Porsche has a knack for spinning off trim levels that can almost stand on their own as separate models, and the Cayenne is no exception. The Autobahn-bred SUV that horrified sports car purists when it debuted in 2002 quickly became the company's best-selling model line, diversifying into multiple models along the way. The GTS sits higher up in the Cayenne hierarchy, above the base model and S variants, but below the Cayenne Turbo GT Coupe and the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid.
Despite not having the word
turbo in its name, the Cayenne GTS actually is a turbocharged beast, sporting a 493-horsepower, twin-turbo V8. Porsche claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and a 171 mph top speed, delivered with the smooth power of eight cylinders cranking out 486 lb-ft of torque. When one of our reviewers got her first drive of the 2025 Porsche Cayenne GTS last year, its fusion of power with the practicality of an all-wheel drive SUV won her over from her preference for Porsche's Cayman GTS sports car.
The only drawback to the Cayenne GTS? It isn't cheap. While it doesn't hit the stratospheric $200,000+ price range of its GT Turbo sibling, Porsche's website displays a starting price of $129,900 (destination charge: $2,750) for the GTS. Some worthy competitors can offer equal or better performance for substantially less cash, in some cases. Let's take a look at five of the best.
Read more: 6 Fastest Buicks Ever Made, Ranked By Top Speed
2025 Audi SQ8
The Audi SQ8 is getting up there in years, having debuted in its current form 7 years ago, but in terms of power, performance, and driving thrills, it still holds up very well. At a $98,895 ($1,295 destination charge) base price, it also undercuts the Cayenne GTS's base price by more than 30 grand. It offers a fastback profile that's similar to the Cayenne GTS Coupe -- although take note that even the coupe-style Cayenne and the SQ8 both have four doors -- and it offers something else that can be found in the Cayenne GTS: a twin-turbo V8.
The SQ8's V8 produces an even 500 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque, both exceeding the GTS's output. With that power channeled to all four wheels, the SQ8 can hit 60 mph in only 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155 mph. It handles very well, too, with lateral acceleration of 1.0 g despite its 5,269-pound curb weight, which is a few hundred pounds heavier than the Cayenne GTS's 4,956 pounds.
The extra heft reflects the SQ8's slightly larger size: its 196.6-inch length and 117.9-inch wheelbase each exceed the Cayenne's by a few inches. The extra size and weight get you a spacious and comfortable passenger cabin befitting Audi's luxury image. Our review of the 2024 version of the Audi SQ8 found its price, specs, and V8 performance make it a future classic.
2025 Cayenne S E-Hybrid
One of Cayenne GTS's competitors comes from within its own family, and as is often the case with siblings, the rivalry is fierce. While the Cayenne E-Hybrid is available in a completely bonkers, 729-horsepower Turbo model, even the base E-Hybrid overachieves with 463 horsepower at $99,195. But stepping up to the S trim nets you 512 horses for $107,095 (destination charge: $2,750), which is more power for substantially less money than the Cayenne GTS. Therefore, this S trim level is the one we recommend.
The Cayenne S E-Hybrid exactly matches the Cayenne GTS from 0-60 mph with a time of 4.4 seconds. Plus, since the Cayenne S E-Hybrid is a PHEV, or a plug-in hybrid, it can travel approximately 20 miles on battery power alone. Overall, it achieves 52 miles per gallon equivalent when the battery is fully charged, making it a sensible way to go fast. Of course, its dimensions are identical to its Cayenne GTS sibling, although its battery adds mass, bringing the curb weight to 5,672 pounds. Still, the extra power compensates for the weight.
2025 Mercedes-AMG GLE-Class
The 2025 Mercedes-AMG GLE-Class offers the GLE53 with 429 horsepower and the GLE63 with 603 horsepower, but to undercut the Cayenne GTS's price, you'll need to choose the GLE53 and its $90,350 ($1,150 destination charge) base price. You won't be sacrificing much, though, as the GLE53 runs from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds -- the same as the Cayenne GTS. It achieves this impressive performance with a 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline six-cylinder augmented with a 48-volt electric charge, making the GLE53's powertrain a mild hybrid system.
As an AMG product, every aspect of the SUV's performance has been enhanced. An air-bag suspension system with active anti-roll bars gives the GLE53 sports-car handling with no sacrifice in ride comfort. It won't spill your drinks on a coffee run, yet selectable drive modes offer a choice of Sport or Sport Plus modes for carving up twisty roads.
A longer wheelbase might contribute to the GLE53's smooth ride, since it features a 117.9-inch wheelbase -- nearly 4 inches longer than the Cayenne GTS -- in an SUV with an overall length that's nearly identical to the Porsche at 194.4 inches. This contributes to a cabin that's spacious enough for an optional third row of seats despite being a midsize SUV, but only in the squareback body style; the coupe model is strictly a two-row affair, like the Cayenne.
2025 Maserati Grecale Trofeo
When the Maserati Grecale Trofeo debuted in 2023, a reviewer for Motor1.com declared it the best Maserati to come along in a decade. In 2025, the $117,500 ($1,495 destination charge) Grecale Trofeo gets you a 523-horsepower, turbocharged V6, a 3.6-second 0-60 time, and a 177 mph top speed. But as with many Italian cars, the specs may be impressive, but they take a back seat to the emotional effect of driving one.
To begin with, the Grecale Trofeo stands out for its looks. To the extent that an SUV can have voluptuous curves, this one does, from its aggressive grille (complete with Maserati trident) to its muscular rear quarter panels. This vehicle looks like an Italian sports car in SUV form. The interior is a mix of luxurious leather and high-tech carbon-fiber trim.
The Grecale Trofeo is technically considered a compact SUV, and our review of the 2024 Grecale Trofeo compared it to the Cayenne's little brother, the Porsche Macan. Yet the Grecale's dimensions are quite similar to the Cayenne. Its overall length is about 3 inches shorter at 191.3 inches, but its wheelbase is almost identical at 114.2 inches, perhaps contributing to the Grecale's nearly perfect proportions. It's the lightweight on our list. At only 4,650 pounds, it's ideal for an Italian sportster.
2025 Rivian R1S
Hear us out on this one: Yes, the Rivian R1S is all-electric. And yes, that means it lacks the visceral growl that the Cayenne GTS's twin-turbo V8 delivers. Yet in terms of sheer performance, it blows the doors off almost everything else on the road in its 665-horsepower Performance Dual-Motor version. In fact, it gets you to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Yet even configured with dual motors, the price starts at $77,700 ($1,800 destination charge), giving you the best bang for the buck on this list, by a lot.
But if ultimate speed is your goal, you don't have to stop there. There's an 850-horsepower Tri-Motor version and a 1,050-horsepower Quad-Motor edition. These have 0-60 times of 2.8 seconds and less than 2.5 seconds, respectively. Top speed is 130 mph, but that's strictly due to a limiter. And even the most expensive trim level starts at $107,700.
The R1S is the longest vehicle on this list at 200.8 inches, with a very generous 121.1-inch wheelbase. In fact, it's a three-row SUV, but we felt it belonged on this list because its nearly insane performance specs definitely qualify it as a high-performance competitor for the Cayenne GTS. Plus, while you might expect an SUV from a company that only delivered its first vehicles in 2021 to be a bit crude and unpolished, the interior is actually quite sophisticated and luxurious. Plus, Rivian trucks have interesting features like 1,000-lumen flashlights hidden in the driver's door.
Our Methodology
The Cayenne is a midsize, five-passenger SUV whose bottom-line performance specs we've already examined above. Its total length is just a hair over 194 inches with a 114-inch wheelbase. For our comparison, we stuck to SUVs that are fairly close to it in size, with total lengths and wheelbases that are no more than 7 inches greater than those of the GTS. This rules out some larger SUVs like the 203.6-inch BMW X7.
We also limited our comparison to two-row SUVs (with one exception), reasoning that three-row SUVs are more focused on transporting extra passengers than generating top performance. This would also rule out the BMW X7, as well as the Audi SQ7, although one of the SQ7's stablemates did make the cut. Plus, since the Cayenne GTS runs from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds, we wanted our SUVs to have 0-60 times under 4.5 seconds. This ruled out possible competitors like the BMW X6 xDrive40i and its 5.2-second time.
Finally, the base price of the recommended trim level must noticeably undercut the GTS's base price of $129,900. This ruled out several fine but pricey high-performance SUVs. Yet the models that made our list are hardly penalty boxes, and any one of these would be a joy to take out on a twisty road or to dinner in the city.
Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time.
Read the original article on SlashGear.
