Cayenne GTS (2013) - Short Review
POSITIVE
- Steering (my car has the Power Steering Plus, which is standard in the US) is very direct, precise and delivers a good road feel (the steering on the other Cayenne models is a little bit more comfort oriented).
- Suspension (my car has the Air Suspension with PASM) is pretty stiff, even in comfort mode and it may feel too uncomfortable for those who are looking for a comfortable ride. I love it however because I can actually feel the road with my behind, which kind of gives me a sense of a sports car). Be warned: If you love comfort, you will hate the GTS suspension setup.
- Drive feel: Despite the winter tires (Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D in 265/19 size), the car goes through curves like a go-kart. The (optional) PDCC seems to do it's magic here, the Cayenne GTS does not feel like a SUV, not at all. My car does not have PTV Plus but I can imagine that it is useful, even if I didn't miss it once. PDCC is a must have option though. The Cayenne GTS feels at least 300-400(!) kg lighter than it actually is, which proves how good Porsche engineering seems to be and why their products are more expensive. I still can't believe I am driving a SUV.
- Engine: The engine is very responsive, the throttle response is very direct and spontaneous (Sport mode). However, I have to say that being used to my Panamera Turbo S, the GTS engine is the minimum power engine I would recommend for the Cayenne. The only lower power alternative could be the S Diesel, which has a huge torque and provides a superior power feel but performance-wise, do not get a Cayenne with anything less than the GTS engine. You will be disappointed, unless you aren't used to something more powerful. For me, the GTS is at the limit of what I would buy, power-wise but I may be spoiled. I really like the GTS engine, it feels, despite being still new, powerful and doesn't seem to show any weakness in the upper rev range but I am still in the process of running in the engine, so the experience can only get better. Overall, I really like the GTS V8 engine but I wouldn't want any horse less regarding it's horse power.
- Sound: Oh boy, where do I start? The car is still new but it already makes people turn their heads each time I am accelerating. The GTS is loud, it has a deep V8 growl which becomes louder and louder and not only inside the car but also outside the car. Porsche did a little bit of trickery to enhance the sound inside the car but I'm not sure this was a good thing. To be honest, the loud sound can get tiresome at some point because you actually get the full experience in the inside, not much filtered from the outside. I like it, so does my son but my wife and daughter already asked me to turn off the "Sport" button when driving a longer distance. I agree, it can be annoying at some point but the "Sport" button is very effective and if you turn it off, the sound is almost gone. I still think this is a great feature, it fits a V8 SUV very well but nobody will like it like I do, especially not wives. Oh...the sound should get even louder after a couple of thousands of kilometers.
- Interior: The Cayenne has the sportiest and classiest interior I've ever seen on a SUV, especially with the 18-way adaptive sport seats (they look sportier) and full carbon. Even Range Rover can't cope with that, sorry. Porsche did an amazing job here, Bravo to them. Every time I enter my Cayenne, I feel like in 7th heaven. It makes a difference. The rear seats are also slightly more sporty with the 18-way adaptive sport seat option and they can also be adjusted, which is an amazing feature for the rear passengers. Only downside: They are full leather, the middle is not Alcantara. Speaking of Alcantara: I just love it, it is just in the right places. The Alcantara steering wheel could be slightly smaller in diameter and a little bit thicker but overall, I like the feel of it. I also like the gearshift pedals a lot, they work well.
- Gearbox(Tiptronic): I am a friend of PDK but not so much of Tiptronic. I owned two 955 (Turbo and Turbo S) and the Tiptronic was never a highlight, the reaction was kind of slow and it felt like a better automatic transmission. The Tiptronic in the GTS is a different kind of beast, it works really fast and very accurate, it actually feels like PDK, which is a compliment. Porsche did a great job here. Even in auto mode, the Tiptronic works very well, especially when the Sport button is pressed. I wish it would upshift a little bit earlier in the lower speed ranges when I press the throttle only gently but it works almost perfect and not like the typical automatic transmission one may be expecting.
- Light(yes!!!): Amazing light performance, I really love how the Cayenne illuminates the street(s) at night, it makes me feel safe. Very good light system, very good performance.
- Air Suspension with PASM: A must have option in my opinion, especially on the GTS. Not only can you switch the suspension to a slightly(very slightly) more comfortable setup but it also allows the Cayenne GTS to be the Offroader people may expect from it. Especially in winter time or on not so flat roads, the air suspension can be a great feature to have. I wouldn't order the car without it.
- Brake System: I was a little bit worried about the brake system, especially when I found out that the GTS brake calipers are red like on the Turbo but in reality, this is not the same brake system, the Turbo brake discs are larger. I think Porsche should have given the GTS the Turbo brake system but on the other hand, the GTS brake system is pretty OK, I have not a single complaint yet. This may however change in summer with higher temperatures. The GTS is almost 100 kg lighter than the Turbo, so maybe the Turbo brake system isn't necessary but it would have been a nice feature. Do I miss the PCCB from my Panamera Turbo S? Surprisingly, only a little bit. Like I said, the GTS brake system feels and brakes pretty good but this may be different in spring or summer.
NEGATIVE
- Fuel consumption: The car is still new and I just have 350 km on it but fuel consumption never dropped below 20 liters / 100 km so far. Yes, I am running it in quite performance-oriented but I haven't even driven it at Vmax (winter tires) and I also haven't used full throttle all the time. I am hoping for the best here, a friend told me something about 15-16 liters / 100 km on average but right now, I am a little bit worried. Oil consumption seems to be OK though, the oil level hasn't dropped a bit (still at max).
- BOSE sound system: I actually thought that there isn't much of a difference between BOSE and Burmester but to be honest, I am kind of surprised how much of a difference there actually is. If you are a real audiophile, please do yourself a favor and get Burmester. Today I drove my Panamera Turbo S (equipped with Burmester) right after I drove my Cayenne GTS with BOSE and the difference is really noticeable. I listen to Dubstep, Electro House, etc. . this isn't even music I am supposed to hear much of a difference between systems but like I said, Burmester rocks. The BOSE system isn't bad but compared to Burmester, the difference is there.
- Sound Composer(the "thing" which makes the GTS sound loud in the interior too): There should be another button, besides the "Sport" button, to turn this thing off. I sometimes want to go fast and use the "Sport" button but without that permanent "vroom" sound from the sound composer. If I want to listen to the exhaust and engine, I can crack open a window and/or the panoramic roof. The technical idea behind the sound composer is OK but I wish it could be turned off without having to switch off the Sport button.
Do I regret not getting the Cayenne Turbo? Well, I actually drove the Turbo right after I drove the GTS for a day. Yes, I really love the additional power of the Turbo and even the Turbo doesn't sound too bad, there is that nice V8 growl too, maybe not as loud but noticeable. Do I regret not getting the Turbo? No. For my purpose (daily driver, short distances, not much Autobahn), the GTS is just perfect because it feels lighter and much sportier than the Turbo. Not a little bit sportier but much sportier and it really makes a difference regarding driving fun. If the Cayenne would have been my only Porsche, I would have chosen the Cayenne Turbo S, no doubt about it. For me, the GTS makes a lot of sense and probably for everybody else who has something faster in the garage. The GTS is no Autobahn beast though, just keep that in mind. Even if it should do 0-200 kph in aprox. 20 seconds or so, the Cayenne Turbo S is aprox. 5 seconds faster. This is a huge difference and it will be probably higher in the speed range over 200 kph. As a nice and very sporty SUV, the GTS is unbeatable. I would even say that right now, the Cayenne GTS is the sportiest standard production SUV on the planet.
Here are some nice photos I took today. Unfortunately I didn't have much time (Christmas and all), so they aren't very special. Enjoy. If you have questions, feel free to ask.
Air suspension "low" mode.
Air suspension "high" mode.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2012), Mini Cooper S Countryman All4