The Cayenne executes the same trick as the Panamera saloon, and that is to feel comfortingly analogue while operating at the bleeding edge of in-car technology.
The SUV’s instrument binnacle stubbornly retains a physical tachometer front and centre but it’s now flanked by superbly crisp variable digital readouts, and the central touchscreen is integrated slickly into a slim dashboard (although the optional carbonfibre inserts do absolutely nothing for it).
In fact, so seamlessly is touchscreen assimilated into the dash that you might not initially appreciate its vast dimensions. This is the latest iteration of the Porsche Communication Management system and it’s set up to operate much like a smartphone, with app widgets pertaining to media and navigation, various operating parameters for the car and performance collated on a customisable homepage.
The graphics are terrifically sharp and there’s barely any latency following commands, although some icons are quite small for on-the-move use. As for smartphone connectivity, only Apple CarPlay is offered, but taking and making calls and choosing music can be achieved easily enough using the standard Bluetooth connection. There are also two USB ports in the centre console compartment, with two more located in the rear.
The Turbo also gets a 710W 14-speaker Bose surround-sound system that’s a marked improvement over the standard 150W set-up.
Look down and you’ll notice that where in the second-generation model there was plastic switchgear, there are now glass-fronted buttons that sit flush within a panel atop the transmission tunnel.
At the same time, the Cayenne retains its triangular grab handles for off-road rough and tumble, superb driving ergonomics and a sense of solidity underpinned by an understated interior architecture.
This is a cosseting and spacious cabin, not to mention a quiet one – our test car suffered less from tyre roar and wind noise at a cruise than a Q7 3.0 TDI – in which to while away miles, and we particularly like the grey Alcantara roof lining, which is standard on the Turbo. Also standard are Porsche’s 18-way adjustable sport seats, which are more generally supportive than they look and just as adaptable to a range of body types as their name suggests, and seat heaters for those in the front and the rear.
