Porsche paid for our flight and hotel for the Cayenne E-Hybrid first drive.

"What's the point of Sport mode on this car?"

It's an unusual question to lead with, but Chris Trautmann, Manager Complete Vehicle Product Line SUV, was quick to answer. In essence, he told me, "this is a Porsche and we want to offer drivers a full range of options."

A solid and not-unexpected answer, but my driving partner and I were unconvinced. We had spent the day crisscrossing the Willamette Valley in Oregon, clocking nearly 340 miles (547km) in a new, second-generation Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid. To understand why the question came up in the first place, you have to consider Porsche's approach to electrification and how it differs from its siblings within the Volkswagen Group.

For the mass-market VW, this means an all-new architecture. Vehicles produced on this MEB platform, like the I.D. and I.D. Buzz, aren't just existing VW models with some of the internal combustion stuff stripped out. There have been a couple of plug-in hybrid EV VWs, but those haven't made it across the Atlantic. Audi has eschewed hybrids all together, going the full battery electric vehicle route with this year's debut of the e-tron.

Unlike its siblings, Porsche—makers of the first hybrid vehicle back at the dawn of the motor age—has embraced plug-in hybrids. It has offered three PHEVs—the 918 Hybrid, Panamera, and Cayenne for the past several years (yes, there's the BEV Taycan coming next year). And while you could drive a Porsche like a Prius to maximize your fuel economy, what fun would that be? The true goal of Porsche's hybridization efforts is melding electrons with hydrocarbons for maximum performance (and fun).

What’s new for 2019

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

We last checked in with the world of Porsche SUVs a couple of years ago with the Cayenne S E-Hybrid . For 2019, the car looks roughly the same, but there have been big changes, as this is now the third generation of the Porsche SUV. In addition to losing the "S" designation, gone is the 3.0L supercharged, direct-injection V6. In its stead is a direct-injection turbocharged V6, capable of 335hp (250kW) and 332lb-ft (450Nm) of torque at 5,300rpm. The internal combustion engine is paired with a 134hp (100kW) electric motor, and they combine for 455hp (340kW) and 516lb-ft (700Nm) of torque. It's a decent upgrade from the previous generation's 428hp (318kW).

The hybrid system can either be used to maximize fuel economy or maximize performance; how you want to mix and match electric and internal combustion is up to you and your driving preferences.

Improvements in battery technology and motors since the last generation make these performance gains possible. The previous Cayenne hybrid had a set of lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 10.8kW. That has been increased by about 30% with the 2019 model, which has eight battery modules containing 13 prismatic Li-ion cells with a total capacity of 14.1kW. The motor they're connected to is based on the one found in the 918 Spyder and uses a more efficient external rotor architecture, resulting in more available torque.

Porsche has also brought its dynamic chassis control to the Cayenne E-Hybrid for the first time as an option. PDCC cuts down on lateral body movement in the corners. With rear-axle steering, at 50mph (80km/h), both axles steer in the same direction to improve stability at higher speeds. Below that point, the axles steer in opposite directions for more nimble maneuvering—the turning radius drops by nearly two feet (60cm) with dynamic chassis control engaged.

There's a grab-bag of other features and tweaks new for the 2019 model (which will start appearing in showrooms this fall). There are a couple of new wheel designs, upgraded seats with optional massage function, remote park assist, a drive mode switch built into the steering wheel, an updated eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission, and more.

What hasn't changed is the familiar, stylish Cayenne silhouette with the acid-green trim accents Porsche uses as a visual identifier for its hybrid lineup. And it's still a blast to drive.

The modes that matter

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America

Although the Cayenne E-Hybrid offers six different driving modes, there are only two that matter: E-Power and Sport Plus.

E-Power is the default for the Cayenne when it starts up. In E-Power mode, the electric motor powers the car until the battery runs dry or the driver asks for too much from the motor. EPA mileage and range estimates are not yet available for the Cayenne, but when the test car was fully charged, it showed 22 miles of range (a couple of glances at the info display showed we got somewhere in the neighborhood of 21mpg overall; the 2018 model is rated at 22mpg). Given the 30% boost in battery capacity, that's a respectable increase from the 14 miles of range in the 2018 model and about what we'd expect based on the Panamera Carrera 4 E-Hybrid. The Cayenne is strangely silent under electrical power, but once you hit a meaty pressure point in the gas pedal, the internal combustion engine roars to life, and it sounds like you're driving a Porsche once again.

There are a couple of other hybrid modes. Hybrid Auto intelligently calculates the ideal mix of electric and gas power given current driving conditions. If you use the Cayenne's built-in GPS, the car will take the destination and distance into account. (If you mistrust built-in satnav systems, CarPlay is standard on the Cayenne; Android Auto remains unsupported.) E-Hold mode saves the battery for later, keeping the Cayenne running on gas in the interim. E-Charge mode uses the engine to fully and actively charge the battery. Flipping between hybrid modes requires a trip to the 12.3-inch display, but moving between E-Power, Hybrid Auto, Sport, and Sport Plus can be accomplished via a rotary switch on the steering wheel.

Fun mode

The real fun happens in Sport Plus mode. Sport mode charges the battery only enough for a quick boost of energy. Sport Plus mode constantly charges the battery so the added oomph from the electric motor is always available. Driving at highway speeds in Sport Plus mode, you'll see the charging indicator lit up more often than you expect, as some of the energy released from the engine goes to the battery instead of the road. Under acceleration, the engine and motor combine seamlessly in a way that's immensely satisfying.

With a zero to 60 time of 4.7 seconds, it's no surprise the Cayenne E-Hybrid is fast off the blocks and in the straightaways. Our driving route was mostly winding two-lane highways, running either up into the foothills of the Cascade Range or down to the Pacific coast. We had plenty of opportunities to open the car up, making great use of passing lanes to overtake logging trucks and other slow traffic (while hopefully not reinforcing stereotypes about Porsche drivers). Acceleration, especially in Sport Plus mode, is always there when you want it, and the exhaust tuning on the Cayenne is exquisite to the point where we rolled down our windows while going through a tunnel to better appreciate it.

Not only is it fast, but the Cayenne E-Hybrid is also nimble. Our test cars were equipped with the dynamic chassis control and rear axle steering, which made the winding mountain roads out of the Willamette Valley downright fun. In Sport Plus mode, the Cayenne can be cornered aggressively with very little sense of roll. If there's a downside to Sport Plus, it's feeling just a bit too much of the road. It was by no means a rough ride, but the difference between Sport Plus and the other modes in terms of ride comfort were noticeable.

The biggest sticking point with the Cayenne E-Hybrid may be the price. This is a car that starts right at $80,000 and goes up from there, although it is eligible for a $6,712 IRS tax credit (based on the size of the battery). The SUV I drove the most had rear axle steering, dynamic chassis control, and adaptive air suspension—which made it a great drive. It was priced at $93,000, and 12.3-inch infotainment display aside, the interior felt... well, spartan is probably too strong, but if I were in a similarly priced Alfa or Maserati, I'd be driving just as fast while seated in 12-way adjustable seats under a panoramic moonroof. Another one of the test cars had the $6,600 premium package for a nicer interior—and a sticker price of $96,020.

European automakers have truly mastered the art of making high-performance SUVs that are both comfortable and an absolute blast to drive, and the 2019 Cayenne E-Hybrid aptly shows Porsche's mastery. If you're a Porsche fan and have arrived at the point in life where an SUV is the sensible choice, the engineering and sheer drivability of the Cayenne E-Hybrid make it a no-brainer compared to the non hybrids in the range.