Cayenne S E-Hybrid real world experiences

[NeilBplymouth]

Currently run a 4.8S, but its time for a change, looking at the updated 3.6S which seems an improvement in everything but the sound it makes! But the idea of an S-E hybrid has come up, so looking for real world experiences of them.

I'm a private buyer so no tax advantage apart from the VED; but the hybrid would seem to suit our usage pattern, it'd be kept off road so could charge every night and have enough juice (I think ) for my wife's commute to and from work which totals less them 20 miles, so much more economic than the 4.8 or 3.6 there. I am just concerned by reviews I've read that the extra weight compromises the handing quite a bit as most of the rest of our usage is given and take A roads where the performance and handling of the 4.8 (and equally the new 3.6) is a great boon, the main question: is this handling deficit (difference?) really noticeable or is it a journalist on a track phenomena?
The other major uses are boat towing ( I presume you can still have a tow bar on the hybrid) and a couple of trips per year to the alps, so long auto route haul. What's the real world fuel consumption like on a long run and whats the fuel tank size do you get the 100 lit of the regular one so a good range between re-fills? Finally is the integration/swap between modes smooth?

Any real world use experience much appreciated.

 

[gdavison]

I just upgraded (picked up from OPC on 23rd Dec 2019) from a 5 year old Cayenne S E-hybrid (92A) to a new Cayenne E-Hybrid (9Y0) - note they dropped the S for some reason on the new version. Mine is the standard body shape as I am not keen on the coupe shape myself. There will not be many with real world experience of the 9Y0 hybrid in the UK as the order book was frozen on it from launch up to late September last year. I was called by my OPC in Sept with the offer of a manufacturing slot in late Nov with Delivery in Dec, but I pretty much "had to take delivery in Dec"

Both cars are very usable, however as expected the 9Y0 is miles better in a number of areas, ie build quality, dashboard (all the new Gen3 tech is simply amazing), the hybrid system, ICE etc

Both have the electrically hidden tow bars as extra option - as with all Cayennes towing potential is what kept the Tiptronic box in the car versus the PDK which is in the Panamera. All I ever towed in the old 92A was a "garden rubbish trailer" to the tip, so cant comment re a large trailer. Despite being fitted with the tip box, both have pretty smooth transitions between gear changes and also the electric and ICE modes. In the 130 miles I have done in the new car since collection, I would say the 3L turbo engine in the 9Y0 feels better than the 3L supercharged engine from the 92A

Driving wise, I'd say that is such a personal thing, go get a test drive and make your own mind up, it's a heavy car, but there again so are all Cayennes, the way I drive I don't notice and negative in the weight, its distribution etc

Range is very dependent on how you drive, if you have a heavy foot and like hard acceleration and late hard braking you will not see 20 miles electric. If you drive like we all "should" ie anticipate braking areas and come off power early, letting the car slow itself and use smooth acceleration, the regen and free wheel modes will make a noticeable difference. My old 92A has a 11 ish mile range after over night charge and I could do close to 20 ICE free miles on Hampshire A roads. Before I retired and when I commuted to Chiswick I would use E from home to M4, manually change to ICE on M4 which kept 4 to 5 miles of electric for traffic and the list bit of M4 / A4 .. MPG on that trip would be high 30's, charge at work during day and do the same back home, ie electric for the slow bits, ICE for M bits . New 9Y0 car has a Hybrid/Electrical mode which use the map info, traffic info, GPS route being tracked and your driving style to more cleverly interweave the modes. So far in 130 miles of ownership I used it once to pop to LHR and it did what I used to, Electric on slow bits and ICE on M bits.

I have easily done over 20 miles pure electric on a couple A road journeys in the last 2 weeks

9Y0 has a 75 litre fuel tank, the 92A had a 100 litre tank, which will be interesting to see how that plays out. I would do around 550 miles per tank in the 92A between petrol station visits for the normal Shell V Power, not been to a petrol station with new one

If you are concerned re sound of the 3.6V, I would point out the 3.0 V6 in the Hybrid is close to silent inside, but I did not buy mine for audio fun (that comes from the 981 GTS which also has sport exhaust fitted [])

HTH

 

[NeilBplymouth]

HTH,

thanks very useful, info trying to gather as much as possible as the one I'm interested in is 200+ miles away so I want to be sure its worth the effort to go and try it out, your experience makes it sound like it would be.

Neil

 

[GJH_987]

Hi Neil
did you go for the E-Hybrid? If so what’s your thoughts on it now. I’ve been looking but at the 2016 year.
curious on any further real world experiences.

 

[NeilBplymouth]

hi,

Not changed yet, in fact not even found a suitable spec hybrid to try out within a reasonable radius. Tried a 3.6S cayenne and whilst presumably a lot more efficient and certainly quick, not a charismatic engine like the old 4.8 V8.
Also considering a 3.0S petrol Macan.

But like much else on hold indefinitely now.

Neil

 

[GJH_987]

Cheers Neil,
Yep the Hybrids are all based in / around London no doubt because of the ULEZ but like you thats 200 miles away. And like you everything is on hold now...with the state of the economy after this, and if I can survive in tact with a job, there may be some bargains to be had. At least fuel is cheaper for now!!

 

[SteveW992]

I swapped my RR ATB PHEV for the Cayenne e-hybrid. After having a number of RR's over the years I kept getting drawn back to the RR PHEV despite me trying to tell myself the 2.0 4 cyl combo just couldn't cut it!....In fact after placing an order for the new Cayenne I just couldn't wait any longer with the order backlog/build hold and gave in an acquired a lovely 2019 ex-demo Panamera e-hybrid in BUT like a complete IDIOT I still craved for a RR and eventually swapped for a RR ATB PHEV...awesome car to sit in and look at BUT that 2.0 engine just did my head in...they should have a least gone with a 3.0 6 cyl ....so eventually I found a Cayenne with similar fully-loaded spec to the order I'd placed previously...and now VERY HAPPY INDEED....in fact wifey's got a Macan now too....both cracking cars and build quality. I drove over 100 miles to Porsche Colchester to find my ex-demo with 500 miles on it....