dreamcar:
Many thanks for the review RC, very informative as always.
Out of interest how does the Cayenne compare with the BMW X3 35D I realise the BMW is not as large and obviously not as powerful, but is it as good a drivers car? How does manoeuvrability, parking etc compare?
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Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
You'd be surprised to learn that from 0-120 kph, the X3 35d and my Cayenne GTS are having the same performance. Over 120 kph, my Cayenne starts to pull away very slowly (barely noticeable up to 150 kph) and only above 180 kph, the GTS pulls away stronger.
The X3 feels nimble and light and the steering is very direct, though not as direct as on the GTS. Still, if someone wants or needs a fast Diesel SUV, the X3 35d is the perfect choice. Diesel consumption in the city is 9-10 l / 100 km when driven fast, below 9 l / 100 km when driven normally and even below 8 l / 100 km when driven economically. I drove the X3 35d at full speed (full throttle) on the Autobahn up to a speed of 210 kph (H rated winter tires) and Diesel consumption was 9.7 l / 100 km. Amazing. The ride is stiff but not uncomfortable, parking is quite easy (with the rear view camera even easier) and I'd say that from a value for the buck point of view, the X3 35d is great. My wife got herself an almost new dealer loaner, rebate was almost 20%, so we can't complaint. Car has a new value of 75k EUR, it was fully equipped.
I can highly recommend the X3 35d, it is a very powerful and sporty (with the sport options!!!) SUV with a low Diesel consumption and incredible performance (AMS tested the X3 35d at 0-100 kph in 5.5 seconds and 0-200 kph in 26.4 seconds). I doubt that the new Cayenne S Diesel is better performance-wise. On the plus side, an optional air suspension is available for the Cayenne, it is not available for the X3.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2012), Mini Cooper S Countryman All4