Porsche Cayenne review

The Cayenne is a big SUV, so it comes as no surprise to find that there’s plenty of room for the loftiest of adults. Even with a space-sucking panoramic roof fitted, there’s ample head room and the seat goes back a fair bit to accommodate long legs. Width, too, is no issue; we doubt any elbows will clash on the wide front armrest.

The front doors have generous-sized pockets and there’s a reasonable amount of storage space under the front armrest. There are enough other cubbies to swallow a selection of odds and ends, too.

It may not be quite as long as the Audi Q7, but you’d have to be exceedingly tall to have any issues with the Cayenne’s rear seats. Even behind a 6ft-tall driver, you’re unlikely to find your knees pressed up against the front seat; there's more leg room than in the Range Rover Sport and even the Volvo XC90.

Head room is good, although if you're exceptionally tall you might find the optional panoramic roof is a little limiting. There’s enough space for three to sit across the rear bench, but the centre seat is flat and perches you higher than the outer ones. You can't have seven seats, as you can with the Range Rover Sport and Audi SQ7. 

The rear door bins aren’t as big as the ones up front, but you can still get a 500ml bottle of water in. There’s also an armrest, containing a pair of cupholders, that folds down out of the rear bench.

The Cayenne is based on the structure of the Audi Q7, and it comes as standard with similar rear seats that can be slid forwards and backwards, to prioritise rear leg room or boot volume. You can also vary the angle of the backrest to improve comfort in the back, while the seats split in three parts, 40/20/40.

The front passenger seat is electrically adjustable but doesn't get lumbar support adjustment unless you upgrade to 14-way powered seats.

You'll have no issues getting plenty of flatpack furniture in the Cayenne’s luggage area. It also scores points by providing a usefully square load area, although there is a bit of a load lip to lift luggage over.

Go for a hybrid model and you’ll lose around 100 litres of space, because its battery pack sits under the boot floor. There should still be enough luggage space for most families, though; we fitted seven carry-on suitcases on board.