- Facelifted Porsche Cayenne prototypes are putting on some test miles.
- Upgraded ICE-powered SUV has a mouth full of vertical cooling slats.
- A Cayenne EV debuts next year, but ICE versions will live past 2030.
Porsche will add to its EV portfolio next year when it launches the Cayenne Electric, the first battery-powered version of its best-selling model. But to ensure the Cayenne remains in the number one spot, and sales don’t fall off a cliff, Porsche is keeping the combustion version alive with the help of a very familiar facelift.
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Also: Porsche Testing Cayenne EV In Two Different Chilli Strengths
The Cayenne was substantially refreshed for 2024, and although the visual changes weren’t immediately obvious, the technical ones were pretty substantial and included the return of V8 power to the mid-ranking S and a big infusion of interior tech. The update was part of Porsche’s plan to keep the Cayenne alive long after its EV brother had begun appearing in showrooms, and another facelift is the next step.
911-Inspired Styling Cues
This time around Porsche’s designers have looked to the latest 911 for inspiration, adding the same kind of vertical cooling slats to the outer parts of the front bumper that we were introduced to through the first hybrid 911, the 2024 GTS. If they function in the same way as the 911’s do, those electronically-controlled slats will automatically close to improve aero efficiency or open to blast the radiators with a hit of cooling air when you’re working the engine hard.
The horizontal bars placed in front of them on this prototype are just part of the disguise and won’t be present on the production Cayenne, which is why the thin DRL strip that’s normally horizontally mounted has switched to a vertical position in the side of the bumper. It’s worth noting that this whole bumper design might be specific to just one, or perhaps a couple of trims, and that lower-grade Cayennes might get a different look altogether.
Other tweaks introduced for the 2024 refresh, such as the squarer headlights, are carried over, and we don’t imagine Porsche will make too many changes to the interior, either. The current dashboard already has the current Porsche family look as part of the last refresh that brought a toggle gear shifter, full digital instrument cluster and an optional passenger-side infotainment touchscreen.
More Power, More Options
The revised Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe will probably debut for the 2027 model year with a similar engine lineup to today’s SUV, but with a smidge more power and a few extra range miles for the hybrid models. And by that time Porsche will also have unveiled the Cayenne Electric, giving buyers of its best-selling badge more choice than they’ve ever had.
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