The 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Recalibrates the Performance SUV Benchmark

I didn’t want to like the 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT.

It wasn’t some antiquated view that SUVs and performance don’t mix. That sort of Abe-Simpson-and-clouds mindset is futile: the market has shifted, and technology has evolved.

The thing is, Porsche has been leading that charge with the Cayenne for some two decades. What began as an ungainly high-rider with a 911 schnoz has matured into a satisfying family vehicle with class-leading dynamics. How could Porsche raise the bar the company itself set?

I got a taste of the answer last year, but a week with this beast confirmed it. The 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT goes harder, turns sharper, and sings stronger—yet with almost no trade-off in everyday usability.

A quick refresher on what, exactly, Turbo GT means in Porsche-land. Those first five letters are typically found on ultra-powerful, ground-hugging AWD missiles (911 Turbo, Panamera Turbo, Cayenne Turbo), while GT can go two different ways. Stick an S after those two letters and you tend to get the Goldilocks option of a Porsche model, the approachable but satisfying enthusiast’s choice. If there’s a number tacked on the end, get ready for one of the most exhilarating vehicles you can stick a license plate to.

The GT is, unsurprisingly, somewhere between those two camps. A GTS Plus, if you will, or a GT(Number) SUV if the FIA ever wants to capitalize on the popularity of high-riders on the market. Available only with the “coupe” body style, the Turbo GT has some unique visual touches that separate it from the rest of the Cayenne range, too. The gaping front air intake gains a more aggressive lip spoiler slung below. A carbon fiber roof leads into a large, fixed wing made out of the weave. The active spoiler on the other end of the rear window sports a larger lip now, and extends further out when in use.

It’s hard to miss the centrally-mounted, blue-tinged titanium exhaust tips, more dramatic diffuser vanes on either side. The wheel design is familiar, but they’re now 22-inch rollers, slathered in ultra-sticky Pirelli rubber designed specifically for this application. The alloys come in a particularly eye-catching matte gold, which pairs oh-so-nicely with the unique Paint to Sample green here.

At this point I’m practically obligated to mention the Turbo GT’s big bragging right: a 7:38.9 lap time around Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife. I’ve driven there, and the idea that a nearly 5,000-pound SUV can hang with the likes of a Bugatti Veyron, a Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and Porsche’s own 911 GT3 (2009 vintage) almost defies belief.

How does something this big lay down a time so quick? No surprise there’s more power, with the Cayenne Turbo’s 4.0-liter “hot-vee” turbo V8 now producing 631 horsepower and 626 pound-feet of torque. No weight-adding electrified gubbins here, just straight-up refined dino juice.

The first explorative pedal-to-floor interface has me looking for the hybrid dial info anyway—at least, once I catch my breath. Even while huffing more boost than before, the Turbo GT’s V8 has electric responses, a great big, cupped hand of torque fastballing us towards the horizon. Officially the Turbo GT clicks off the 62 mph (100 km/h) run in 3.3 seconds, but a) it feels even quicker in the real world, and b) the numbers don’t properly convey the sheer mechanical violence of the whole endeavor. The rear-biased AWD system shuffles every ounce of available power between the axles to ensure it all translates to maximum forward motion.

I know the 911 is the icon of the brand, but unless that flat-six is revving to 9,000 rpm, give me the turbo V8 soundtrack any day. The rich, layered note is addictive, and even the most extreme driving mode mixes in just the right amount of pops and bangs from those titanium pipes. I found myself traveling up and down the flawless eight-speed auto’s range just because, the response time from the wheel-mounted paddles practically in PDK territory. Even left in D, the ‘box always knows exactly what gear you need.

As ever, the power might be impressive, but it’s the Cayenne’s handling that makes it sensational. The steering is direct, precise, and weighty, opening up an all-important dialog between the car and the driver. Porsche’s engineers have painted a near-perfect chassis balance, with a flat, composed stance that beautifully smears into light tail-out action, even with the electronic nannies keeping an eye on things. It’s a reminder that there’s real depth here. The combination of torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering effectively chops a foot out of the Cayenne’s wheelbase, so it’s agile in a way even some two-seaters could only dream of.

True performance potential is laughably beyond what’s possible (or at least, wise) on the street. Those custom tires are practically a real-world cheat code, unendingly grippy—or, given their 80 tread wear rating, very short-lived indeed. And the standard carbon ceramic brakes? Those pizza-sized discs don’t even get close to their ideal operating temperature, but provide consistent stopping power and little of the squealing their ilk are known for.

A lot of performance cars feel like they’re tugging at the leash around town. Not so with the Cayenne Turbo GT; the adaptive air suspension makes for a preternaturally smooth around-town ride. Yes, it’s riding 0.7 inches (17 millimeters) lower than the “regular” Turbo, which only strengthens the argument that the Cayenne Coupe is just the world’s largest hot hatch. But through construction zones and over terrible tarmac, the Turbo GT rides with a confident smoothness that doesn’t punish passengers.

The interior strikes a similar balance. Yes, just about every surface is slathered in Race-Tex (Porsche-speak for Alcantara), yet the racy look belies a comfortable living space. Material quality is exceptional, everywhere. Even second-row head room is pretty decent—though only for two, not three—as the coupe-over roofline isn’t as extreme as it is at other German automakers. The front seats, with their unique inserts and embroidered headrests, are well-bolstered for the level of performance the GT is capable of, yet we were able to spend hours in them without discomfort. The 17.0 cubic feet (482 L) of storage is perfectly useful, and that almost triples with the rear seats folded.

Porsche’s infotainment system doesn’t have the wow factor of iDrive 8.0 or MBUX, but its business-like execution both matches the logical interior, and provides a lower learning curve. Wireless Apple CarPlay is handy; sorry Androiders, you still need a cord. The only real complaint I have is the sheer amount of piano black on the center console. If you’re picking up the Turbo GT from professional detailers, this surface will be clean—and only then.

It’s a refrain you’ve heard before: this Porsche is sensational, with a cost to match. Just to get in the door you’re looking at $190,150 ($202,450 CAD), including destination. The single priciest option on this car’s reasonably brief build sheet is the Paint to Sample Oak Green, a lofty $11,430 ($13,050 CAD). Hey, if you’re dropping two large on the ultimate Cayenne, I’m sure not going to judge if you want to make it your own, right from the factory.

There’s a smattering of driver assist features too, from the semi-reasonable (surround view for $1,200 / $1,360 CAD) to the mildly outrageous (adaptive cruise control for $3,300 / $3,760 CAD). Most of this stuff is baked into the price of a car a tenth of the price these days. A heated windshield, four-zone climate control, and soft close doors are the Cayenne’s most obvious nods to luxury. I would have welcomed the available ventilated seats, too.

Would dropping the “GT” and pocketing the difference still net you 85-percent of the experience? Sure. But shopping in this rarified air isn’t about logic. The GT pegs the want-meter in a way the still-impressive Cayenne Turbo simply can’t.

Want a similar experience at, say, the salary of an auto writer? The original plan with this Turbo GT was to pair it up with a Hyundai Kona N for a week. Yes, really—Porsche even liked the idea. The Hyundai rides stiff as hell, sure, and its interior is comparatively more Motel 6 than Monaco, but both SUVs share an effervescent joie de vivre that is irresistible.

I didn’t want to like the 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT. Yet at the end of our time together, I didn’t want to give the keys back. Months later, I still think about its indulgent chassis balance, sweet exhaust note, and deftly tuned suspension. Like the best of Porsche’s sports cars, the Turbo GT wriggles under your skin, nuzzles up close to your heart, and gets comfy.

It’s pricey. Its spec sheet has some glaring omissions. It won’t tow a large boat or do other serious SUV things. Yet none of that matters. The Cayenne Turbo GT is a sensational one-stop-shop: if you’re stuck on the multiple-choice question of sports car, family vehicle, or SUV, this says “all of the above.”

FAQs

How much does the 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT cost?

The new model starts from $39,185 USD for a rear-drive, V6-powered Laredo model, including the $1,795 destination charge. In Canada, where AWD is standard, buyers can expect a $53,640 CAD sticker. A fully-loaded Summit Reserve V8 will set buyers back $68,455 ($83,630 CAD).

How fast is the 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT?

Find somewhere to unleash it, and the Turbo GT will run to 186 mph (300 km/h).

What is the difference between a Cayenne Turbo GT and a Turbo?

More power, more exclusivity, a uniquely-tuned suspension, amongst other changes. The Turbo GT is only available as a coupe, as well.