Introduced to the U.S. for the 2003 model year, the Porsche Cayenne has been through two generations and is set to make another generational shift on August 29, but before that happens, someone – most likely Porsche trying to generate hype – has leaked a whole handful of images that show off the next-gen (if that’s what you would call it) SUV. It’s becoming pretty commonplace for luxury automakers to be quite lazy with visual changes when it comes to generational updates, and the Porsche Cayenne is no exception. In fact, to an untrained eye, I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that this was a 2017 Cayenne. Very few changes can be spotted, but include a slightly larger center grille with slightly larger corner air inlets. It does feature invisible mesh hidden behind three chrome plated louvers and the fog light area has also changed, to allow for rectangular units. The air dam is just a bit wider, and the hood gets a couple of extra body lines. The biggest change up front is limited to the new headlight units, that are now single light units. If you recall, the second-gen model had the same LED headlights but also featured a projector to the inside corner. That is no longer the case, and the main LEDs should provide variable brightness depending on whether you have your dims or brights engaged.

As for the rest of the outside, there isn’t much to write home about. The side profile is pretty much unchanged from the current model while the overhang on the rear hatch no gets longer wings on the sides. The taillights are now thinner units with a flat bottom, connected together by a reflector unit that traverses the width of the hatch. The rear fascia is less eventful but does feature a sharp body line running from left to right. Finally, the lower portion of the rear fascia gets larger cladding with rectangular exhaust outlets. It’s not bad, but this is worthier of being called a facelift than a generational shift. But, what about the interior? Keep reading to find out.

Finally, Something of Substance

While the exterior comes off as quite lazy and uneventful as far as changes go, the interior gets a pretty decent update. First off, I should note that Porsche has addressed the Cayenne’s biggest problem – the beige dash that caused too much glare and ultimately led to a class-action lawsuit. As such, the beige model you see here has been revised to include a black dash pad, which not only solves that problem but really helps bring some much-needed contrast into the cabin. The clock that sits atop the dash is less intrusive while the corner vents are a bit taller. The overhang above the instrument cluster sits a bit lower while a much larger screen takes up the center stack. As such, the center vents are now located between the display and that high-sitting center console. For the most part, the door trim panels haven’t changed aside from a few nips and tucks, nor has the center console as a whole, but a new control unit that surrounds the shifter brings another fresh breath of air into the cabin. With gloss black surrounds all of the buttons are far more modern, even if they are a little more cluttered. The handles on the center console have been moved forward a bit as well, which could actually make reaching the shifter a little more uncomfortable for the driver.

As of now, we don’t know much about what kind of motivating factors will be found under the hood, but word has it the Cayenne will get that 330-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 while more powerful versions will get the 2.9-liter V-6 with 440 ponies on tap. In comparison, the current base model delivers just 300 horsepower, while the Cayenne S delivers a cool 420 ponies. That means that this generation should see an upgrade of 30 horsepower in base trim and 20 horsepower in S trim. There’s no word on diesel engines yet, but you can bet the third-gen model will do a little better than the 240 horsepower offered by the current 3.0-liter diesel. Finally, we should see a revised V-8 make it into the lineup, or at the very least, a very potent V-6, as Porsche has to do something for the Cayenne turbo, which currently uses a 4.8-liter V-8 to deliver 520 ponies. And, for those of you with deep pockets that also like to be green, a plug-in hybrid should make its way to the lineup eventually. With the current model making use of the 3.0-liter V-6 and an electric motor to make 416 ponies, chances are that the same engine will be used along with a better motor, allowing the hybrid to deliver closer to 450 horsepower.

All told the current Cayenne can make the 60-mph sprint in anywhere between 7.2 seconds with the Cayenne diesel and 4.2 seconds in Turbo form. Meanwhile, the base model can make the sprint in 5.2 seconds. Expect all of these times to drop by at least a tenth of a second if not a little more, while top speeds should remain about the same. A chart below shows all of this data in one place and is good for Cayennes through the 2017 model year. Hopefully, we’ll see lots of improvements in this department when Porsche finally spills the beans. With the official debut taking place on the 29th, what do you guys think of what you see so far? Are you ready to go out and get a 2018 model for yourself, or do you think you’ll wait a few more years for the facelift that will likely bring more exterior change into the mix? Let us know in the comments section below.

References

2018 Porsche Cayenne

Read our speculative review on the 2018 Porsche Cayenne.

2015 Porsche Cayenne

Read our full review on the 2015 Porsche Cayenne.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Read our full review on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

Read our full review on the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid.