Compare the2023 Porsche CayenneVS 2023 Tesla Model Y

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Cayenne has a standard Multi-collision Brake System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Cayenne’s standard Porsche Hill Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Porsche Hill Control.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Cayenne 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 Model Y doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Cayenne offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Cayenne has standard Porsche Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Cayenne and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems and blind spot warning systems.

Warranty

There are over 27 percent more Porsche dealers than there are Tesla dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Cayenne’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Cayenne’s reliability 12 points higher than the Model Y.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 26 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Porsche higher than Tesla.

Engine

The Cayenne has more powerful engines than the Model Y:

	Horsepower	Torque
Cayenne 3.0 turbo V6	335 HP	332 lbs.-ft.
Cayenne S 2.9 turbo V6	434 HP	405 lbs.-ft.
Cayenne GTS 4.0 turbo V8	453 HP	457 lbs.-ft.
Cayenne E-Hybrid 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid	455 HP	516 lbs.-ft.
Cayenne Turbo 4.0 turbo V8	541 HP	567 lbs.-ft.
Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid	670 HP	663 lbs.-ft.
Model Y Long Range electric motors	325 HP	475 lbs.-ft.
Model Y Performance electric motors	455 HP	487 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cayenne Turbo 4.0 turbo V8 is faster than the Model Y Long Range:

	Cayenne	Model Y
Zero to 60 MPH	3.2 sec	4.1 sec
Quarter Mile	11.8 sec	12.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	115.8 MPH	114.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Cayenne E-Hybrid’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 453 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Model Y’s range is only 303 to 330 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 15 minutes for only a 45% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a professionally installed 220-volt charging station can take up to 8 hours and 30 minutes.

Transmission

The Cayenne’s optional launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Model Y doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Cayenne E-Hybrid	Cayenne CCB	Model Y
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	17.3 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	14.1 inches	16.1 inches	13.2 inches

The Cayenne 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 Model Y doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

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

The Cayenne stops much shorter than the Model Y:

	Cayenne	Model Y
60 to 0 MPH	100 feet	118 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Cayenne’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (F:285/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. F:255/35R21 & R:275/35R21).

The Cayenne’s optional 315/30R22 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Model Y Performance’s 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cayenne offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Model Y’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The Cayenne has a standard space-saver spare (not available on E-Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model Y; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Cayenne has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Cayenne flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Cayenne offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model Y doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Cayenne offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Tesla doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Model Y.

The Cayenne offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Cayenne has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Cayenne’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Model Y doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Cayenne is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

The Cayenne handles at .96 G’s, while the Model Y Long Range pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Cayenne Turbo executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Model Y Long Range (23.9 seconds @ .83 average G’s vs. 25.2 seconds @ .75 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Cayenne w/Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 4.7 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (35.1 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Cayenne has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (8.2 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Cayenne to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Cayenne Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 3 inches higher than on the Model Y (9.6 vs. 6.6 inches).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Cayenne is quieter than the Model Y Long Range (63 vs. 68 dB).

Passenger Space

The Cayenne has 2.7 inches more front shoulder room and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

Cargo Capacity

The Cayenne has a much larger cargo volume than the Model Y with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 16.9 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Cayenne’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model Y doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Cayenne’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model Y’s (7700 vs. 3500 pounds).

Standard trailer sway control on the Cayenne 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 Model Y doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Cayenne to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and vehicle inspections based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model Y.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model Y, the Cayenne offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Cayenne offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model Y doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Cayenne has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Consumer Reports rated the Cayenne’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model Y doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Cayenne offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Model Y doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Cayenne’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Cayenne to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Cayenne’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Cayenne offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model Y.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Cayenne, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Tesla Model Y isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cayenne third among upper midsize premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Model Y isn’t in the top three.