• The Porsche Cayenne is a crucial model for the brand, having attracted over a million customers to date and rescued Porsche from financial difficulties in the early 2000s.
• The 2023 Cayenne has undergone significant changes, including a refreshed design inspired by the Taycan, and powertrain upgrades that include a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 with increased power and torque, a larger battery pack for the E-Hybrid version, and a new twin-turbo V8-powered Cayenne S variant.

It’s difficult to overestimate the Cayenne’s significance for Porsche, with the company’s flagship SUV attracting over a million customers to date and rescuing it from a financial depression in the early 2000s. The third-generation Cayenne was debuted in 2017, so it’s been given a significant makeover for 2023 to give it a new lease on life before its all-electric replacement arrives.

The improvements are centred on new Taycan-inspired visual elements both inside and out, but there have also been significant chassis and powertrain revisions beneath the new skin. At the front, a pair of Matrix LED headlights match the firm’s electric saloon, with optional HD units providing greater road illumination and an active high beam.

The new headlights are housed under a reshaped bonnet and front bumper, the latter with a more refined front grille. With a full-width tail-light bar and a restyled lower valance, the rear has more Taycan influence. The Cayenne does not share powertrain technology with its EV sibling, with Porsche giving the SUV one final petrol-powered push.

Powertrain of new Porsche Cayenne 2023

The base Cayenne retains the iconic 3-litre turbocharged V6, but with power and torque up to 348bhp and 369lb ft, up 13bhp and 37lb ft respectively. This revised unit serves as the foundation for the Cayenne E-Hybrid, which gains 464bhp from the new engine and a more powerful 174bhp electric motor. The motor is powered by a larger battery pack – up to 25.9kWh from 17.9kWh – for a 52-mile electric range.

For this generation, the Cayenne Turbo has been effectively replaced with a twin-turbo V8-powered Cayenne S with enhanced outputs of 468bhp and 443lb ft. Due to ever-tightening emissions laws, the thunderous Cayenne Turbo GT, which was a technical marvel in its earlier guise, will not be coming to Europe.

Still, with GTS and Turbo S E-Hybrid variants on the way, the range will be nearly as extensive as before, and the new Cayenne will have a revised chassis to match the more powerful engines. Steel springs and new two-valve PASM dampers are standard, with two-chamber air suspension and the same damping technology available as an option. Porsche has concentrated on improving the Cayenne’s ride and handling balance, with steeper character differences between the car’s Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus drive modes.

Interior features of Porsche Cayenne 2023

The Cayenne features Porsche’s Driver Experience cockpit, which is centred on a revamped cabin architecture with more digital interfaces (though certain physical HVAC controls remain on the central console, which has been freed up by a dash-mounted gear selector).

A digital 12.6-inch instrument panel behind the steering wheel, a 12.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen, and, for the first time, an optional 10.9-inch passenger display to access media and video streaming are all borrowed from the Taycan. A directional viewing panel, like Jaguar Land Rover’s Dual View system, prohibits the driver from watching content while driving.

Customers can order the new Cayenne now, with delivery scheduled for July 2023. The Cayenne starts at £67,400, rising to £76,800 and £80,800 for the E-Hybrid and S variants, respectively, with price increases across the board for the facelifted model (keeping in mind that the S has gone from a V6 to a V8). The Cayenne Coupe continues to command a premium, with the base model starting at £70,300.