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Used Vehicle Review: Porsche Cayenne, 2003-2009

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September 10, 2009

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge

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By Chris Chase

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There’s no doubt that sport utilities have caused their share of controversy, mainly among those who value fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness above all else in a vehicle. The Porsche Cayenne was doubly-controversial when it was introduced in 2003: not only did the greenies dislike it simply because it was an SUV, but many Porschephiles were turned off by the fact that their favourite sports car builder had “sold out” to the masses by adding a truck to their lineup.

There’s no denying that the Cayenne wasn’t exactly thrifty in terms of fuel consumption, but here’s a vehicle that finally put some sport in the sport utility vehicle.

Developed alongside the Volkswagen Touareg, the first Cayennes were powered by V8s: a 4.5-litre motor making 340 horsepower in the Cayenne S, and a turbocharged version of the same powerplant that was good for 450 horses. The 2004 model year brought with it a V6-powered Cayenne, propelled by a 250-horsepower, 3.2-litre engine. The Cayenne haters could now whine about this base model being underpowered and that it brought down the tone of the rest of the Porsche lineup.

2004 Porsche Cayenne S; photo by Grant Yoxon. Click image to enlarge

There was no 2007 Cayenne, but the 2008 sported updated styling and got some new engines. A 3.6-litre V6 replaced the 3.2-litre and addressed the underpowered-ness of the old V6 model, and the older 4.5-litre V8 was replaced with a 4.8-litre. A GTS model used a higher-output version of the new V8.

In 2006 and older Cayennes, six-cylinder models came with a six-speed manual transmission that could be optioned to an automatic, while all V8 trims got the automatic standard. From 2008, V6 and GTS models came with the manual (optionable to the auto, naturally), while the other trims were, again, auto-only.

The base and GTS models got a six-speed manual as their base transmission, and a six-speed auto was the option; the auto was the only choice in S and Turbo models.

2004 Porsche Cayenne S; photo by Grant Yoxon. Click image to enlarge

The new engines are easier on gas. The 3.6-litre V6 is rated 13.0/10.6 L/100 km (city/highway), and the 4.8-litre V8′s ratings are 16.8/11.2 L/100 km in the Cayenne S. Ratings for the 3.2- and 4.5-litre engines were 16.1/10.8 and 17.1/11.7, respectively, for the 2006 V6 and S models. Both new and old Turbo models are rated at about 18.0/11.7 L/100 km.

According to Consumer Reports, the Cayenne’s reliability has been below average.

When test driving a used Cayenne, be on the lookout for a vibration at speed that feels like driving on flat-spotted tires. The cause could be a bad “cardan” shaft (drive shaft in normal-speak). See this thread at RennTech.org for some more information.

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge

According to posts in the Cayenne forum at Rennlist.com (forums.rennlist.com), ignition coils appear to be a frequent trouble spot (a potentially expensive fix, as there are as many as eight of them – one for each cylinder), as are transmission/powertrain control modules. Also, a couple of owners mention having to have the air compressor that keeps the air suspension aloft replaced, but it’s hard to say how common this issue actually is. A few minor problems include a rear hatch that won’t stay open on its own due to weak hydraulic struts, wipers that chatter and rapid tire wear.

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