Many SUVs nowadays prioritize practicality rather than sportiness, and that’s generally fine. That said, for customers who want an actually sporty SUV, the Cayenne can be an excellent choice. But as far as 2021 Porsche Cayenne trims go, the most expensive one might not be the best. 

The 2021 Porsche Cayenne’s trim levels

The Porsche Cayenne gives buyers a handful of options, Edmunds reports. The first is the base model, which starts at about $83,000. It packs a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 making 335 hp, and it’s a generally sporty yet luxurious SUV.

Then there’s the S trim, starting at $102,000. It has a few perks over the base model, but the big one is a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 producing about 434 hp. On top of that, it adds a panoramic sunroof and a sporty steering package. 

Next, there’s the $121,000 GTS. It gives the Cayenne plenty of performance enhancements, including a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 453 hp.

If that isn’t sporty enough, try the $152,000 Turbo trim. The Turbo boasts many performance upgrades as well, and it has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. But the Turbo’s V8 harnesses 541 hp.

Two hybrid options are also available, one for the regular Cayenne and one for the Turbo. 

The expensive turbo model is pretty great

According to Edmunds, the Turbo adds a long list of luxurious and high-performance features to the Porsche Cayenne. And sure enough, it lives up to its lofty $150,000 price tag, MotorTrend reports.

Thanks to its powerful V8 engine, it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. Not only is it fast, but it also handles like any other Porsche, MT says. In fact, MotorTrend calls it “the sports car of SUVs.” And make no mistake, the Cayenne Turbo is still an SUV — and a comfortable one at that.

After all, it has heated front and rear seats, leather upholstery, and 60.3 cubic feet of cargo space when its seats are folded down, Edmunds reports. That said, it still carries a $150,000 price tag, and it’s not the only sporty option Porsche offers. In fact, when it comes to value, the Turbo probably isn’t the best trim.

The 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS is better

Although the Turbo impressed MotorTrend’s testers, they liked the GTS even better. Its slightly weaker V8 is still capable, pushing the Cayenne GTS from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.8 seconds, MotorTrend reports. On the track, the GTS was about 0.1 seconds slower than the Turbo, but those are minor differences.

What arguably matters more is how it feels to drive, and on that front, MotorTrend gave the GTS the nod. This makes a lot of sense because even though the GTS is about $30,000 cheaper than the Turbo, it comes with quite a few sporty features. For instance, Edmunds said the GTS has torque vectoring, a sport exhaust system, and an air suspension, to name a few.

In fact, the sport exhaust system is one of the best reasons to choose the GTS over the Turbo, MotorTrend said. Currently, this exhaust system is exclusive to the GTS, and it’s a great addition for any Porsche fan who loves to hear the engine roar. So although the GTS isn’t as luxurious as the Turbo, it’s still as capable as the Turbo but $30,000 cheaper.