Car of the Year Awards 2026: Best sports SUV
First and foremost, a great performance car is entertaining and involving to drive, but unlike pure sports cars, they also have to be practical and comfortable enough to use every day...
Porsche Cayenne S
Had Sir Isaac Newton driven the Porsche Cayenne S before he defined his laws of motion and gravity, he probably would have rethought the physics involved. You see, despite the fact that it weighs more than 2.2 tonnes, it’s astonishingly agile and far better to drive than rivals such as the Range Rover Sport.
Okay, its height means it isn’t quite as nimble as our category winner, but you still enjoy immense traction from its four-wheel drive system and minimal body lean through corners – especially if you add adaptive air suspension.
Although powerful hybrid engines are available in the Cayenne, we prefer the non-electrified 468bhp 4.0-litre V8 in the S. It’s more than fast enough, and putting your foot down is a visceral experience that’s more exciting than anything the Range Rover Sport can offer – especially if you add the performance-enhancing Sport Chrono Package.
The more powerful and pricier Cayenne GTS is even more capable, but it sacrifices some of the everyday comfort of the S. Factor in a great driving position and excellent build quality and the Cayenne S is a sports SUV you’ll want to drive every day.
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