re scaling. A full recharge takes a mere 1.3 hours if you manage to find a charging station nearby or are lucky enough to have a 240-volt plug at home. Slotting the E-Hybrid’s standard extension cord into a 110-volt home socket will result in a 10- to 11-hour process to top it up. If so charged, Porsche claims the S E-Hybrid’s combined fuel consumption will be 3.4 L/100km according to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), although the U.S. EPA touts 5.0 L/100km, so maybe something in the middle is more realistic. So far there aren’t any claimed figures for Canada’s new five-cycle EnerGuide system, but they shouldn’t be too far off. The EPA rates the E-Hybrid at the metric equivalent of 11.2 city, 9.8 highway and 10.7 combined if you’ve run out of juice and are just driving it like a regular hybrid (i.e. without its Sport or Sport+ mode selected), which is very good for a luxury SUV capable of sub-six-second

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sprints to 100 km/h and top-speed of 243 km/h. It tops out at 125 km/h in E-Power mode, which means you can choose to cruise at highway speeds under electric power alone, for very short distances I must add. Important in this situation, by pushing back with a bit of stepped resistance about halfway towards the floorboard the S E-Hybrid’s throttle control lets you know that it will start using the gasoline engine if pushed further, handy if you’re trying to keep it in EV mode for as long as possible. If it happens to borrow the supercharged V6’s muscle for a moment, all that’s required to get it back into full electric E-Power mode is to lift off the throttle slightly.

On that note, even after the battery is mostly depleted from driving on the highway

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(or otherwise) all you need do is select E-Charge via the same console-mounted “hybrid manager” that previously avails E-Power, and the S E-Hybrid will limit electric power and instead use the gasoline engine to recharge the battery, so when you get back to clogged city traffic you go back to driving purely on electric power. It’s not a full lockout of the electric motor, mind you, so it will use some engine power when necessary, but it’s a lot more economical than most plug-in hybrids that don’t allow any electric-only propulsion after their battery is run down.

Aiding such efficiencies, Porsche now includes new advanced “auto stop-start function plus” and optimized thermal management, while new active cooling air flaps positioned behind the middle air inlet automatically open when more cooling is need and then close when not required in order to reduce drag.

Those

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who like the idea of such an efficient yet performance-oriented hybrid will likely also appreciate that Porsche chose not to go with the status quo and integrate an efficient yet boring continuously variable transmission into its electrified models, but rather a modified version of its eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic with paddle shifters attached to a wonderful new three-spoke multifunction sport steering wheel no less.

No matter where you point that wheel or how quickly you do so the S E-Hybrid responds immediately with a level of athletic ability few SUVs can rival, let alone electrified ones. That’s the part about the Cayenne S E-Hybrid that floors me, as it isn’t exactly a lightweight as far as midsize SUVs go, hitting the scales at a considerable 2,350 kilos (5,181 lbs), but nevertheless its double-wishbone front and

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aluminum multi-link rear suspensions, not to mention its standard Power steering Plus and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), help it feel downright flickable through the corners and rock steady through high-speed sweepers.

As mentioned its quick off the line, but it’s how the power comes on in the mid-range that really makes the S E-Hybrid fast, the supercharged V6 a jewel of an engine on its own yet when conjoined to its electric counterpart the power is silky smooth and near relentless. Likewise its grip on the road is just as tenacious, all Cayennes getting permanent all-wheel drive but the S E-Hybrid adding a self-locking differential for yet more adhesion to terra firma. Porsche Traction Management (PTM) also integrates automatic brake differential and anti-slip regulation, while the system is configured with a 60/40 front to rear axle bias. If PTM

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senses less traction at any wheel it automatically apportions more torque to the axle with the most grip.

This system works as ideally off-road as it does on-road, incidentally, something I learned on a rather adventurous 4×4 trail Porsche detoured us through during our day’s drive. Being that the S E-Hybrid I was driving was one of only two in Canada, the automaker chose to leave them off the trail “just in case” something went awry, but we were promised the Cayenne S model we took through the wilderness wasn’t any more capable than the electrified one we left behind, at least if equipped with the optional air suspension. Our extensive climb through rocky, muddy terrain that even included swamping through a flowing riverbed and then up a very steep gravel and rock-strewn incline, plus stopping partway up and restarting

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just to show off the SUV’s incredible traction where little was to be found, not to mention trudging through some extremely deep ruts that had the Cayenne doing a two-opposed-wheel balancing act, a prime opportunity for the Porsche team to show just how rigid its body shell is by opening and closing its doors and even the rear hatch while fully straddled, proved the new Cayenne is every bit the 4×4 bruiser the original was lauded for, something Porsche wanted to make very clear.

That it looks like a dream while bushwhacking, hustling down the highway or just meandering through town is more than a mere bonus. Fuel economy aside, much of what I’m saying now could have been directly pulled from my April 28, 2003 review of the original 2004 Cayenne, when Porsche took we journalists up to the same location in Whistler to test its then all-new SUV’s mettle on what was at that time

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an even more serpentine and therefore more enjoyable ribbon of tarmac (when traffic and/or falling debris cooperated), but as good as that sport utility was I was never a lover of its styling. Now, however, the Cayenne is easily amongst my favourites.

For 2015 Porsche refreshed the exterior design of the third-generation E2 Cayenne, now four years old, with a new clamshell-shaped hood like that on the Macan, new front fenders and a new front fascia that integrates fin-like air blades at each corner, designed to guide cooling air to the intercoolers. Additionally, new standard HID headlights join hovering four-point LED DRLs for a fabulous looking set of character headlamp clusters, while some trims get even fancier LED headlights with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), static and dynamic cornering

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lights, and automatic high beam, all making for more efficient and much better lighting.

The rear design gets a new roof spoiler that improves aerodynamics and looks simpler and cleaner, plus a new license plate recess, revised tailgate handle (you know it’s a mid-cycle refresh when they mention things like license plate recesses and tailgate handles), and new taillights, the layout of the lenses providing what Porsche calls a “three-dimensional effect” thanks to a similar trademark four-point LED light design as the lights up front, while a sweet set of quad circular tailpipes gets integrated into a reworked lower rear fascia that makes the 2015 Cayenne appear broader from behind (yes, a broader behind is a good thing). While 18-inch alloys are standard my tester’s optional 19s looked even more impressive, although the Hybrid’s day-glow “Acid Green” brake calipers (six-piston up front and

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four in the rear) almost completely stole their thunder while letting everyone (in the know) know that I was driving the most efficient Cayenne on the road, if the scripted “hybrid” badging shadowed in the same acid flashback colour on each front fender didn’t already give that secret away.

From a pricing perspective the new S E-Hybrid’s $87,700 MSRP places it third in the Cayenne hierarchy, one position above the $84,500 Cayenne S and somewhat more approachable than the $129,500 Cayenne Turbo I still lament not driving. The Cayenne Diesel starts at a very reasonable $72,000, by the way, and the base V6-powered Cayenne can be had for an especially affordable $67,400. If you’re wanting more go-power than E-Power, Porsche also has a $108,200 Cayenne GTS available, or you can go wild with one of the most powerful SUVs on the planet, the Cayenne Turbo S starting at $178,100. All Cayennes include a freight

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and dealer-prep charge of $1,115, which just happens to be one of the lowest in the industry.

Some things to consider, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid’s price point is only $3,200 more than the turbocharged V6-powered Cayenne S, and while the 300 kilo or so lighter model feels somewhat livelier than the electrified version, Porsche certainly doesn’t charge much more to make an environmental statement while saving a lot on fuel. That in mind, if you happen to live in Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia you’ll be able to cash in on provincial government rebates that actually make the E-Hybrid cheaper than the more conventionally powered model. Another fuel-friendly alternative that might make more sense if you happen to spend a lot of time on the highway is Porsche Cayenne Diesel, which delivers superb highway fuel economy not to mention good all-round efficiency, while also priced lower than

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the S E-Hybrid. Where the hybridized model pays off is in the city where you can take full advantage of its EV mode, potentially driving to and from work without using a drop of premium unleaded.

Porsche shows its leadership and intelligence by offering such a varied lineup of alternatives, from a well-priced base model that’s pretty efficient in its own right, to a diesel and this plug-in hybrid, plus of course its foursome of performance models. Therefore, the question is no longer which brand of SUV you should consider purchasing, but rather which Cayenne suits your lifestyle and budget better. Or at least that’s the way Porsche would like you to look at it. If you ask me, they’ve made a pretty good argument to look no further than one of their yellow, red and black crested dealerships.
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