Porsche 
ushered in the second-generation Cayenne for the 2010 model year, and by 2013 the Cayenne lineup had expanded to include hybrid and diesel- powered models. By the time we turned the calendar to 2015, it was time for the Cayenne to take on a facelift, bringing lots of visual changes to the exterior, updated powertrains, and several interior upgrades. Despite that extensive facelift taking place, Porsche has been busy developing the next-generation Cayenne, and we just received spy shots of it doing some cold weather testing with very little camo.
The most important thing about the next generation is that the Cayenne will be underpinned by the new MLB SUV platform that has already been used on the Audi Q7 and the Bentley Bentayga, which means we should see a significant drop in weight over previous models. Outside of the new platform, the Cayenne shouldn’t change too much. We expect so see more of an evolution of the current design language as opposed to a complete redesign, and we should see some updated technology on the inside.
We expect the new Cayenne to debut next year as a 2018 model, but with the new model already testing without Camo, we may see it sooner than later. Until we get more details about the next-gen Cayenne, let’s take a closer look at these spy shots.
Click past the jump to read more about the 2018 Porsche Cayenne.
Spy Shots
March 11, 2016 – First testing session
Exterior
Looking at the front of the test mule, we can see a pretty generous helping of black tape magic. The outer edges of the headlights are taped off, as it the upper portion of the fascia. This tells us that the design of the headlights has been refined and will take on a slightly different shape where they meet the fascia. The grille also looks like it has been revised a bit and will likely be just a little bit bigger. The vent on each side of the grille looks different in the spy shots, but that is because the insert that surrounds the top and outer edge of each vent is missing at this time.
The grille also looks like it has been revised a bit and will likely be just a little bit bigger
Expect the vents on the finished product to look nearly identical to those on the outgoing model. It looks like the fog lights might fit into the fascia between the corner vents and the headlights. There is now two smaller, horizontal vents where the fog lights once were. The hood appears to be the same as on the outgoing model, but like I said before, this is an evolution of the current design, not a redesign.
Looking at the sides, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about. The same mild body line runs across the doors below the waistline, but down below the body lines look to me a little more aggressive. The side view mirrors also look to have gotten just a tad bit longer that the ones on the current model.
Like the front, it looks like the rear end is also evolving a little bit. We see a lot of black tape around the decoy taillight modules, suggesting that we’ll see slightly different taillights. Hopefully, they will be a little smoother than the ones on the current generation. The rear overhang on the hatch looks like it might have grown by an inch or so, but that could also be an illusion created by the slightly shorter rear window. Down below, the rear diffuser will take on a slightly different look, but will still include dual exhaust outlets.
Interior
Unfortunately, our paparazzi didn’t manage to get a peek at the interior, but we don’t expect the overall design to change that much anyway. The biggest changes should come in the form of more touch controls and fewer physical buttons, specifically on the steering wheel and the center console. I expect to see a slightly larger infotainment screen and a new instrument cluster layout.
Trim levels higher in the Cayenne range may have the option of a fully digital instrument cluster, but that is purely speculation at this point. Aside from these things the size and shape of the HVAC vents will be refined as will the design of the center console. Until we get a look at the interior of the new Cayenne, we’ll just leave it at that.
Drivetrain
Considering the Cayenne took on an update to its drivetrain recently, expect the next generation to use the same powertrain lineup. That means a range of gasoline engines, a hybrid drivetrain, and at least one diesel drivetrain. The current base model Cayenne is powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 that produces 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The sprint to 60 mph takes 7.3 seconds with top speed maxing out at 142 mph.
The sprint to 60 mph takes 7.3 seconds with top speed maxing out at 142 mph.
Next up is the Cayenne S that also has a 3.6-liter, but it produces 420 horsepower. In S form, the 60 mph sprint takes 5.2 seconds, and top speed is 161 mph. In the Cayenne GTS, that 3.6-liter produces 440 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. Sixty mph comes in 4.9 seconds, and top speed sits at 163 mph. The Cayenne Turbo is powered by a 4.8-liter V-8 that pumps out 520 horsepower. The turbo can hit 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 173 mph.
Next up is the Cayenne S E-Hybrid that is powered by a 3.0-liter, supercharged V-6 and an electric motor that produces a total of 416 horsepower. Finally, we get to the Cayenne Diesel, which is powered by a 3.0-liter that produces 240 horsepower. A 60 mph sprint in the diesel takes 7.2 seconds with top speed sitting at just 135 mph.
I don’t expect to see any upgrades on the power front, but a minor increase in power throughout the lineup isn’t out of the question. If anything, the lighter platform will bring slightly better performance specs across the lineup as well as better handling.
Prices
At this point, there is no telling what kind of pricing we’ll see on the next-gen Cayenne, but considering it will ride on a new platform prices may increase incrementally across the line. Currently, the Cayenne starts out at $58,300 for the base model and goes up to $157,300 of the range-topping Turbo S. The hybrid currently goes go $77,200. If anything, I would expect prices to increase by no more than a couple thousand, so expect the next generation to start out at around $60,000 and top out around $160,000.
Competitors
BMW X5
The Cayenne’s main competitor is the BMW X5. It is equal in size, offers similar cargo room, and is equal on the luxury front. The X5 should see its own generational update by 2018, but until then we have to look at the current lineup. There are five trims to speak of here in the U.S., ranging from the base-level sDrive35i to the range-topping xDrive50i. The base model and the xDrive35i are both powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 300 horsepower. The 60 mph sprint on these models takes just 6.1 seconds. Moving up to the xDrive35 D gets you a 3.0-liter diesel that produces 255 horsepower and can hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds.
The xDrive40e is Bimmer’s hybrid variant of the X5 that is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a lithium-ion electric motor. Total output of sits at 308 horsepower, and the sprint to 60 mph takes 6.5 seconds. The range-topping xDrive50i comes with a 4.4-liter V-8 that produces 445 horsepower. It takes just 4.7 seconds to hit 60 mph with this baby. The X5 starts out at $54,700 for the base model and climbs to $71,500 for the xDrive50i. Pricing should remain about the same when the next generation debuts.
Read our full review on the BMW X5 here.
Mercedes GLS
It wouldn’t be a proper review if we didn’t put Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes against each other, so I’ve done just that. If the name seems a little off, that’s because what I’m really talking about is the Mercedes GL SUV, but for 2016 Mercedes is updating the name so that it fits within the new naming structure. Naturally, the GLS boasts similar cargo room and luxury compared to the Cayenne and comes in several different flavors. There is a total of four drivetrain options, starting with the 3.0-liter V-6 found in the GLS450. It pumps out 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet. The GLS 550 4Matic has a V-8 that puts down 455 horsepower and 516 pound-feet, which is a 20-horsepower improvement over last year’s model.
The third gasoline-powered option comes in the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 that delivers 577 horsepower and 561 pound-feet from its V-8. As you would expect there is also a diesel variant, known as the GLS350d. It has a 3.0-liter V-6 that delivers 255 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque. In current form, the GLS starts out at $64,550 for the entry-level model, with the range-topping Mercedes-AMG GLS63 commanding $121,100 – significantly cheaper than the Cayenne in range-topping form.
Read our full review on the Mercedes GLS here.
Conclusion
To be honest, I expected to see more significant exterior changes in the spy shots, but that doesn’t seem to happen very often with next-gen vehicles anymore. It is nice to see that Porsche is refining the Cayenne’s front end a bit and has obviously meddled with the exterior lighting. Hopefully, the taillights will take on a better shape and design, as the units on the current model are bland at best.
At this point, I think the Cayenne is about as good as it is going to be with this design language, so by the time the new generation debuts, I expect Porsche to be working on something more radical from the following generation. I think the Cayenne is already priced a little too high for what it is, so hopefully the fact that it is underpinned by a new platform won’t increase the price point too bad. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens when the new Cayenne makes its official debut.