2022 Porsche Cayenne Interior: Luxurious Comforts with a Few Drawbacks
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne stands tall as one of the most luxurious SUVs on the market. Porsche’s reputation for sporty performance, precision, and prestige carries over into the Cayenne’s interior, which mixes high-end materials with cutting-edge technology. With ample space and top-of-the-line features, the Cayenne offers an exciting blend of comfort and style. But, like any vehicle, it isn’t without its flaws. In this deep dive, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the interior of the 2022 Porsche Cayenne—what works and what might not meet your expectations.
Porsche Cayenne: A Quick Overview
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne is the German automaker’s flagship SUV. Over the years, it’s evolved from being seen as an odd choice for a sports car company to becoming one of the top luxury SUVs in the world. The Cayenne offers multiple engine options from V6s to V8s and hybrids with impressive performance. However the interior deserves special attention, as it offers an opulent experience.
Design and Layout
Stepping inside the Cayenne, the first thing that strikes you is the sleek modern design. Porsche has truly refined the Cayenne’s cabin into a space of beauty and functionality. The dashboard has a clean layout, combining analog controls with touch-sensitive surfaces. Some might argue that the balance between buttons and touchscreen isn’t perfect. While the minimalistic design looks great some drivers may find it tricky to adjust settings while driving due to the heavy reliance on touchscreens. "Porsche seems to be going all-in on touchscreens lately and while it looks fancy it's not always the most practical especially when you're driving" says Alex Collantes, a long-time Porsche enthusiast.
Materials: Premium at Every Touch
There’s no doubt about the premium feel of the materials used in the Cayenne's interior. Everywhere you touch is wrapped in either soft leather, high-quality plastics, or metal accents. The seats come upholstered in leather with options to upgrade to more exclusive materials such as Club Leather or Alcantara.
However, with all this luxury comes a potential drawback—maintenance. Leather and premium materials can be prone to wear if not well taken care of and replacing high-end materials can be expensive. "It’s a luxury car through and through" adds Alex, "But with luxury comes upkeep costs. You can’t just leave a leather seat in the sun and expect it to stay perfect."
Seating Comfort
The 2022 Cayenne offers seating for five passengers with ample headroom and legroom for all. The front seats are particularly impressive, offering 18-way power adjustments with heating, cooling, and optional massage functions. For long drives, these features can make a massive difference in comfort. The rear seats are similarly plush but taller passengers may find legroom to be just a little bit tight compared to some other SUVs in its class.
The drawback here? While the seats are very comfortable, some users might find the bolstering to be a bit too aggressive especially if you’re on the heavier side. The side supports on the seats are great for cornering but can feel a bit restrictive for everyday driving.
Technology Features
Porsche packed the Cayenne with technology aimed at enhancing your driving experience. The centerpiece is the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which comes standard with Apple CarPlay (although you have to pay extra for Android Auto—a frustrating move for Android users).
The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system is fast and responsive, but as previously mentioned, it leans heavily on touch inputs which some may find cumbersome. Porsche has included physical controls for things like volume and climate but many of the secondary controls are buried in menus on the screen. This can make it hard to adjust things quickly on the go.
Audio System
The standard 10-speaker sound system is adequate, but if you’re an audiophile, you’ll want to upgrade to the optional Bose or Burmester surround sound systems. These systems deliver crystal-clear audio quality that transforms the interior of the Cayenne into a concert hall on wheels.
However, as with everything Porsche, these upgrades come at a premium price. Some buyers may find the extra cost of the Burmester system, for example, hard to justify when the standard system is already good enough for most daily driving situations.
Storage and Practicality
One of the biggest advantages of an SUV like the Cayenne is its storage capacity. With the rear seats up, the Cayenne offers 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold them down and that expands to 60.3 cubic feet. That’s plenty of room for groceries, luggage, or weekend trips, but it’s actually a bit smaller than some of its competitors like the BMW X5 or the Mercedes-Benz GLE.
Additionally, the storage compartments throughout the cabin are thoughtfully designed, with plenty of spaces to stow away small items like phones, wallets, and keys. But be mindful: with the focus on luxury, practicality can take a back seat in some areas. For example, the cupholders are a bit on the smaller side and the center console isn’t as spacious as you might expect from an SUV of this size.
Rear Cargo Access
The power liftgate comes standard, and if you opt for the comfort access package, you can open it hands-free with a wave of your foot under the bumper. This is a helpful feature when your hands are full but the system can be a bit finicky at times. It’s one of those features that sounds great in theory but can occasionally frustrate users in practice.
Driver Assistance and Safety Features
Porsche doesn’t skimp on safety and driver assistance features for the Cayenne, but many of these advanced systems are part of optional packages. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and night vision assist are all available but not included in the base model. It can be a bit of a letdown when you realize how much extra you need to spend to get what are now standard features on many non-luxury vehicles.
Night Vision Assist
One cool but underutilized feature is the Night Vision Assist system which uses thermal imaging to detect pedestrians and animals at night. This is a neat addition but again comes at a cost that might make some buyers question its necessity unless they often drive in poorly lit areas.
Climate Control and Comfort
Porsche’s four-zone automatic climate control system ensures that everyone in the car can ride in comfort. The system is intuitive to use and works quickly to get the cabin to the desired temperature. Rear passengers also get their own climate controls, a feature often appreciated in luxury SUVs. However, some might find that the air conditioning system, though effective, can be a bit noisy when working at full capacity.
Interior Lighting and Ambience
The ambient lighting system in the Cayenne is customizable and adds a pleasant touch to the interior, allowing you to set the mood with different colors. It’s a small detail but one that can make night driving more enjoyable. Porsche also includes a panoramic sunroof that opens up the cabin and gives it an airy feel.
One drawback here is that while the panoramic sunroof is great for letting in light, it can also make the cabin quite warm, especially in hot climates. If you live in a particularly sunny area, this is something to keep in mind.
Customization Options
When it comes to personalization Porsche offers a seemingly endless array of customization options for the interior. From various leather colors to custom stitching, and even wood or carbon-fiber trims, you can make your Cayenne as unique as you want. But with these options come added costs. Personalizing your Cayenne can quickly escalate the price.
Pros:
- Premium materials and craftsmanship
- Tech-savvy infotainment system
- Comfortable seating with heating and ventilation options
- Advanced driver assistance features (optional)
- Large cargo space for weekend trips
Cons:
- Over-reliance on touchscreens can be distracting
- Bolstering on seats may be too aggressive for some
- Storage space is less than some competitors
- Many advanced features require pricey add-ons
- Noise from air conditioning when at max capacity
Final Thoughts from Alex Collantes
As Alex Collantes says “The Porsche Cayenne’s interior is a driver’s paradise. Everything feels solid and well-built but there are some quirks like the touchscreen controls that can be hit or miss. But overall if you’re willing to spend on the extras you’ll be getting a luxury experience that few other SUVs can match.”
Conclusion
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne interior showcases the very best of Porsche’s craftsmanship and design philosophy. It’s luxurious comfortable and filled with tech. However potential buyers should be aware of some of the drawbacks such as the heavy reliance on touch controls and the expensive optional features that can quickly drive up the price. Overall if you’re looking for an SUV that delivers a premium experience inside and out the Porsche Cayenne is hard to beat.