2025 Porsche Cayenne GTS First Drive: The SUV Sweet Spot For Price And Power

I've always said that when I win the lottery I'm going straight to the Porsche dealership. The Cayman GTS has long been my jam, but after spending some time behind the wheel of the 2025 Cayenne GTS, I've come to learn that you don't have to sacrifice practicality for a fun time behind the wheel. This mid-size luxury SUV has room for five and excels on twisty back roads, while still providing a comfortable ride on traffic-heavy commutes.

GTS stands for Gran Turismo Sport. Available in both standard and coupe forms, think of it as a combination of the cushy Cayenne S and top bonkers Turbo GT trims. There are a few visual cues that point to its performance soul. The exterior gets a unique front fascia with larger air intakes for the twin turbo V8 powerplant. The headlamps are tinted just a bit, and I'm digging the bronze exhaust tips in the rear. Anthracite Grey 21-inch wheels are standard, but my tester has slightly larger 22-inch shoes wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber.

Inside I'm treated to no fewer than three large screens across the dash. The curved 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster is standard and reconfigurable. The Porsche Communication Management system occupies the center of the dash, measuring 12.3 inches. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are here and this is what I use during my drive to access things like navigation and Spotify, as my tester has come straight from Germany and many US features are not active. 

Still, the menus are well-organized and the screen quick to respond to inputs. The right seat gets an optional 10.9-inch screen and it's great. As a passenger I love having easy access to the navigation and audio controls, allowing the driver to keep their eyes on the road. Heck, the passenger can even record lap times from the right seat.

While many controls are accessed through the screen, the HVAC still has physical buttons for a quick click up or down to control the dual-zone climate control. The Cayenne GTS features a physical knob for the volume control as well, so the tunes are always easily managed. There are four USB-C ports in the cabin and I love the cooled wireless charging compartment. My phone always seems to heat to Hades when using inductive charging, and this little cubby ensures it stays cool and functional.

Sliding behind the wheel in the morning, I nestle my behind into the standard 8-way power-adjustable seats. They come heated for free, but you can also option up ventilation and even massage. You can pay more for a full-leather interior but the Race-Tex micro-suede fabric that is standard is way better. It has a great tactile feel and, later in the day when I get to sample the 18-way sport seats, I find that my butt stays put when the Race-Tex is combined with the adjustable side bolsters.

Speaking of options, you can pretty much customize the interior of your Cayenne to your heart's delight. You want carbon fiber trim? No problem! What about orange leather grab handles? Yes, that's possible. I don't know why, but it's possible. Illuminated black aluminum door sill guards? Ja woll! You can even customize your floor mats, get a carbon fiber cover for the car's instruction manual, and add a Porsche car seat for your little one. None of it comes cheaply, of course, but the Cayenne is a six-figure car. What's another $1,000 for a bespoke leather key fob?

However, if you're here for performance you can skip all the fussy bits and get right to the driving. I'm a fan of electrified powertrains but hot damn if this V8 doesn't satisfy some kind of primal animal hidden deep in my subconscious. I've got 493 ponies under my right foot, complemented by 486 pound-feet of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission puts the power down to all four wheels and 60 miles per hour comes up in 4.2 seconds. Sure, the top spec Turbo GT coupe can do it in a smidge over three seconds, but it starts at over $200,000 and that is definitely some tech bro money that I don't have.

Plus, driving isn't just about straight line speed, and the GTS has plenty of bits from the GT that make it a blast and a half to sling around a curvy road. The steering knuckles allow for more negative camber in the front wheels, which results in quicker, tighter turn-in. There are also stiffer roll bars front and rear, as well as a new application of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system to control vertical and lateral movements. The all-wheel drive system in the Cayenne also has more rear-wheel drive bias than in previous years.

The result of all this is a car that loves to turn, despite its nearly 5,000-pound curb weight. On the winding roads of north Georgia, decreasing radius turns are no problem for this crossover. If I find I'm not on the right line, a bit of throttle gets the rear to rotate just enough to bring the Cayenne around. Although the steering ratio isn't any quicker than other trims, the steering wheel is smaller so it feels quite quick indeed.

I alternate between Sport and Sport Plus modes on these roads to eke out the most performance. In each, throttle response is more immediate, the dampers stiffer, and the steering gets more heft. These roads feature undulations in the pavement just before a few tight turns. The PASM keeps the car controlled through these imperfections so I don't have to wait for the Cayenne to settle before I add my steering inputs. 

So too goes the transmission. There are paddle shifters here which are fun, but it's not like I can shift any faster than the computer can. It will downshift on its own on braking–the carbon ceramic brakes here are touchy but excellent–ensuring I have access to the power as a squeeze on the throttle out of the turn. Lather, rinse, repeat.

If you really want to get into the jazz, the coupe will allow you to simplify and add lightness with one of three Lightweight packages. You'll spend up to $11,000 to shave up to 55 pounds off the chassis. I've always said the easiest way to shed weight is to get divorced, but if you're happy with your partner and like driving, one of these packages might be worth it to you.

However, all good things must end as I head back to the hotel. I've had my GT fun, now it's time for the comfy S features to take center stage. Normal mode tones everything down a notch or two. The throttle is muted, the transmission more eager to stay away from the higher rpms. However, I can still hear that great V8 burble and there is still more than enough grunt to whip around slower-moving cars on the highway. My only wish is for the optional massaging seats. 

You won't get a ton of standard safety features on the Cayenne GTS. Parking sensors, forward collision warning and blind spot monitoring are all standard but adaptive cruise control and other higher-tech features are all extra. Porsche does offer a Night Vision Assist but my drive was in the day. There is no hands-free/eyes-up drive assistant but Porsche says its InnoDrive hands-on system will keep the car in its lane and look ahead a few miles to prepare for traffic incidents. However, that feature is not active on my German-spec car.

Still, I have to comment on the placement of the adaptive cruise control...um...controls. Instead of being on the steering wheel, Porsche puts them on a stalk on the lower left hand quadrant of the steering column. I'm sure if I owned the car I'd quickly memorize the movement sequence needed to set everything up, but trying to absorb the pictographs while driving and forcing my old lady eyes to focus on the small font is always a chore. Pro tip: figure out that stalk before you hit the road.

I am bummed that the GTS trim can't be purchased with the Off Road package, but this is, after all, a trim focused on pavement performance. Still, the GTS does get an off-road mode that raises the suspension to just over nine inches. Further, the Cayenne has a fair amount of utility as well. It can tow over 7,700 pounds as long as the trailer has its own brakes, and has a maximum payload of 1,415 pounds. Behind the rear seats is about 26 cubic feet of space, expanding to 60 cubes with the second row folded. Keep in mind, however, the coupe suffers just a bit here with its sloping roofline. Payload is reduced by about 100 pounds and cargo space takes a small hit as well.

Neither Porsche nor the EPA have released any fuel economy numbers, but at the end of my day I saw just over 16 miles per gallon on the car's computer. This was through a variety of driving scenarios including aggressive accelerations, stop-and-go traffic, and easy cruising at the speed limit.

While the base Cayenne starts at under $85,000, you'll have to add nearly $2,000 for delivery. The GTS model starts at $124,900 plus delivery and the coupe model is at $129,500. With the option-heavy configurator it's easy to add tens of thousands of dollars to that bottom line, so choose wisely. Is paying six figures for a car just a little bit crazy? Absolutely! But you'll get an SUV that not only looks great, but its split-personality means it's just at home commuting to work as it is carving corners.