Porsche Cayenne Coupe Platinum Edition is a luxurious drive that handles like a dream

Now before you raise your pitchforks and form a protest line outside our 12 Tai Seng Link office, allow me to explain why I've just called the Porsche Cayenne a "little" SUV.

This is the new Cayenne Coupe, the latest variant of the brand's favourite sports utility vehicle. And as its name suggests, it wears a sportier and more compact body that's more in line with the Macan. 

But that's not say the Coupe is any less capable than the full-fat Cayenne. In fact, it retains all the best features of the latter — including driving dynamics and power — while giving owners a decidedly sleeker chic look that'll look right at home in Orchard Road.

Nip-and-tuck

The most obvious difference between this and the traditional Cayenne is the revised rear styling. While the front fascia is virtually identical to the latter, Porsche's designers have opted to lob off a sizeable chunk of the roofline and give it a new coupe-like silhouette that's all the rage now. 

Now I'm not the biggest fan of these coupe-SUVs that have flooded the market in recent years — they all seem rather naff and compromised. But the Cayenne Coupe does not strike me as a particularly offensive-looking vehicle. In fact, it seems rather handsome from some angles when you get to see it in the flesh.

This being the Platinum Edition just like the Panamera which I had recently reviewed, you get extra visual goodies over the bog-standard variant. For instance, the window trim has been blacked-out, and fitted to it are 21-inch Cayenne Exclusive Design alloy wheels.

At the back, the Cayenne Coupe features a quarter of black sports tailpipes. Adding to the visual spectacle, there's a full-width LED lightbar that seamlessly blends with the main taillight cluster — just like on the Panamera and 911 sports car.

Surprisingly roomy

There's plenty of space inside, despite what the dramatically-sloped roofline suggests. The front occupants have it good, with very supple Comfort leather seats and 14-way powered adjustment. Brushed aluminium trim surround the cockpit, lending a classy atmosphere to the cabin, while the Crayon-coloured seatbelts offer a nice contrast.

Just like on the Panamera, the centre console houses a wide array of haptic touch-based controls, ranging from driving to HVAC settings.

A widescreen 12.3-inch infotainment display sits just above said controls and AC vents, while another digital cluster resides behind the steering wheel. You get the classic Porsche five-gauge setup, although only the tachometer in the middle is physical with an actual needle. 

The wheel itself has been upgraded. Our unit uses the optional GT sports steering wheel that's wrapped in Race-Tex, ensuring maximum grip for the driver.

Rear passengers will not have little issue with space, for the seats have been lowered by some 30 mm to compensate for the 20 mm drop in roof height. That means you actually gain some headroom, although folks who are taller than average (i.e. above 1.75 metres) may feel their heads touching the headlining by a hair's breadth.

Dual-zone climate control is available at the back, along with seat heating functionality (the latter being an admittedly pointless feature). A pair of USB Type-C charging ports and a 12V socket are also available, should your rear occupants' devices need charging.

Boot space is understandably smaller in the Cayenne Coupe than in the Cayenne SUV, with a new total of just 554 litres (versus 698 litres). With that said, the aperture is squarish and wide, with a shallow loading lip. All of this translates to easy loading and unloading of bulkier items. 

There's additional space under the false flooring for a spare tyre, although one is not provided. 

Putting the sports in sports utility

Despite all the luxury-oriented bells and whistles, the Cayenne Coupe still has a lot going for it in the performance department. 

Under the bonnet is a potent 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 powerplant, which provides the driver with 340 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque to play with. Nought to a hundred takes 6.0 seconds, but sitting behind the wheel, it feels a whole lot faster. 

Things get a lot more fun once you flick the driving mode switch to Sport Plus and turn off the electronic nannies off. Its suspension firms up, and the engine revs more freely, and the Tiptronic gearbox shifts with more immediacy. From there, it's all systems go.

It's a heavy vehicle, the Cayenne Coupe. But it's also very spritely once all six cylinders and four wheels are working to put the power down, offering drivers an almost unadulterated Porsche experience. Almost, because you're still sitting high above the ground, and not low down like the 911 or Cayman GTS.

Steering is communicative enough (especially with the GT wheel that aids in driver engagement) and it tackles corners spiritedly, with the adaptive air suspension system mitigating body roll like a champ.

There's a sense of confidence that can be felt about the Cayenne Coupe, as it tears up the tarmac expeditiously. It's not a darty vehicle, but it's darn well responsive when you need it to be.

On-road stability is excellent as expected, and because PASM is active, there's no sense of it wafting about like a bumboat on choppy waters. NVH levels are also low, with the only external sounds being the V6 soundtrack and the whooshes of wind on the other side of the glass window going by at triple-digit speeds.

And when it comes to braking, best believe that the six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear ones will bring the Cayenne Coupe to an immediate halt, ensuring safety for all occupants.

Suave SUV

As far as coupe-SUVs go, the Cayenne Coupe is by a long mile the best implementation of this controversial body style. And beyond aesthetics, it's also one of the best-handling vehicles on offer. 

It's supremely stable, powerful enough to deter schmucks wanting to race you, and luxurious enough to keep your family and in-laws happy. 

For coupe-SUV skeptics like me, this is the best counter-argument from any manufacturer right now, and Porsche should be very proud of that.

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This article was first published in Motorist.