MotorMouths

Outside and in, the 2011 Cayenne is so much better than the outgoing model that Porsche could have stopped with a new exterior and a duly revised interior. But they didn’t. It’s the best excuse yet for buying a hybrid.

The S Hybrid, will unquestionably be the pride of Porsche’s Cayenne fleet, able to achieve impressive fuel economy better than many four-cylinder sedans.

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid S starts at approximately $68,000. This is a few thousand more than the V-8 Cayenne S, but that’s a small price to pay for peacefully living if greenies dominate your neighborhood.

As Porsche’s first foray into production hybrid technology, this Cayenne displays a refinement and effectiveness the more experienced hybrid carmakers can’t match. Economically it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense, but welcome to the world of luxury hybrids.

Thanks to this engineering three-way among Porsche, VW and Audi, the Cayenne Hybrid crushes the idea that hybrids can never be fun. Consider the Cayenne an advance guard with a message from the future: hybrids aren’t for nerds alone.

The Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid delivers a combined output of 380 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy should reside somewhere in the neighborhood of 22/25, impressive for a 4950-pound rig that can scoot from 0 to 60 in an estimated 6.1 seconds.

Porsche’s goal was to make the performance level of their new gasoline/electric hybrid as close as possible to the 2011 Cayenne S. After putting the Cayenne S Hybrid through its paces, there’s no doubt Porsche has met its target.

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S hybrid luxury SUV uses the latest technology to propel the brand’s historic looks, character and performance into the future. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

The Cayenne S Hybrid is a functional yet sporty utility hybrid. Plus it has something else people love even more… a Porsche badge.

Considering the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid’s excellent acceleration and high-speed stability, this is an impressive hybrid. But it’s still a hybrid.

Porsches have always looked good in ticket-me-red. But with the launch of the German maker’s first gas-electric model, the 2011 Cayenne Hybrid, Porsche could look better in green.

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid offers the performance you would expect from a Porsche, and better fuel economy. But the cabin tech isn’t up to the level of a car in this price range.