The Porsche Cayenne was the prestigious German brand’s first SUV, and it’s still a competitive player in the midsize luxury SUV segment. Now in its third generation, the Cayenne does an excellent job taking its brand’s character as a luxury performance brand and packaging it as a practical midsize SUV. It even has the distinct aesthetic of a Porsche, especially with the available Coupe variant.

The Porsche Cayenne is a little pricier than the average SUV in this class, but it also comes standard with a robust 348-horsepower engine. The Porsche Cayenne competes with the Maserati Levante and the sportier variants of the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE on the performance-oriented side of midsize luxury SUVs.

In typical Porsche fashion, the Cayenne offers an exciting driving experience without forgetting that it’s a luxury car. Let’s take a closer look inside the 2024 Porsche Cayenne.

Passenger Room and Comfort

Being a midsize 2-row SUV, the Porsche Cayenne has more interior space than a compact SUV but less than a midsize 3-row SUV. Unlike the X5 and GLE, the Cayenne has no optional third row.

The Cayenne is quite roomy as long as you don’t want or need a third row. We love the front seats, speaking the brand’s language of a just-right balance of sportiness and luxury. They’re bolstered without being too confining and comfortable without being too plush. Eight-way power front seats are standard, 14-way seats with memory are optional, and so are the sportier 18-way adaptive sport seats.

The Cayenne’s adult-friendly back seats have enough space and support for all-day comfort. Porsche’s 2-door sports cars may have a reputation for unwelcoming back seats, but that isn’t the case in the Cayenne. Also, heated rear seats are optional.

Of note, the Cayenne SUV has seating for five, but the Cayenne Coupe is a four-seater. It has a 2+2 seating configuration with sportier bolstering in the back and a console/cubby arrangement between the back seats. The SUV is the one you want if you’ll have backseat passengers regularly.

Features and Tech

Part of the reason the Porsche Cayenne has an above-average starting price is because it’s so well-equipped at the base level. A nicely appointed, high-tech interior keeps the Cayenne up to speed with its top competitors. Some standard interior features include partial leather seating, a customizable 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster, ambient interior lighting, and a wireless charging pad.

The standard infotainment system has a 12.3-inch touchscreen with a user-friendly interface. Infotainment features include wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, HD Radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, navigation, and a 10-speaker audio system.

Being a Porsche, there are tons of options you can add. A few of our favorites include a 10.9-inch front passenger screen, multiple premium audio systems, dual 10.1-inch rear displays, 4-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof.

Materials and Design

The cabin of the Porsche Cayenne has a somewhat conservative design that nicely integrates its modern tech features. If you’ve owned a Porsche SUV before, there will be some familiarity here, namely in how the controls are laid out on the center stack. The screens in the car are presented in a way that’s pleasing to the eyes and ergonomically friendly. Adding the Sport Chrono package adds a stopwatch perched in the middle of the dash that’s both analog and digital.

Partial leather seating is standard, upgradeable to full leather or what Porsche calls “Club Leather.” Club Leather is more expensive, and Porsche describes it as “milled nappa grade leather” with a “natural appearance.” Going with a Club Leather interior also adds a leather upper dashboard and door panels with a cross-stitched pattern.

In addition to the typical black, white, and beige, some attractive interior color options are available for the Cayenne. A few include Bordeaux Red, Barrique Red, Night Green, and Blackberry (purple). Even among luxury SUVs in this price range, there aren’t many vehicles available with purple seats, giving a unique edge to the Cayenne.

Cargo Room and Flexibility

The SUV version of the Porsche Cayenne has 27.2 cubic feet of cargo room behind the back seats. That increases to 60.3 cubic feet when you fold down the rear seats. The sloping roofline of the Cayenne Coupe gives it less cargo space: 20.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 53 cubic feet of maximum cargo room.

That’s less cargo space than the X5 and GLE but enough for the day-to-day needs of most drivers. It’s by far the roomiest Porsche, making it the practical choice in the brand’s stable.

Build and price your own version of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne to see this week’s Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price, or check out Porsche Cayenne models for sale near you.