Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid first drive: This plug-in hybrid is a blast

Enlarge / The 2019 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid. (credit: Porsche Cars North America)

“What’s the point of Sport mode on this car?”

It’s an unusual question to lead with, but Chris Trautmann, Manager Complete Vehicle Product Line SUV, was quick to answer. In essence, he told me, “this is a Porsche and we want to offer drivers a full range of options.”

A solid and not-unexpected answer, but my driving partner and I were unconvinced. We had spent the day crisscrossing the Willamette Valley in Oregon, clocking nearly 340 miles (547km) in a new, second-generation Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid. To understand why the question came up in the first place, you have to consider Porsche’s approach to electrification and how it differs from its siblings within the Volkswagen Group.