2027 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric Sets SUV Performance Records in Car and Driver Testing

Weight is typically the enemy of performance cars, as adding pounds can hamper acceleration, braking, and handling. Modern EVs, however, have begun bucking that trend with heaps of immediately available torque that override the battery's weight penalty. In its latest evaluation, Car and Driver found that the 5960-pound curb weight of the 2027 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric is an afterthought, as the vehicle set new records for acceleration, braking, and roadholding among SUVs.

Record-Breaking Powertrain and Acceleration

The Cayenne Turbo Electric is propelled by a pair of electric motors—one on each axle—that provide all-wheel-drive traction along with a combined 1139 hp and 1106 pound-feet of torque when launch control is engaged. According to Car and Driver, this setup blasted the vehicle to 60 mph in a mere 2.1 seconds, making it the quickest SUV the publication has ever tested.

That 2.1-second mark puts the Cayenne Turbo Electric substantially ahead of other high-powered electric SUVs. Car and Driver reported that the 1070-hp Lucid Gravity Dream Edition was a full second behind at 3.1 seconds, while a tri-motor 2025 Rivian R1S required 2.8 seconds. The quickest Tesla Model X tested by the outlet took 3.3 seconds, and the 2026 Rivian R1T truck managed 2.6 seconds using a 1025-hp quad-motor powertrain. Furthermore, the Cayenne Turbo's 60-mph sprint edges out supercars like the Lamborghini Revuelto and the 1250-hp Chevy Corvette ZR1 by a tenth of a second.

The Cayenne Turbo Electric maintained its momentum as speeds climbed. Car and Driver recorded a 0–100 mph time of 4.5 seconds and a 0–150 mph run in 10.1 seconds. In passing tests, the SUV covered 30 to 50 mph in 1.1 seconds and 50 to 70 mph in 1.4 seconds.

In the quarter-mile, the Cayenne Turbo Electric crossed the line in 9.5 seconds at 146 mph. Car and Driver noted this time was 1.6 seconds quicker than the tri-motor R1S, 1.1 seconds ahead of the Lucid Gravity, and two-tenths ahead of the Lamborghini Revuelto. It also vastly outpaced top gas-powered SUVs: both the V-8-powered Cayenne Turbo GT and the Lamborghini Urus Performante required 11.2 seconds to finish the quarter-mile.

Stopping Power and Skidpad Handling

Despite a curb weight approaching three tons, the Porsche's braking proved equally notable. Equipped with optional $10,900 carbon-ceramic brakes, the Cayenne Turbo Electric came to a complete stop from 70 mph in 140 feet. That stopping distance matched the Corvette ZR1—which weighs over 2100 pounds less—and beat the Cayenne Turbo GT by 10 feet and the Urus Performante by 12 feet. By comparison, Car and Driver recorded a 70–0 mph stopping distance of 163 feet for the Lucid Gravity and 173 feet for the Rivian R1S.

Handling tests yielded similar benchmark figures. The Cayenne Turbo Electric logged 1.05 g on the skidpad, establishing the best roadholding result for an SUV in Car and Driver history. The publication attributed this performance to Porsche's trick Active Ride suspension alongside Pirelli P Zero R tires. The result dethroned the Urus Performante (1.04 g) while significantly outperforming the Lucid Gravity (0.90 g) and the Rivian R1S (0.80 g).

Pricing and Packaging

This level of capability comes with a substantial price tag. The Turbo model starts at $165,350, and the specific vehicle tested by Car and Driver rang in at $194,600. Despite the cost, the publication highlighted that the five-passenger EV delivers performance figures that surpass supercars costing hundreds of thousands more.