2020 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Is Large and in Charge

UPDATE 1/7/20: This review has been updated with test results.

If you’re looking for further confirmation from Porsche headquarters that the current hybrid lineup represents more than just compulsory regulatory vamping, consider this statement from Christian Trautmann, manager of Porsche’s SUV product line: “From here on, we hope to make the highest-performing top model of a given Porsche product lineup a hybrid.” That means the ridiculous 541-hp 2019 Cayenne Turbo is now the beta dog, following the lead of the new 2020 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid plug-in in price, prestige, and performance.

While Trautmann wouldn’t elaborate on what this might mean for the maker’s rear- and mid-engine sports cars, the mere existence of the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid in both SUV and Cayenne coupe body styles is in line with the brand’s new ethos. Generating 670 combined horsepower and 633 lb-ft of twist, it achieves the daunting task of making the regular Cayenne Turbo seem weak.

Power Plan in Play

Employing the same powertrain strategy as in the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, the top Cayenne variant skips past the 335-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 used in the lesser electrified Cayenne, the Cayenne E-Hybrid. The Turbo S hybrid uses the 541-hp twin-turbo V-8 from the Cayenne Turbo. A 134-hp electric motor sandwiched between the 4.0-liter V-8 and the eight-speed automatic transmission enhances the V-8’s output. Speeds as high as 83 mph are possible without the gas engine switching on, but the system also can operate in a battery-saving mode that only burns gas, or the two systems can work together. (Worth noting is that the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid uses a nearly identical powertrain but with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic in place of the Cayenne’s conventional automatic, the latter of which, Porsche says, performs better in trailering situations.) A 14.1-kWh lithium-ion battery of similar specification as the lesser E-Hybrid’s, along with a 7.2-kW onboard charger, can complete a full recharge in about two and half hours when connected to a 240-volt, 30-amp source.

Indeed, the Turbo S E-Hybrid is the quickest and fastest Cayenne yet, but that statement does not prepare you for the immediacy of its accelerative force. This Cayenne rips to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and to a quarter-mile time of 11.5 seconds at 121 mph. That lands the E-Hybrid among the quickest SUVs we’ve ever tested: the Lamborghini Urus, the Mercedes-Benz GLC63 S coupe, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and the Tesla Model X. Top speed is governed at 183 mph, and we can confirm that the first 130 mph of those collect quickly and without much drama.

Having the electric motor’s 295 lb-ft of torque available right off idle is a beautiful thing, and when coupled with the additional shove of the gasoline engine it makes for a surreal and addictive experience. This big ute launches in an almost effortless manner, and Porsche is eager to point out that the electric boost strategy it employs is derived from the mapping used in the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar.

Despite the performance breeding, the hybrid system works almost imperceptibly in more relaxed situations, fusing the propulsion sources into a single wave of thrust. Six driving modes are available: E-Power operates on electricity alone; Hybrid Auto utilizes both the engine and electric motor; E-Hold maintains the battery’s current state of charge for use later; E-Charge simultaneously charges the battery and powers the car; and Sport and Sport Plus focus all systems on performance and keep the gas engine on and ready. Sport mode maintains the minimum battery level necessary to provide sufficient boost, while Sport Plus mode recoups energy at an even more elevated rate.

A Heavyweight Balancing Act

The hybrid system adds 475 pounds to the Turbo S E-Hybrid over the regular Turbo, which balloons the curb weight to 5623 pounds. That Porsche trains these porky pods to dance when asked without beating you up in normal commuting is impressive. A large part of the credit goes to the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system, which continuously adjusts the dampers and the stiffness of the three-chamber air-spring suspension. Three user-selectable modes—Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus—are available, and the air springs offer five ride heights that vary ground clearance between 6.3 and 9.6 inches.

Despite its considerable mass, the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid’s turn-in response remains sharp, although the steering feels a tad synthetic. There’s firmness on-center, and the big ute will track straight for days. Pressed to its limits, the electrified Cayenne hangs on to the skidpad with 1.01 g’s of lateral grip and stops from 70 mph in 149 feet. Those figures aren’t exactly the stuff of supercars, but they do place this spiciest Cayenne squarely in the sports-car realm. Braking feel, unfortunately, is one dynamic where the hybrid system is painfully obvious. The outright stopping power is strong. But things get wonky as speeds decrease, and the pedal’s effect on the brakes becomes nonlinear as the hybrid’s regeneration system and the actual friction brakes attempt to play together, yet end up feeling like they’re confusing each other.

As you’d expect for a product line’s halo model, the 2020 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid leaves few options on the table. Features specific to the Turbo S E-Hybrid include unique 21-inch wheels, body-color wheel-arch extensions, and polarizing Acid Green paint for the brake calipers. The usual Cayenne options, including the Sport Chrono package, are included in its $163,150 base price, but you’ll still need to pony up extra to get the aforementioned performance exhaust and rear-wheel steering, which helped push the as-tested price of our example beyond $190K. Look for both standard and coupe versions of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid in dealerships this summer.