I had a short test drive of the Cayenne S when it launch March 15th, but traffic prevented any speed or acceleration. Under those conditions, it seemed heavy and slow (but my wife pointed out that I'm used to driving my Lexus SC430 every day). The ride was fine, but again that is because of what I'm used to, but it also seemed fine compared to my Previa minivan. The wife drives a Lexus LS400, so everything seems firm.

Anyway, this last weekend I test drove the FX45 under ideal conditions of clear, dry, new roads. Kept it under 90, but hit some corners hard and it was pretty good, with some expected understeer. The brakes were also very good in feel and stopping power. As it is much lighter than the Cayenne, it had more spunk, but when winding the engine up, the exhaust sound could use some tuning to match the sound quality that Porsche has achieved. The interior looks excellent, but I'm not sure it will take normal daily use without looking worse for wear. The center console seemed like it would scratch up over time and show dust/dirt more than other finishes. The black dashboard showed finger print streaks readily. I didn't think is was any more spacious than the Cayenne, particularly at the back hatch area where it seems to neck down with the FX45. I drove the Technology Package and it was a very well equipted car. To get the same options on the Cayenne is expensive, considering the usual Porsche approach of charging premium prices for options. Which is exacerbated by the fact you can't get the options you would like when you are willing to pay for it, like air suspension in my case. It would have been nice to be able to drive a Cayenne with air suspension, but this wasn't possible as the only unit on the lot with it was a sold TT.

The same day, I also drove the new Lexus RX330 and the GX470. Both nice cars with superior interior fit and finish, but in a lower league in the handling department, but better in the ride, without being floaty. I'd like to think the Cayenne with air suspension would be similar, but needs to be tested to know for sure.

I'm waiting for the Touareg to come out before making a final decision to compare it with the Cayenne, FX45, etc. Also, I'll test drive the Cayenne again before buying to get a better sense of how it accelerates, turns and stops with more aggressive driving. I may have to go to another city to test drive the TT, but that may be what the Doctor ordered to cure boredom with driving a multipurpose vehicle.

A comment about 20" wheels - they look great on both the Cayenne TT and the FX45, but in either case, I'd buy an extra set of 17" wheels with snow tires for winter conditions so I don't have to pay a premium for the larger diameter snow tires (if you can find them) and have clearance for worst case conditions when snow chains are needed.

The Cayenne will qualify for the tax break as its GVW exceeds 6000 pounds and the FX45 doesn't. That helps in the value department to offset the higher Porsche price. The FX45 may have the edge for reliability and dealer service, and value if you don't have a business to get the tax deduction. I'm starting to watch the Boards like this to see owner experieince for both vehicles to find problem areas and to see how much better Porsche dealers are going to support the SUV platform. Based on this same type of info., I have scratched the X5 off my list of contenders. It seems BMW's US plant has made too many lemons to take the chance....too bad because it think it is a very attractive vehicle.