| Week at the Wheel | Porsche Cayenne Diesel |

Inside & Out:

All the criticism levelled at the Cayenne for its looks has quietened down with this facelifted car. It's a car that's grown into itself, the Cayenne actually looking good with its smarter lights and fresh bumper design. The brushed metal details around the window frames and the roof bars combine on this example to great effect, the Cayenne looking particularly stylish in profile. The rear too has been tidied up in its mid-life revision, this diesel-engined example not wearing any badges to highlight that it drinks from a different pump to its relatives - neither are the tailpipes apologetically down-drafted at the rear like many diesels: the Cayenne's still poke out menacingly through the rear bumper.

The interior feels solidly built, even if some of the finishes are a little below par for something costing so much. Seat comfort and accommodation are excellent though, the Cayenne easily carrying four adults. The boot is reasonably sized too, though the high floor does rob it of some space and the lip height is also high if you're lugging heavy gear into it.

Engine & Transmission:

Porsche's fans might have warmed to the Cayenne over time, but many see this diesel-engined model as a step too far. And they've got a point, the 3.0-litre VW-sourced V6 turbodiesel is not exactly the most potent on-paper proposition. With just 240bhp it's not over-endowed in the power department, VW and Audi both having more powerful turbodiesel engines that could slot into the engine compartment. But the power figure shouldn't be the number you fixate on; the Cayenne diesel's 369lb.ft torque figure is the one that matters. It's delivered between 2,000-2,250rpm and it defines the Cayenne's performance. It's not explosively fast like its Cayenne S or Turbo relatives, but it's got the measure of the petrol V6 variant for easy, efficient pace and 8.3 seconds to 62mph and 133mph is enough for most people anyway.

With all that torque low down there's no need to wring it out, which is to the benefit of economy, the diesel Cayenne recording an official combined economy figure of 30.4mpg. And that's all that will matter to many buyers, the Cayenne diesel returning sensible fuel economy with enough pace and decent refinement. It's actually a rather enjoyable way to cover big miles in comfort, the slick automatic transmission shifting almost imperceptibly through its six ratios; it's best left to its own devices rather than shifting gears yourself via the hopeless +/- buttons on the steering wheel spokes - or the central shifter.

Ride & Handling:

The Porsche Cayenne has always brought decent ride and handling to the SUV market and it's at it most obvious in the diesel model. Without the same gamut of power of its petrol relatives you have to rely more on the Cayenne's uncanny ability of carrying speed through corners than on the slow-in fast-out technique you can employ with its petrol relatives. Fitted with optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) - which gives a selection of suspension settings from Comfort through Normal to Sport - the Cayenne can contain its bulk in the corners with real ability. Sport mode stiffens it up in the corners, but is perhaps a bit too fidgety on our roads, Normal giving a nice compromise of composure and comfort. Choose the softest Comfort setting and the Cayenne is a smooth, cosseting motorway cruiser.

The steering isn't exactly loaded with feel, but for an SUV it's pleasingly quick and precise. Meanwhile, the brakes manage to wash speed from the Cayenne with impunity.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

At £39,404, the Cayenne Diesel is a relatively inexpensive means of getting a Porsche SUV on your drive. Porsche obviously sees that as a starting point, though the car we tested came with some £12,500 worth of options fitted. That's perhaps going to extremes but there are a few bits and pieces we'd want, including the PASM suspension at £1,931, the £504 'sport aluminium package' (which we complimented earlier) and the roof bars too at £551. Start adding other items like DVD navigation, 20-inch wheels and climate control and it all begins to add up.

Economy is where the Cayenne Diesel claws back some of an advantage. It's actually easy to get close to the official combined consumption figure of 30.4mpg in daily driving, though the CO₂ emissions figure of 244g/km still means you'll be paying full-fat for your road tax.

Overall:

Porsche might have upset a few people with the fitment of a relatively low power output turbodiesel to the Cayenne range, but it proves to be an appealing all-rounder. Sure, it's not lightning fast, but it is quick enough and its refinement, ride and handling and comfort levels are high. A Cayenne you'll enjoy owning rather than standing around filling up expensively with fuel, the Cayenne Diesel might not appeal to a few die-hards, but to the rest of us it makes a lot of sense.