3rd vs 2nd Gen Porsche Cayene: Is The New Model Fresh Enough?

Ever since Porsche unleashed the first-generation Cayenne into the world back in 2002, people have been demanding they do something about its design.

The Cayenne was never the prettiest SUV around, nor was it the most aggressive-looking or most imposing, especially with rivals such as the BMW X6 and Range Rover Sport looming.

Things did get better with every facelift, for both the first generation Cayenne, as well as the second-gen model, which in 2014 benefited from a redesigned grille, bumper, more contoured bonnet, reshaped fenders and brand new lights with four-point LED graphics.

We’ve lived with that updated model up until, well, a few days ago, when Porsche introduced the world to the all-new, third-generation Cayenne, a car that at a first glance, might put to rest any and all complaints regarding the design of Porsche’s mid-size SUV.

While nobody’s going to confuse the new Cayenne for anything other than a Porsche SUV, and some might even have a hard time telling the previous generation from the new one, especially from the front and profile, the (design) devil is in the details.

The new front fascia packs larger intakes, the LED headlights are new, the overall shape is more athletic thanks to the lower roof line, and the completely different taillights, well, they mimic those of the all-new Panamera.

So for the first time ever, you could argue that the Porsche Cayenne looks more like a sporty Wagon than a clunky SUV. Then again, put some distance between you and the cars, and from the front, you might not be able to tell which is which.

As for the interior, where the old Cayenne didn’t receive much else apart from a sportier steering wheel during its facelift process, the new model features a fresh dashboard layout, packed with modern assistance systems and other types of tech – like the 12.3″ touchscreen display, Night Vision Assist, Lane Change and Keep Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control and many others.

The steering wheel remains almost the same as before, as do the analogue dials, at least in terms of shape. The dashboard however has gone from predominantly sporty to more modern and luxurious, which can be viewed as both good and bad, depending on which type of aesthetics you prefer.

The 2018 all-new Porsche Cayenne is available to order now, with U.S. pricing starting at $65,700 for the base model and $82,900 for the Cayenne S.