Suv - page 12

The Macan is Porsche’s compact luxury crossover SUV that combines a sports car’s performance, technology, and style with the practicality and comfort of an everyday family vehicle. Introduced in 2014, it’s the smallest SUV from the German marque, below the Cayenne. Over the years, Porsche provided several updates and facelifts to the Macan, the latest being in 2021.

In 2002, Porsche took a huge gamble by launching the Cayenne, an SUV based on the Volkswagen Touareg, which left many purists sneering. Despite the criticisms, Porsche’s gamble paid off as the years progressed - big time. Much to the surprise of many, the Cayenne became a runaway success, bringing in more money for Porsche than ever.

Remember 2002? Britney Spears dominated the airwaves, flip phones were all the rage, and Porsche took a bold leap into uncharted territory - the SUV market. The Cayenne became an instant success with its sculpted curves and undeniable Porsche spirit. It proved that luxury and practicality could coexist while redefining the SUV landscape and injecting much-needed cash into the iconic German brand, securing its future for generations to come.

Porsche is giving the Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe lineup a mid-cycle refresh for 2024, strengthening its position in the midsize premium sport SUV category. Both variants now feature a refined, sleek design, including a redesigned front with arched wings, an updated hood, and larger air intakes. The Cayenne Coupe goes further with a wider and sloping rear end.

In 2004, Porsche took a bold step into the SUV market by introducing the Cayenne. While controversial among brand purists, this move ultimately proved to be a savior for the company, as the Cayenne quickly became Porsche’s best-selling model. Designed to compete with the likes of the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz M-Class, the Cayenne offered a unique blend of Porsche performance and SUV practicality.

The Audi SQ8 debuted as the performance variant of Audi’s flagship SUV, the Q8, which Audi released in 2018 as a rival to the BMW X6. The X6 was introduced in 2008 and was the first coupe SUV. Though its styling elicited some controversy due to the reduction in rear passenger and cargo space when compared to the comparably-equipped BMW X5, it made a success as BMW sold 4,548 units in the U.S. alone in 2008. As a result, Mercedes-Benz followed suit in 2015 with the GLE-Class Coupe seven years after the release of the X6. Audi took a long time to enter the segment by introducing the Q8 in 2018, 10 years after the X6, and one year after the Lamborghini Urus, which came out in 2017.

It was not long ago when BMW wanted a piece of the pie in the full-size SUV segment, where American brands such as Ford, Cadillac, and GM have been thriving for over a decade. Joining late to the full-size sports-utility bandwagon, the BMW X7 is the most practical BMW you can buy right now.

Porsche introduced the third-generation Cayenne for the 2019 model year, ushering in a new era of performance and refinement for the brand’s flagship SUV. Riding on the Volkswagen Group’s MLB EVO platform, the redesigned Cayenne featured a sleeker, more athletic exterior that maintained its distinctive silhouette while incorporating modern Porsche design cues. Its cabin was inspired by the Panamera sedan, offering a perfect blend of luxury, technology, and sportiness. New technologies like a 12.3-inch touchscreen and semi-digital cluster with two integrated displays promised better connectivity while treating occupants with top-notch comfort with massage seats.

Blending sleek aesthetics with practical utility, coupe SUVs burst onto the scene with the original BMW X6, which pioneered this niche in 2008. Porsche joined the fray in 2019 with its 2024 Cayenne Coupe (9Y3), built on Volkswagen’s MLB Evo platform shared with the Q8. This new addition to the third-generation Cayenne lineup aimed to capture buyers seeking a sportier silhouette without sacrificing the brand’s performance pedigree.

The Porsche Macan GTS returns to the market after a one-year break with a new 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that generates 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, making more power than the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 from the last model. That’s enough for it to accelerate to sixty miles in just 4.5 with the optional Sport Chrono package and a higher top speed of 162 mph.

Following the arrival of the Cayenne’s third generation for the 2019 model year, Porsche presents the Cayenne Coupe for the 2020 model year to compete in the coupe SUV sector. The Cayenne S Coupe sits between the base and the Turbo model, bringing a sleeker, sportier variant of its SUV stalwart. Built on Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform, it shares its underpinnings with the standard SUV model and also offerings like the Lamborghini Urus and Audi Q8. A 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine outputs 434 horsepower and 405 pound-feet to deliver 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds and 163 mph top speed, blessing it with sufficient speed.

Following the launch of the third-generation Cayenne SUV for the 2019 model year, Porsche is gambling into the coupe SUV sector with an all-new Cayenne Coupe for the 2020 model year. The 2020 Cayenne Turbo Coupe sits between the E-Hybrid Coupe and the flagship Turbo S E-Hybrid PHEV, offering buyers a stellar performance SUV. Powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine channeling 541 horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque, this SUV accelerates from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds and promises a top speed of 177 mph.