Reviewer’s Dream Mom-Mobile Mostly Lives Up to Hype

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS

model as tested $91,185

Test Drove 4/27/09 – 5/4/09
reviewed by Sara Lacey

When I started writing for MotherProof.com almost four years ago, I had the Porsche Cayenne in my sights as the pinnacle mom-mobile. It’s fast, sporty, fancy and, well, a Porsche I could fit my kids into. I’ve been patiently waiting, hoping for the day a Cayenne showed up at MotherProof.com’s global headquarters. Then one day it did, and our Chief Mom Kristin Varela let me drive it. OMG. Could the Cayenne live up to my dreams?

Oh, yes, it could. However, I first had to realize that the Cayenne is really two cars rolled into one. It’s a sports car and a luxury car. It’s an expensive, high-end SUV with a lovely design that no one notices until after you’re gone. It’s a looker but not an attention hog. It’s got luxurious leather on the inside, and its information system is the best I’ve used. Thanks to an adjustable suspension system, it’s hardcore sporty in Sport mode, still kind of sporty in Normal mode and a calm, chill drive in Comfort mode.

However, what really makes the Cayenne so attractive to me is its deep, sultry-sounding engine. The rumbly V-8 gets an EPA-estimated 11/17 mpg city/highway, and even worse it requires premium fuel. However, if you can afford this pricey SUV — my test car cost $91,185 — you’re probably not counting your pennies at the pump.

What about the kids? Would they love the Cayenne? One look in the backseat gave me pause. The bolstered backseat is great for adults, but they’re the kind of seat that can break a kid’s heart. The bolsters often mess with the fit of child-safety seats. More on that in the Interior section.

Just like my kids in a grassy park, the Cayenne wants to run. I couldn’t deny her. That beautiful engine, paired with the sport suspension and some curvy roads, made me happy. I was grinning even when trolling the grocery store parking lot. I couldn’t help it.

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