Mercedes-Benz S500 vs Porsche Cayenne

What's the difference?

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Mercedes-Benz S500
Mercedes-Benz S500

2018 price

Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne

$136,950 - $363,990

2024 price

Summary

2018 Mercedes-Benz S500
2024 Porsche Cayenne
Safety Rating

Engine Type

Bi Turbo V8, 4.0L
Fuel Type
-

Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
-

12.5L/100km (combined)
Seating
-

5
Dislikes
  • Some terseness from run-flat tyres
  • Controls could be simpler
  • Non L models not that spacious in the back

  • Four-seater only
  • Gear shifter position
  • Short warranty
2018 Mercedes-Benz S500 Summary

Imagine a car that can pretty much drive itself, if you let it. And it’ll do that while you get a massage, pump some Beyonce, and enjoy the fragrance of a field full of flowers… And then, it can teach you to do stretches and exercises in the driver’s seat.

It may sound like fictional fiction, but it’s factual fact. And it’s the Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2018 model, which has taken the so-called ‘wellbeing’ of the driver to a new level.

The facelifted model has seen plenty of styling changes and some tech upgrades, and while making the flagship car in a particular brand’s line-up is often a task fraught with issues, the German company’s big, expensive, luxurious, limousine is undoubtedly a more thoughtful car for 2018.

But just remember, its predecessor was considered - at least for a little while - as the best car in the world by some automotive journalists. 

Now Mercedes-Benz has updated it, and it reckons it’s better than before, bringing a bunch of new technology, new engines, a reworked model range and, perhaps not essentially, but still pleasantly, lower pricing.

Read on to see how Beyonce factors into the equation.

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2024 Porsche Cayenne Summary

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT needs a better name. This is the king of Cayennes and quite possibly the ruler of all super SUVs.

Well, the Cayenne Turbo GT is the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Not just that, it has such colossal power and torque it'll be side-by-side with a Porsche 911 GT3 RS in a sprint from 0-100km/h. No, a better name for this SUV would be the Cayenne GT3.

Which is perfect for me because I'm at the point in my life where although I love full-on and noisy cars I also have a full-on and noisy family.

We lived with the Cayenne Turbo GT for a week to find out if this super SUV was also a super family car - from practicality to safety.

We're also a family with ridiculously high expectations of luxury SUVs having lived with and tested each of the Cayenne Turbo GT's rivals - from the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga to the Aston Martin DBX and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

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Deep dive comparison

2018 Mercedes-Benz S500 2024 Porsche Cayenne

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