Volvo XC90 VS Porsche Cayenne
Volvo XC90
Likes
- Excellent space and seating options
- Top-notch safety package
- Power of combined engines
Dislikes
- Hard to replicate fuel economy
- Can occasionally feel lethargic
- Some option packages a bit cheeky
Porsche Cayenne
Likes
- Colossal power and torque
- Comfortable and easy to drive family SUV
- Practical and spacious
Dislikes
- Four-seater only
- Gear shifter position
- Short warranty
Summary
Volvo XC90
With its new XC90 line Volvo has squashed the stereotype that a luxury seven-seater has to be powered by a lusty V8. We put the hybrid T8 to the test.
We live in a world of stereotypes. All black people can dance, all Asians are good at maths, all Americans are loud and brash. Blondes are dumb, girls are not good at sport, police officers live on doughnuts.
By the same token, BMW drivers don’t know how to use an indicator or read a stop sign, Audi drivers are yuppies, Mercedes drivers are arrogant and stuffy, and Toyota drivers are, well, beige.
Oh, and Volvo drivers are tree-hugging, latte-sipping, doily-loving, hat-wearing geography teachers or dentists who drive boring, conservative cars too slowly in the fast lane, and refuse to let people pass.
Like mud, if you fling stereotypes around often enough, they stick and Volvo has had to work hard here to kill the 'just another Volvo driver' leanings.
It has answered in the best way possible with technically advanced, sharp-looking cars that will continue to be on trend for years to come. With the new XC90 line it has also squashed the stereotype that a luxury seven-seater has to be powered by a lusty V8.
We put the hybrid T8 to the test.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | Hybrid with Premium Unleaded |
| Fuel Efficiency | 2.1L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT needs a better name. This is the king of Cayennes and quite possibly the ruler of all super SUVs.
Well, the Cayenne Turbo GT is the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Not just that, it has such colossal power and torque it'll be side-by-side with a Porsche 911 GT3 RS in a sprint from 0-100km/h. No, a better name for this SUV would be the Cayenne GT3.
Which is perfect for me because I'm at the point in my life where although I love full-on and noisy cars I also have a full-on and noisy family.
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We lived with the Cayenne Turbo GT for a week to find out if this super SUV was also a super family car - from practicality to safety.
We're also a family with ridiculously high expectations of luxury SUVs having lived with and tested each of the Cayenne Turbo GT's rivals - from the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga to the Aston Martin DBX and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 4.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 12.5L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Volvo XC907.9/10
This hybrid XC90 is on point with all that Volvo’s flagship offering is renowned for – safety, performance, technology and style -  and allows you to give impetus to your environmental ideals too.
The D5 Inscription remains my favourite in the new XC90 range because of its overall verve but no doubt the Twin Engines will find equal favour especially amongst buyers who spend a lot of time in traffic covering short distances.
Porsche Cayenne8.1/10
Of all the super SUVs I've piloted, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is the best all-rounder in terms of performance, comfort, cabin technology and style.
As a family car it's roomy, practical and easy to use and drive daily.
As a performance car the Turbo GT is stupidly quick, with the agility of a sports car. Sure, a 911 would leave it behind on a twisty race track, but this SUV is close to having that sportscar experience and keeping your family, as well.
Design
Volvo XC90
What’s not to love about a large, chunky SUV with a no-nonsense stance and bold demeanour? One where the sloping lines and angles don’t mess with the feeling of understated efficiency and the sizeable grille and 'Thor's hammer' headlights are complementary rather than a distraction?
That quiet confidence is mirrored in the interior space, too, where the minimalist design brief leaves an uncluttered dash and just a couple of buttons to interrupt a smooth and tasteful canvas.
The cabin really is a beautiful place to be with its large digital driver display and, in our test car, a stylish mix of leather, wood and smart plastics proving to be a winning combination.
Supportive, luxurious sport seats whip up the comfort level and electrical adjustment means it is super easy to settle on a suitable driving position.Â
Not as simple, however, was getting the side mirrors to stay in their set positions, the pesky things assuming a shape shifting personality of sorts every time you switch off the engine. There is evidently some hoodoo combination to get them to behave but as I found with the S90 that particular spell does not feature in my extensive repertoire.Â
Porsche Cayenne
This might be a personal thing but to me nearly all Porsches look better from the back than the front.
It's the wide stance and powerful haunches, the hunkered down suction-capped-to-the-road look that does it for me and the Cayenne Turbo GT, despite being an SUV, passes this important Porsche checklist item.
The GT aero kit only serves to make this SUV look more of a beast, and the gold-bronze looking satin Neodyne wheels are a Porsche theme that I've not always been a fan of, but I get the historic connection.
If only the Turbo GT could look a little less like other Cayennes from the front. This is the king of the SUV range and despite the apron and bumper already being exclusive to this model, there should be more.
Vents in the wheel arches, carbon bonnet with nostrils GT3-style perhaps? Or is that going too far? If you do want something more lairy then there's always the Urus.
The Cayenne Turbo GT's cabin is stunning in its plushness and modern surprises such as the passenger display, the hoodless instrument digital cluster, the lashings of Race-Tex upholstery everywhere. It's perfectly Porsche. High-performance meets high-end.
It's also highly practical. Let's talk about that.
Practicality
Volvo XC90
Seven-seaters are a boon for large and growing families, for people who are often carrying the kids’ friends, or if you just want some extra space. The XC90 has the latter in spades with plenty of room for long legs and big heads although the third row is naturally better suited to children instead of adults.
Comforts back there in the third row include air vents and cup holders as well as decently-shaped seats.
Oh, and much greater odds of being able to gulp down those dodgy marshmallows you found at the bottom of the swimming bag before your mother spots you.
There are similar offerings for passengers in the second row – climate control and storage I mean, not marshmallows – with integrated booster seats and two ISOFIX points also adding shine.
The outer seats in the second row slide forward and tip over to facilitate access to the back while both the second and third rows fold flat, individually if need be, to increase the load compartment.
The boot features a pair of sturdy shopping bag hooks, too, which may not raise an eyebrow in your world but are invaluable if you want to arrive home with the box of eggs intact and not crying over spilt milk.Â
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT only makes one compromise on practicality and that's the removal of the middle seat in the back, which, with just two kids isn't used all the time but on average we might need it once a week for school mates and cousins.
Instead of a middle seat there is a shallow tray, which will fit a phone or in our case leaves and rocks found at the park.
So, yes, the Turbo GT is a four-seater only, but this is a spacious, large SUV with good head and legroom, wide-opening doors for easy entry and exit, and air suspension which can raise and lower the height for easy access.
Storage is excellent with enormous door pockets in the front and back and there are four cupholders.
There's a wireless phone charger in the front and two USB-C ports as well, plus two USB-C sockets in the back.
Four-zone climate control means the kids in the back can set their own temperatures. They also have heated seats.
I was disappointed to see there aren't sunshades for the rear windows - pretty vital in Australia where it feels like we're only about 50 metres away from the sun.
The Turbo GT's 576-litre boot just managed to fit our pram and a week's shopping, which is our minimum standard for living. Any more space is a bonus.
Price and features
Volvo XC90
You have a choice of three XC90s – a diesel, petrol and electric/petrol hybrid – each available in three trim levels.Â
With a price tag over $120,000, our hybrid Inscription will take more than spare change to own but does come with a fairly generous inclusions list.
Standard fare features seven seats, tri-zone climate control, 9.0-inch tablet-style multimedia colour touchscreen with 12.3-inch digital driver display, Bluetooth connectivity, USB ports and 12 volt connections, auto lights and wipers, powered tailgate, reverse camera and sensors and an impressive suite of safety systems.
Our car was also equipped with a $3000 'Technology Pack' (Apple CarPlay, 360-degree camera, head-up display, DAB radio tuner) and the $8000 'Premium Pack' with Bowers & Wilkins audio, air suspension and heated seats for front and middle row passengers.
Am I the only one thinking it's a bit stingy to expect you to hand over more for these features in car that already costs in excess of $100,000?
Porsche Cayenne
The Turbo GT is the king of Cayennes, so it shouldn't surprise anybody that it's also the most expensive with its list price of $364,700.
Lamborghini's Urus lists for $409,744Â Â and is the Cayenne Turbo GT's not-so-subtle Italian cousin, sharing the same platform and engine.
Both are in my mind the best performance SUVs on the planet. It just depends how conspicuous you want to be.
Then there's Bentley's V8 Bentayga which isn't blessed with the Porsche's good looks but would still be all over the Cayenne if the two happened to meet at a race track.
So, why is the GT Turbo the king of the Cayennes? What makes it better? For all the reasons you'd think - it's the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most equipped Cayenne in the range.
We'll get into mind-bending engine and performance specs soon, but first let me take you through the standard features on a car that's anything but standard.
Coming standard and exclusively to the Turbo GT are 22-inch 'GT Design' wheels in satin 'Neodyne' with full-colour Porsche centre caps, an active rear spoiler, Turbo GT front apron, dual titanium exhaust, rear apron with diffuser, 'SportDesign' side skirts, wheel arch extensions, a lightweight carbon roof and tinted LED HD-matrix headlights.
Inside, and also exclusive to this grade, is the 'GT Interior Package' with 'Race-Tex' upholstery throughout with 'Deep Sea Blue' stitching on the front seats and centre console and the armrests and dashboard.
There's also the 'Carbon Interior Package' which includes dashboard and door trim elements.
Race-Tex trim is applied to the 'GT Sports' steering wheel, roof lining and gearshift, too.
The adaptive active air suspension, which can lower the car by 15mm, is standard and only available on the Turbo GT, too.
The soft-close doors are standard (a cost option on lower grades), as are the stainless steel pedal covers.
The rest of the features are also found on lower grades and include the 12.65-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display, proximity unlocking, 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, a 10-speaker Bose sound system, heated front seats, rear privacy glass and an auto tailgate.
Four-zone climate control is standard on the GT Turbo, too, and so are heated rear seats.
Our car had several options fitted such as the front passenger display ($2860) and the Deep Sea Blue Accent Package.
The passenger display is a crowd pleaser, but as a family car my kids felt like they were missing screens in the back seats, too. Well, in my day...
Under the bonnet
Volvo XC90
Naturally, there is much to be said about a V8 engine, as available in previous XC90s; superlatives in the main, but the combination 'twin-charged' four in our T8 is hardly struggling for words of praise either, especially from buyers who are not only environmentally aware but have the means to add action to ideology.
This plug-in hybrid is powered by a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 235kW/400Nm to the front wheels, blended with a twin-battery 65kW/240Nm electric motor on the rear axle, that improves the economy and range of Volvo’s signature offering.
They can be used alone or in combination, with the torque figures and actual performance varying accordingly. Volvo suggests that on electric power only, you would be good for 30km, perfect for average city commutes, although we couldn’t muster more than 24km during our test week.
A charging connector that suits most household power sockets is a handy advantage, meaning you can recharge in your garage, or at work – anywhere really, that you can sidle up to an electric socket. Charge time is usually around four hours.Â
The 2.0-litre petrol engine with its turbocharger, and supercharger, and of course superpowers (made that last one up), is a handy unit given the XC90’s bulk, and has a willing accomplice in form of a silky smooth eight-speed transmission.
Porsche Cayenne
As a middle-aged parent with two children, a Porsche that I don't have to crawl into and out of like a cubby house is a great thing.
What's even better is that this ‘easy access' Porsche is every bit as brutally powerful and fast as the quintessentially ‘pure' Porsche, the 911. Actually, it's more powerful and faster.
The Turbo GT's twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine makes 485kW and 850Nm with drive going through an eight-speed transmission to all four wheels.
In comparison, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, arguably the most brutal and anti-social 911, has 386kW/485Nm.
I haven't made a mistake. Those are the real numbers. And it's only when you step on the accelerator in the Cayenne Turbo GT, and it feels like somebody's sat down on your chest, that you realise what a big deal this is.
That is such a colossal amount of oomph that this 2.2-tonne family SUV can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.3 seconds.
The 911 GT3 RS can do it in 3.2 and it has a roll cage and a fixed rear wing the size of a bedroom door.
And yes, we're now coming into a digital age where Teslas and other electric SUVs are quick, too, but can they go around corners like a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT?
Do they have the same rumble and roar as a twin-turbo V8 that's terrifying and enticing at the same time.
The correct answer is, absolutely not.
Efficiency
Volvo XC90
Well, technically, in automatic hybrid mode you should be, if official figures are to be relied upon, returning figures of 2.1L/100km.Â
Real life rarely works like that though, with our readings closer to 7.6L/100km. Still credible for a 2.3 tonne SUV, although interestingly, we managed 6.0L/100km in the 2.0-litre diesel.
Porsche Cayenne
Seriously? This is a 2.0-tonne twin-turbo petrol V8 with a 90-litre fuel tank. Even the Porsche specs sheet doesn't understand the question because in the column for fuel efficiency there are three letters - tbc.
My own testing saw me record 22.5 L/100km at the fuel pump, which means I enjoyed driving the car very much.
A little digging around reveals Porsche globally claims the Turbo GT will use 12.6L/100km, over a combination of open and urban roads.
You might not have as much fun as I did but easing back a little might get you closer to the 700km of range this more frugal consumption figure appears to offer.
While efficient it isn't, I'm not going to mark the Turbo GT too much here because compared to its petrol rivals the fuel consumption is what I'd expect from such a high-output heavy SUV.
Driving
Volvo XC90
Thanks to semi-autonomous technology, this XC90 can pretty much drive itself, although taking your hands off the steering wheel for more than 20 seconds will very quickly remind you of the law.
So, provided you touch the steering at those regular intervals and the road is clearly marked, this car can stay within its lane in city confines, follow confidently behind the car in front, braking, accelerating and stopping when necessary.
It is less confident on narrower poorly marked or inconsistently edged roads, but that doesn’t detract from the wow factor, and in all honesty has more to do with our infrastructure problems than Volvo’s technical wizardry.
The thing is that even though this car can carry out most of the mundane functions of driving, it has such a sense of ease about it that you will want to drive yourself.
In slow, stop-start city commuting the electric engine comes into its own, allowing you to shuffle along without troubling its petrol wing man. You have to remember to recharge when you get to the office or back from the school run, however, or it sort of defeats the purpose.
The petrol unit, with a more than competent eight-speed transmission to facilitate performance, sticks fastidiously to the task, although it can sometimes feel a tad lethargic.
It is hard to find fault with the petrol and electric engines working in unison, a combined peak torque of 640Nm giving you all the oomph you need.
The twin engine XC90 is nicely balanced, easy to manoeuvre and an excellent cruiser. You can occasionally feel its weight around tight corners but that is to be expected.
The brakes took a bit of getting used to as the car initially uses regenerative braking to capture energy, but then stops quickly as speed drops. It's a bit of a surprise, but easy enough to accommodate.
Porsche Cayenne
Never have I met a car this powerful and superbly athletic that is as pleasurable to drive alone on great, fast roads as it is to pilot at 50km/h in the suburbs with a family on board.
It exceeds my understanding of engineering that something this large can move so quickly. That in an instant can turn and tip into a corner with such precision and effortlessness.
Yet it can switch seamlessly and happily to coping with speed bumps and potholes, delivering a ride so comfortable it'll send babies off to sleep. And it did.
The only issue, and this is such a tiny thing, is the dash-mounted gearshift, which means having to reach up and select Drive or Reverse or Park, which, when executing a three-point turn, is necessarily frustrating.
Still, I'm giving the Turbo GT a 10 out of 10 for driving under all conditions, and we didn't even go off-road, which of course you can do, as long as it's not too wild.
Safety
Volvo XC90
It is no secret that safety features are one of the foundations of the Volvo ethos. It was after all Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin who invented the three-point seat belt in 1959 which turned out to be the most important safety device ever created.
Instead of cashing in on the patent, and in keeping with their guiding principle of safety, Volvo shared it with other car manufacturers which has of course resulted in untold lives being saved.
This XC90 boasts other marvellous safety inventions, including blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, AEB, pedestrian detection and a rear collision system. An extra $2600 will give you the 'Intellisafe' system which includes adaptive cruise control, semi-autonomous 'Pilot Assist' and lane keeping assist.
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT hasn't been locally crash tested and so doesn't have an ANCAP rating.
That's quite normal for super high-end cars. But, when this third-generation model first arrived in 2017 it was tested by ANCAP's European equivalent, Euro NCAP, and was awarded the maximum five stars.
There's AEB which operates at city, urban and highway speeds, and lane keeping assistance, and lane change assistance which is a form of blind-spot warning, and adaptive cruise control. You can option rear cross-traffic alert, as well.
A space saver spare wheel is under the boot floor.
Ownership
Volvo XC90
Warranty is three year/unlimited kilometres with free roadside assist for that period.
A 'SmartCare' service program gives you fixed-price servicing for up to five years/75,000km for $4075.
Porsche Cayenne
The Cayenne Turbo GT is covered by Porsche's three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is lagging behind in terms of duration even compared to other luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, which offers five years.
Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000km, although there isn't a capped price maintenance plan with final costs determined at the dealer level (in line with variable labour rates by state or territory).