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Cadillac SRX versus Porsche
Cayenne S - V8s' Road Test
A few years ago a comparison
between a Porsche and a Cadillac would be seen as a ludicrous. The ponderous
Cadillacs, even with the powerful Northstar V8 engines, were best reserved for
long distance touring. The Porsche were legendary race derived thrill machines.
The two marques had absolutely nothing in common.
That was then, this is now. Independently both manufactures decided what the
consumer needed was an expensive luxury SUV. Amazingly, both companies have
produced nearly identical performing SUV models at nearly the same price point.
What is most surprising is that the Cadillac can hold its own against the
Porsche in performance. Yep, performance. In terms of base price, the V8
Cadillac starts around $47,000 (US) and the Porsche pushes $56,000 US (AUD$136,900).
But when you load the SRX Cadillac with a few luxury items such as a DVD
navigation system, Bose audio, HID headlights, all wheel drive, and other items
the price is nearly identical with the well-equipped Cayenne S.
In terms of appearance, the Cadillac is angular, long, and hides her bulk well.
The Porsche has more of a bullyboy look, with bulbous styling and a swaggering
stance. Neither one would win a beauty contest, but in the world of SUVs
sometimes it is perception that counts so svelte is out and ponderous is in.
If you are still finding it difficult to believe that a Cadillac and a Porsche
are nearly equal in performance take a look at the little quiz below. See if you
can match the statistic with the vehicle.
Horsepower: 320 or 335
Torque: 315 or 310
Gas mileage: 14 or 12 mpg
Gas tank: 20 or 26 gallons
Fuel type: regular or premium
Weight: 4400 or 4900 pounds
Length: 194 or 188 inches
Width: 72 or 76 inches
0-to-60: 6.8 or 7.5
Surprisingly, the faster, lighter SUV in the first column are from the Cadillac.
Nearly every other statistic
between these two SUVs is nearly identical and that includes exactly the same
size tires and nearly 40 foot-turning radius. Only the fact that the Cadillac
offers a small, nearly uninhabitable, third row bench seat and the Porsche
offers a more sophisticated off-road traction package are truly notable
differences. Strange as it may seem, these two very different car manufactures
have produced nearly identical SUVs statistically speaking. In the real world
the Porsche is sharper handling and the Cadillac more user family friendly.
Mom's view:
Neither, thank you very much. Both have poor visibility to the side and rear,
although the Porsche offers a sonar system that has a great dashboard light
alert system letting you know how close you are to things in back, in front, and
on the side. This is a most wonderful feature. Both vehicles gulp fuel at
furious rates. We averaged about 14 mpg in the Cadillac and 12 mpg in the
Porsche. Fortunately, the Cadillac enjoys regular while the Porsche needs
premium. There is a faster, twin turbo Porsche Cayenne available, but we elected
not to test this model. Moving nearly 5000 pounds of tall SUV down the road with
450 refined horsepower at your disposal wasn't something The Car Family could
justify with its high fuel consumption and insurance premiums.
The Porsche was better handling, had easier to read gauges, was quieter and
quicker (not faster), but was more difficult for me to live with. First off, the
remote key never worked properly. In nearly 15 years of doing vehicle reviews we
never had a car when the alarm went off so frequently. The interior locking
system acted so defiant causing us to spend a considerable time reading the
owner's manual. Yes, even my husband read it so great was his consternation. If
nothing else you have to be nearly next to the Cayenne for it to work and
secondly, unless you use the main menu option that allows you to open all the
doors at once, you most likely are going to find it faster to just open the door
with the key, reach in and press the manual door opener for the rest of the
family to gain entry.
As an aside, good luck
understanding the inflatable spare tire removal operation. The Porsche was the
only car manual we have seen that informed the reader how to remove the key from
the ignition when the battery went dead. Makes you wonder if the Porsche has had
electrical problems or if the German engineers are just being thorough.
In case you are wondering, the key to removing the key, literally and
figuratively involves using the screwdriver from the spare tire tool kit and
some good eyesight.
To fill the Porsche's 26-gallon tank required nearly US$70 and we had to fill it
before we had gone 300 miles. The Cadillac was more fuel friendly, although it
is largely the lesser of two gas-guzzlers, returning about 14 mpg. At least you
could put regular in the SRX's tank.
Neither car was a joy to park as they have large turning circles, but at least
they were exceptionally easy to get in and out of thanks to the fact they were
not too high off the ground. The Porsche sat a little higher, but the doors were
easier to close. Both cars had liftgates that were easy to reach even if you are
under 5'4".
In terms of livability I liked the interior treatment of the Porsche better.
However, the rubber floor mats on the Cayenne and the cheap looking and feeling
covers for some of the HVAC controls violated my understated tastes. For the
price, neither car has a very luxurious interior. The Porsche has more switches
and gauges with a control for the locking differential and height adjustments on
the center console and Porsche's usual too small to read radio controls in the
dash with steering wheel satellite buttons.
The Cadillac had a lot more
carrying room if you folded the third seat into the floor. It has an electric
motor that helps with this task. Headroom is nearly the same front and rear of
these two, but the Cadillac has more rear legroom. The Porsche has the far
better rear seating position.
In terms of safety, the Cayenne's crash test findings have not been completed
while the Cadillac does well in all areas. It is not as top heavy as its sister
ship, the Escalade, and is much nicer handling. The Porsche has front, side and
side curtain airbags, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, electronic stability
control, and the outboard positions have belt pre-tensioners. Cadillac matches
those attributes.
Of the two, I liked the Cadillac very much despite an interior that was very
plain, difficult to read gauges, and seats that never proved to give me comfort.
It was not as eager to please you while driving as the Porsche with it quick
reflexes and eager transmission kick-downs, but the SRX was friendlier. The
touch screen monitor was easy to master, except for the GPS, and the OnStar
always makes me feel more secure. Although I quite preferred the sound the
Porsche made when urged to merge to the guttural bellow of the Northstar.
In addition, I appreciated the rear cargo area and the optional entertainment
DVD package the SRX provides. I also felt it was easier to get in and out of and
looked sharper. As for the Porsche, it had much better seats, handled better,
and tied with the Cadillac for having the most easy to dent side panels in the
grocery store parking lot. If you have a fussy husband it is going to be
difficult to hide any dings from the large, flat sides these two-ton vehicles
flaunt.
Dad's view:
Except for the electrical door problems with the Porsche and the gas mileage,
the Cayenne was a joy to drive. I liked the shift paddles on the steering wheel,
the way the engine effortlessly allowed you to take command of any situation,
and the brakes. The Cadillac was too cushy for me.
The Internet is filled with
negative comments about the Porsche's fuel economy and difficulties with the
remote locking key. There were also concerns expressed about excessive tire
wear, lack of a good air-conditioning flow to those in back, complaints about
the Volkswagen Touareg offering nearly the same package for less money, and the
lack of storage space. We agree with all of these insights, but we also agreed
on the many positives that emerged during our evaluation and that included the
handy adjustable ride height, smooth suspension, granite like build, and
energetic engine.
A while back Porsche was supposed to be considering building a four-door sedan,
but the idea was shouted down. When the SUV emerged from Porsche's factory there
seemed to be less resistance to the idea of a non-sports car from this legendary
builder. If the sedan Porsche was thinking about had anything like the handling
and power of the Cayenne it would have been a great car. As it is, the Cayenne
is certainly one of the best performing SUVs available and with a new, much less
expensive, six-cylinder version available, it should have a long life.
Braking is well controlled and easy to modulate with the Porsche and the six
speed automatic transmission works well. I would say it corners on a par with
the Infiniti FX series, but has more room. Driving it is easy, what is difficult
is holding it to the speed limit. Porsche knows this and has included a consumer
awareness sticker that is unprecedented even in these political correct times.
It simply informs you that with the mud and snow tires the Cayenne should not be
driven above 150 mph. That much metal moving that rapidly is surely visible from
space let alone a patrolman's radar gun so be warned.
Keeping with Porsche tradition, the ignition switch is on the left side of the
steering wheel. The radio also has the same traditional look with an endless
array of small station buttons that not only require you to remember which is
which, but have fingers small enough to push just one. Every time I see this
Porsche radio I remember the story about the Andre the Giant whose fingers were
so large they did not fit into the holes on a rotary phone making it impossible
for him to it. I have the same feeling when trying to use the Cayenne's unit.
Speaking of size, the Cadillac has 70 cubic feet of room with the middle row
folded sort of flat which is better than the Porsche by a considerable amount
despite the Cadillac's narrower body. Both cars fit easily into a garage and
they can be parked without drama in any parking place not labeled compact.
Young working woman's view:
These vehicles put the word sports in SUV and thus they most likely are going to
require a period of adjustment to get used to driving. For example, the Cadillac
does not have a lumbar adjustment or a power adjustable steering wheel and so I
had a time finding a comfortable driving position. The optional DVD screen is
controlled by the backseat crowd and they have wireless headphones meaning you
have no idea what they are playing or listening too unless you carefully edit
their choices. The Cadillac also has more intrusive ABS and less brake feel and
took longer to stop. When cornering, the Porsche turns in right now, while the
Cadillac is not so abrupt. It is easy to see that these cars truly reflect the
fundamental goals of the company's that build them with the German Cayenne
easily the sportier and the SLX more of a comfort giver.
You need to take a close look
at Cadillac's option list. You can order it with two wheel drive only, which I
would recommend if you don't need the traction of the all wheel drive system.
You also save nearly $2000 plus getting better fuel mileage. If you desire the
navigation system you need to see if Cadillac has changed their minds about only
offering it with an extensive list of other options such as xenon headlights,
all wheel drive, and magnetic ride control. These add up to over US$7000 so
check it out first. I didn't find the Cadillac DVD based navigation system that
easy to master.
Despite having several suspension settings, the Porsche rides crisp all the
time. It is a reassuring, solid type of feeling you get, but over rough roads it
can become tiring. The SRX has coil springs and magnetic, automatically
adjustably dampers that offer a more sedate ride quality.
The SRX's Ultraview roof is enormous giving those in the front and middle seats
equal access to the elements. It reminds me of those on the Subaru Outback only
this unit is much easier to use. Those in the back can also be entertained with
the flip-up DVD screen that does not come down from the roof as in some models.
The screen is mounted on the back of the center console and that makes much more
sense in that it is not as sensitive to sunlight or headlights. Both cars offer
cupholders that could be enlarged and there is a need for more storage room in
the Porsche, although it offers a secret storage bin under the front seat.
Overall, this is an interesting choice, but I would have to go with the Porsche
simply because it rides stouter and I don't need the extra room the Cadillac
offers. Also, I don't have to drive that far to work. In reality, I would pass
on both these models and go for the Porsche Boxter or Cadillac CTS with the 400
horsepower V8 and have fun and save money.
Young employed male's view:
My relentless pursuit of a job has resulted in employment as a sandwich maker.
Let's see. Two years of college, Golden State honors in English, science,
history, economics, and chemistry, and I qualify for a dollar over minimum wage.
With that in mind, you want my opinion on two cars that cost more to operate in
one hour than I take home in three. Sour grapes aside, the Cadillac is my first
selection simply because it has more room to carry my music, school books, and
recyclables.
Both vehicles have totally superior sound systems. I especially liked the
350-watt, 15-speaker Bose audio system in the Porsche. It was also easier for me
to get comfortable in the Porsche in the backseat or front. Although the Porsche
has an available four-zone climate option, the Cadillac did a much better job of
circulating air to the rear inhabitants. The steering wheels on both cars have
redundant controls. In terms of rear seat comfort, the Porsche was superior. The
back seats are raised making it easy to look ahead and thus reduce travel
sickness. The leather seats in the Cadillac did not provide enough thigh
support. Neither car had an interior you would expect in a vehicles that sell
for over twice the average transaction price.
Warranty wise, they had the same four year/ 50,000 mile promises, although there
are clearly more Cadillac dealers when you need assistance. According to J.D.
Powers, Porsche did not do nearly as well as Cadillac on initial quality
reports. Cadillac finished second to Lexus while Porsche ranked near the bottom.
I think I know why. The Porsche gave us problems with the remote alarm and from
what the owners that we talked to said, there was concerns about its fuel
economy and tire wear. No body faulted the engine or it off-road ability. The
Cayenne is one of the most capable and versatile luxury SUVs when it comes to
tackling rugged terrain.
The Cadillac and Porsche transmissions, the former with a five speed automatic
and the latter with a six-speed unit, are very good. Porsche's transmission has
a reduction gear for ascent and decent assistance and also has a locking
differential. Add that to the adjustable ride height and nearly nine inches of
ground clearance and you have a very capable rock crawler. You are going to have
to be far braver then this sandwich maker to take any car this expensive
off-roading.
Family conference:
Well, what can we say. The SRX rides like a freeway friendly Cadillac and the
Cayenne rides like a sporty Porsche. Just what you would expect. What is not
expected from these different parents is how closely their offspring perform in
real life driving situations.
Both vehicles have shortcomings not the least of which is the gas mileage. We
recommend a long test drive in conditions similar to those you normally find
yourself. Just a trip down the highway is not going to show you nearly what
these two are capable of performing. And, if you tow, note that the Cayenne is
rated at 7,700 pounds and the Cadillac 1000. If you want a real bargain try the
new six-cylinder Porsche Cayenne. It is priced less than a Boxter and still has
all the goodies offered on the Cayenne S. The engine produces 247 horsepower and
228 pound-feet of torque and this base Cayenne is very well loaded. Cadillac
also offers a six-cylinder SRX that is less expensive and again, performs as
well as the new Cayenne six.
Written by The
Car Family
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