Compare the2023 Porsche Cayenne CoupeVS 2023 BMW X6

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X6 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Cayenne Coupe helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The X6 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Cayenne Coupe and the X6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

The Cayenne Coupe has more powerful engines than the X6:

As tested in Motor Trend the Cayenne Turbo Coupe 4.0 turbo V8 is faster than the X6 M50i 4.4 turbo V8:

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne Coupe running on electricity gets better mileage than the X6:

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne Coupe running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the X6:

The Cayenne Coupe can travel with zero emissions for 15 to 17 miles (dependent on model). The X6 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The Cayenne Coupe’s standard fuel tank has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the X6 (23.7 vs. 21.9 gallons).

For better stopping power the Cayenne Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X6:

The Cayenne Coupe offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The X6 doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Cayenne Coupe Turbo has standard air brakes, which adjust the spoiler automatically during high-speed braking in order to shorten stopping distances. The X6 doesn’t offer air brakes.

The Cayenne Coupe stops much shorter than the X6:

For better traction, the Cayenne Coupe’s optional front tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X6 (F:285/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. F:275/40R21 & R:315/35R21).

The Cayenne Coupe’s standard 305/40R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X6’s standard 45 series tires.

The Cayenne Turbo Coupe handles at .98 G’s, while the X6 xDrive40i pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Cayenne Turbo Coupe executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the X6 xDrive40i (24.1 seconds @ .82 average G’s vs. 26 seconds @ .71 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Cayenne Coupe w/Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 6.2 feet tighter than the X6’s (35.1 feet vs. 41.3 feet). The Cayenne Coupe’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the X6’s (39.8 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Cayenne Coupe has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X6 xDrive40i (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Cayenne Coupe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Cayenne Coupe has .7 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more rear headroom and 4.3 inches more rear legroom than the X6.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Cayenne Coupe’s rear seats recline. The X6’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Cayenne Coupe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X6’s (7700 vs. 5952 pounds).

Standard trailer sway control on the Cayenne Coupe uses the Porsche Stability Management sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X6 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Cayenne Coupe has a higher standard payload capacity than the X6 (1150 vs. 994 lbs.).

The Cayenne Coupe has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the X6 (1499 vs. 1294 lbs.).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 13% lower rating, BMW is ranked 7th.

The Cayenne Coupe’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The X6 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Cayenne Coupe offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X6 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Cayenne Coupe has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The X6 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The Cayenne Coupe’s optional Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The X6’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Porsche Cayenne outsold the BMW X6 by 7% during 2022.