2003 Porsche Cayenne Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2016 Porsche Cayenne as a used buy. When sportscar maker Porsche entered the SUV market with the big Cayenne SUV in June 2003 many thought it would ruin the company's image. How wrong they were, the SUVs (there's also the smaller Porsche Macan) saved

When famed sportscar maker Porsche entered the SUV market with the Cayenne in 2003 many thought it could be the end of the marque. Doubters said Porsche 911 was the purest model in the German marque’s range and that diluting it could ruin the Porsche image. Yet, in many countries the Porsche Cayenne outsells the 911 and the pure sportscar’s sales certainly haven’t suffered.Porsche deliberately gave the Cayenne a family resemblance to the 911. Some have described it as looking like a 911 on steroids, saying the stylists have simply added 250 millimetres to the underfloor of a 911. We have to say that the design of the original Cayenne isn’t one of our favourites and it’s interesting to see the Series 2, launched in Australia in July 2010, has taken a different direction in style.The Cayenne Series 2 is larger than the original model, particularly in the back seat which provides comfortable space for two adults. The backrest can be adjusted for rake to further let you tailor your space. Luggage space is slightly more voluminous than before and can be significantly increased by sliding the back seat forwards to create extra length. Up to 160 mm of seat travel is available.Rather than pour huge amounts of money into the all-new Cayenne, Porsche collaborated with Volkswagen and Audi, so the Cayenne, Touareg and Q7 share some out-of-sight components. Unlike the other members of the team, who aimed for quality on-road cruisers with some off-road ability, Porsche leaned very much in the sports wagon direction. This big Porsche SUV has on-road dynamics that defy the bulk of this large wagon.The Porsche Cayenne S Series 2 no longer tries to be a full-on off-road vehicle; it doesn't have a two-speed transfer case to provide low range for extreme driving. That, and others changes have resulted in a mass reduction of about 12 per cent which not only makes it slightly nimbler, but also lowers fuel consumption and emissions.Cayenne was launched in Australia in June 2003 with a 4.5-litre petrol V8 in either naturally aspirated or turbocharged format. Even more power, 383 instead of 331 kW, arrived in a special version of this engine, called the Turbo S, in February 2006.New designs of V8s with a capacity of 4.8 litres were introduced in April 2007, again as turbo and non-turbo engines. A 3.6-litre petrol V6 became optional at the same time, though it doesn’t provide the exhilaration of the V8s it does have enough performance to suit some owners.A V6 turbo-diesel displacing 3.0 litres joined the range in April 2009. With plenty of torque, up to 550 Nm, it performs well and turbo lag isn’t too bad. Naturally fuel consumption is lower than on the the petrol V8s.An interesting hybrid option is offered in the Series 2 Cayenne S. This uses a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine and an electric motor. However, the Cayenne S hybrid costs significantly more than the equivalent Cayenne S in petrol format – and uses more fuel than the Cayenne turbo-diesel.The great majority of Australian imports have a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission. Some six-speed manuals were brought in, but these haven’t been big sellers and may prove unpopular when you come to trade up.Porsche has had a presence in Australia for many decades and runs an efficient dealer network. These focus on major population centres so if you have any problems out back o’ Bourke you might have to get the Cayenne trailered back to the big smoke. Not a cheap exercise.Many Cayennes will have been serviced by these Porsche dealers strictly by the book. We recommend these as used vehicles; you will probably be asked to pay more, but it’s money well spent. Follow this up by keeping to the same servicing routine and you will benefit at trade-up time.Insurance charges are higher than average, but not outrageously so considering the type of buyers attracted to Porsche Cayennes. You will find quite a difference on quotes so it’s worth shopping around. As always make sure you do accurate comparisons between companies.WHAT TO LOOK FORCheck the interior for signs of rough usage, particularly in the back where bored kids can do a lot of damage. Make sure the engine starts easily and settles into a steady idle almost immediately.  The diesel isn’t quite as good as the petrol unit, but isn’t far behind them.The Porsche Cayenne has more off-road ability than you would expect, but few will have been bush bashing. If you do come across a used Porsche Cayenne that’s been on more than dirt roads it’s probably best to pass it up.Few Cayennes are used as heavy-duty towing vehicles, but if you inspect one for sale at a horse riding school, or similar, it might pay to ask a few questions.Cayennes with V6 engines were recalled in 2008 because of a possible fuel line problem that could lead to a fire. Check the problem has been rectified by talking to the seller. Or click on www.porschecars.com.au.Repairs can be expensive so make sure to get a quote on even apparently insignificant problems.CAR BUYING TIPSporting SUVs are likely to be driven harder than those bought as kid carters and probably have greatly accelerated wear rates as a result. 

It steps away from the company's roots and its rivals, taking the famed German sports car maker into very new territory.So, is it a fast four-wheel drive or a sports car in a four-wheel drive suit?And what's the point of having a 250km/h bush basher? Or an Outback escape machine that most people will be scared to scratch?Porsche has its own answers and has clearly tapped a similar sentiment in shoppers, because advance orders for the Cayenne run forward for nearly a year in Australia. And the car – somehow, truck doesn't fit – already looks likely to more than double total Porsche sales here.It's been a huge hit in Europe and Americans are also open to the action, but there are plenty of buts...Like? Why did Porsche have to share development with Volkswagen and then face the fact the VW Touareg was always going to be cheaper with almost the same appeal?And why did Porsche work so hard to create a 911-style nose that doesn't really work with the rest of the Cayennne's bodywork?But the Cayenne is definitely the answer to a question that's been gnawing at Porsche for more than 20 years. It always wanted a four-door vehicle to boost its range and spread the sports car appeal to families, but didn't know how to do it without undermining the classic, ageless and brilliant 911.It tried for a while with the front-engined 928 V8, but it was too soft for 911 fans and not practical enough for anyone else.The 924 and 944 models moved Porsche into more-affordable territory, now filled by the Boxster, but none of those cars could do the jobs filled by the Mercedes, BMWs and other luxury cars usually parked in garages alongside a 911.So the Cayenne is an obvious answer. And it's a solution that's already working well for BMW and Mercedes, with everyone from Maserati to Lamborghini likely to go down the same trail.The Cayenne is a big, heavy, four-wheel drive with plenty of space for five people and their luggage. It has permanent four-wheel drive and true ¿crawler¿ gears for off-road work, but the sports car focus is obvious in everything from the leather-grip steering wheel to the low-profile, 18-inch alloy wheels.There are two models, the Cayenne S with a 4.5-litre V8 motor and the Cayenne Turbo which gets a force-fed version of the same engine that pumps out 331kW of power and 620Nm of torque.Prices are what you'd expect for a big, fast, four-door Porsche and the starting dollars run to $129,900 for the S and $203,400 for the Turbo. They only come with a six-speed automatic gearbox, but there is a huge list of standard equipment -- auto air-con, leather electric seats, satnav, CD sound and more -- and buyers can also dip into a deep pool of extra-cost gear.On the roadThere has been an incredible amount of interest in the Cayenne, across Australia and across the world.We went to the Australian press preview of the Cayenne in South Australia's rugged Flinders Ranges and came away impressed. We took an open mind and a heavy right foot and discovered the Cayenne was great on the road, great in the rough stuff, and impressively engineered in almost every area. But...There were questions about quality, we didn't get to try it in the city or suburbs, and we still had niggling doubts about the threat from the Touareg.So we saddled up a Cayenne S for the annual run from Sydney to Bathurst and back, with other action along the way, to decide the Cars Guide verdict on the controversial newcomer.We couldn't hide our disappoint ment in the first five kilometres with the Cayenne. It squeaked and rattled like an old Hyundai and we were straight on the phone to Porsche to get some answers – beyond the 10,000km on the odometer and a tough life as a press test car.We were directed to the Porsche pits at Bathurst, where factory mechanics pounced and found everything from a loose panel in the top of the dash to floppy trim around the doors, and rubber seals that needed lubrication. Normal stuff, we were told, for a 10,000km checkup. And the sort of stuff that owners would take straight back to the dealership.We were happy that most of the noises were gone after the tweaking, but... just 10km later the panel below the dash popped loose again and the rattle was back. Not nice.We were also underwhelmed by the performance of the Cayenne S, at least in city conditions. It's brisk but not outstanding, and the fuel-use readout in the trip computer was reading 16.4 litres/100km. We got it down to 12.4 during our test, but it will like a drink if you dip into the accelerator.This is all sounding pretty negative, but that's not the goal. The Cayenne is a terrific vehicle in so, so many ways.We enjoyed our time in the Cayenne S and it definitely does the job for Porsche people who want a family wagon with a sports car flavour. But we're not totally convinced it is the ultimate answer.