Porsche Cayenne facelift teased ahead of April 18 global debut

The third-generation Cayenne was launched in 2018 and the facelift is expected to come to India later this year.

Published On Apr 14, 2023 06:16:00 PM

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Porsche has teased the styling of the new Cayenne SUV ahead of its reveal at the Shanghai motor show on April 18. The third-generation Cayenne was launched in India in 2018 and its facelift is expected to launch here later this year.

Porsche Cayenne facelift to debut with a three-screen layout
Cayenne facelift to debut at Auto Shanghai
The Cayenne was a bestseller for Porsche India in 2022

Porsche Cayenne facelift exterior

The new image reveals a more angular headlight design and a simplified daytime running light signature, in which one LED bar replaces the previous split design. The grille has grown in size and also takes on a more aggressive, less rounded shape.

Porsche Cayenne facelift interior and features

The German carmaker has already unveiled the Cayenne’s new interior, which takes inspiration from the Taycan EV with a heightened emphasis on driver engagement.

Aimed at providing an "even more intensive driving experience" while facilitating interaction – both with the car and the front-seat passenger – the Cayenne's new dashboard is dominated by a full-width digital panel comprising three screens: a 12.6-inch curved instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch central infotainment screen and – new for 2023 – an optional touchscreen in front of the passenger.

Porsche Cayenne facelift will debut with triple-screen layout.

This new 10.9-inch interface allows the passenger to "take the strain off the driver" by giving them access to the sat-nav and media settings. Innovative technology means it is invisible to the driver, minimising distraction on the move.

The 'free-standing' digital instrument display – which gets up to seven different views, including a five-dial set-up reminiscent of the 911 – new-generation steering wheel, dash-mounted drive selector and redesigned centre console take their lead from the Taycan. All this forms part of Porsche's ploy to achieve "the right balance between digital and analogue elements".

The Cayenne's technological capability has also been significantly enhanced, gaining a new cooled wireless smartphone charging pad, Siri voice control, four USB-C fast charging ports and a new video streaming service that shows films on the central display when stationary, and on the passenger screen when moving.

Porsche Cayenne facelift powertrain details

Porsche will offer the Cayenne with a 354hp, 500Nm, 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine. The Cayenne S, which is not sold in India currently, will be offered with a 476hp, 600Nm, 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine. The range-topping Turbo GT model will get a heavily retuned version of the 4.0-litre V8, but will produce 660hp and 850Nm.

Porsche tested the Cayenne facelift for over 2,00,000km under various conditions.

The plug-in hybrid variants of the Cayenne facelift will get a new gearbox-mounted electric motor that will produce 176hp mated to a slightly detuned, 304hp, 3.0-litre V6 engine petrol engine. The combined output, however, will be 470hp and 650Nm. The battery capacity on the e-Hybrid variants will be increased to 25.9kWh and support up to 11kW charging speeds with an electric-only range of up to 80km.

Porsche Cayenne facelift global debut

Billed as “one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche” by the firm, the new Cayenne has already been put through its paces in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, covering more than four million test kilometres in prototype form.

Ahead of its appearance in Shanghai, the SUV took on extreme conditions in the desert, snow and rugged mountain terrain, with Porsche engineers testing the model’s new semi-active chassis. Tests also included over 2,00,000km spent in urban traffic, on motorways and on country roads.

Porsche said it has been testing the Cayenne as if it had been “developed from scratch”, with the goal of “achieving an even wider range between the typical Porsche on-road performance, long-distance comfort and off-road capability.”

Porsche Cayenne facelift India launch, rivals

The Cayenne was a bestseller for Porsche in India as it sold 399 units in 2022. We expect the facelifted Cayenne to be launched in India a few months after its global debut. When launched, the Cayenne facelift will rival the likes of BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Range Rover Sport.

Also see:

Porsche India registers best ever year in sales; sees 64 percent growth

All-electric Porsche Cayenne confirmed for 2026 debut