2012 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid SUV Review & Ratings

The Porsche Cayenne is the first four-door vehicle ever built by Porsche, predating even the Porsche Panamera four-door sedan. Until its debut in 2002, Porsche was known solely for its two-door sporty coupe models. However, with the rising price of gasoline and the declining economy, Porsche knew it had to enter another part of the market to continue to be successful. That's how the Porsche Cayenne mid-size luxury SUV was born. And, not only was the Cayenne the first four-door built by Porsche, it was also the first Porsche built with a V8 engine since 1995, at which time the Porsche 928 was discontinued.

As you may guess, with its powerful V8 engine, the Porsche Cayenne excels at seamlessly combining power and luxury in a family-friendly package. The Porsche Cayenne comes in many variants for the 2012 model year, including the base Cayenne SUV (with a starting MSRP of $48,200), the Tiptronic trim (with a starting MSRP of $51,200), the sporty S trim (with a starting MSRP of $65k), the S Hybrid (which has a starting MSRP of $69k), and the Cayenne Turbo (with a starting MSRP of $107,100). This review will focus on the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid SUV.

The Porsche Cayenne got a full redesign for 2011, so it hasn't changed much for the 2012 year. A few minor aspects have been altered, however. For example, there is now an available blind-spot warning system. There are also additional power features for the Turbo trim. The 2012 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid SUV, in particular, borrows and tweaks the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid's 3.0-liter direct-injection V6 engine that works with a 34 kilowatt electric motor and an eight-speed transmission. Altogether, these allow the Hybrid to produce 380 horsepower.

The Hybrid also features a nickel-metal-hydride battery which, alone, allows about a mile-and-a-half of electric-only range. However, despite this short range, the Hybrid drastically increases the Cayenne SUV's fuel economy ratings. While the standard Porsche Cayenne is rated at up to 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway, the hybrid model achieves 20 mpg city/24 mpg highway- a significant jump in city mileage. The Cayenne S Hybrid gets from zero-to-sixty in a little over six seconds and has a top track speed of 150 mph. It features an all-wheel-drivetrain with Porsche Traction management, and boasts many impressive comfort, safety, and technology features. Unlike the iconic Porsche 911, its interior is built for comfort and luxury instead of focusing more on power.