Porsche doesn’t usually do extensive design changes for its vehicles’ mid-cycle refresh. In most cases, you need to look hard or get a magnifying glass to even see what’s been tweaked. This doesn’t seem to be the case for the updated 2023 Porsche Cayenne because there’s a lot more going on.
Spy photographers caught the refreshed 2023 Cayenne testing in Germany near one of Porsche’s secret facilities and its changes are quite obvious. The front fascia in particular gets thinner headlight clusters while the grille and bumper are different from the current model. This gives the crossover a more menacing look despite not being a GTS or Turbo model. The placeholder taillights also reveal that the Cayenne is getting a new rear light design while the license plate holder has been moved from the tailgate to the revamped rear bumper. Porsche is also expected to give the interior a significant revision and will add a new center console and gear selector, the latter of which will likely be the new switch type shifter from the 992 generation 911.
The refreshed 2023 Porsche Cayenne is expected to arrive sometime in 2022. Expect Porsche to make significant revisions to the powertrain, too. That means the whole lineup will likely get the same updated engines and plug-in hybrid systems that the Panamera recently got. This could see the addition of the Cayenne S E-Hybrid, which uses a 3.0-liter turbo V6 coupled to an electric motor, a 17.9-kWh lithium-ion battery, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. In the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid, this powertrain is rated for 552 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. As before, the 2023 Cayenne should also be available in the Coupe style, which adds a more dramatic roofline.