Porsche Cayenne vs Chevrolet Suburban

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne was available in two distinct styles: the standard SUV with a squared-off rear end and the sporty Cayenne Coupe. The trim levels ranged from the base Cayenne to the high-performance Cayenne Turbo GT, each featuring unique exterior elements. The GTS trim, which was the focus of this review, boasted high gloss black trim, bronze exhaust tips, and a distinctive front fascia with larger air intakes. The GTS also featured tinted headlights and red brake calipers visible through 21-inch anthracite gray wheels. Inside, the Cayenne offered extensive customization options, from color choices to seat belt designs, although these could significantly increase the price. The cabin was well-organized, with mechanical controls for essential functions and a dashboard-mounted shifter toggle that freed up storage space. Despite a minor issue with the sliding center console, the interior was praised for its thoughtful design.

The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban, a staple in the full-size SUV market, maintained its iconic profile while introducing modern updates to its front and rear fascias and lighting signatures. The trim lineup remained consistent, with the LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country trims catering to various preferences. The Suburban's interior saw significant improvements, with a more sophisticated dashboard, a new column shifter, and a modern steering wheel. The highlight was the introduction of a 17.7-inch touchscreen display, replacing the outdated 10.2-inch screen from the previous model. The Suburban's interior upgrades extended to its materials, ensuring even the least expensive versions felt premium. Overall, the 2025 Suburban successfully balanced its traditional appeal with contemporary enhancements.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered a range of engines, all capable of delivering impressive performance. The base model featured a 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 348 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. For those seeking more power, the Cayenne S offered a V8 engine with 468 hp, while the Turbo GT, available only as a coupe, boasted 650 hp. The plug-in hybrid options provided up to 729 hp for peak performance. The GTS trim, with its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine, delivered 493 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive. The Cayenne GTS was praised for its agility, precise steering, and sporty handling, thanks to components borrowed from the Turbo GT. The adaptive suspension and Pirelli P Zero tires contributed to its dynamic performance, while the optional carbon ceramic brakes provided ample stopping power. The Cayenne GTS seamlessly transitioned between sporty and comfortable driving modes, offering versatility for daily commutes and spirited drives.

The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban continued to embrace V8 power, with a 5.3-liter V8 engine delivering 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque as the base option. The 6.2-liter V8, available on higher trims, offered 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The standout choice was the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax diesel engine, which received a power boost to 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque. The diesel engine was praised for its quiet and smooth operation, making it an excellent choice for those who frequently drive in the 20 to 60-mph range. The Suburban's 10-speed automatic transmission handled all engine options with ease, and the column-mounted shifter improved dashboard space. The 2025 Suburban featured a recalibrated Magnetic Ride Control suspension, providing a softer ride and reducing bounciness. The optional adjustable air suspension further enhanced comfort. While the 24-inch wheels looked impressive, they were deemed too harsh for rough pavement and came with a hefty price tag.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered a la carte customization, with limited standard features on the base model. The GTS trim included a GT Sport steering wheel and Race-Tex headliner, with options for Race-Tex or leather interiors. The Turbo GT trim added stainless steel pedal pads and illuminated carbon fiber door-sill guards. The Cayenne's options list was extensive, allowing buyers to personalize everything from door sills to seat belts. However, the Cayenne could only accommodate five passengers, with no third-row seating option. The standard Cayenne provided 27.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to over 60 cubic feet with the seats folded. The coupe version offered slightly less space, while the plug-in hybrid models had reduced cargo capacity due to the battery.

The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in interior space, offering ample room for passengers and cargo. With 41.5 cubic feet of luggage space behind the third row, the Suburban's cargo capacity expanded to 93.8 cubic feet with the third row folded. The Suburban could accommodate up to six passengers with the three-across front row option. With all seats folded, it provided a massive 144.7 cubic feet of cargo space, unmatched by any other non-commercial vehicle. The Suburban's towing capacity was impressive, with the 5.3-liter V8 and Max Trailering Package allowing for up to 8,300 pounds of towing. The diesel engine offered excellent fuel economy, with an EPA-rated 21 mpg city, 27 highway, and 23 combined, providing over 700 miles of highway driving on a single tank.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne featured a curved 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster with up to seven views, depending on the trim level. The 12.3-inch touchscreen display ran the Porsche Communication Management system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Spotify, Apple Music, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. An optional 10.9-inch passenger screen allowed for navigation and media control, with a screen filter preventing driver distraction. The Cayenne's screens were well-organized and responsive, with voice control options available. A head-up display provided pertinent information, although it appeared dim with polarized sunglasses. The Cayenne included four high-speed USB-C charging ports and a cooled wireless charging area.

The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban addressed previous technology shortcomings with a stunning 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The screen was bright and crisp, complemented by an 11-inch driver information display and an available 15-inch head-up display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, but the inclusion of Google Built-in allowed for native integration of Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Play Store. The user interface was visually appealing, although some aspects, like customizing the driver information display, were unintuitive. The new steering wheel featured an array of buttons and toggles, which took time to master. Physical buttons for essential functions remained, providing a user-friendly experience. The top-range Bose stereo was adequate but left room for improvement compared to competitors.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered standard safety features like parking sensors, forward collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. However, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning were optional. Porsche's advanced adaptive cruise control system, InnoDrive, was not tested during the review. Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS had rated the 2025 Cayenne for safety, and recent models had not been evaluated by these organizations.

The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of the review. The 2024 Suburban received four out of five stars in overall crash safety from the NHTSA. The Suburban included a comprehensive list of standard advanced driver assistance systems, such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian and bicycle braking, automatic parking assist, a surround-view camera, and a teen driver monitoring system. GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving technology was available on higher trims but would not be available until 2025.