Back in 2013, Porsche did something bold in the American market: it brought us a diesel-powered Cayenne. To most U.S. buyers, diesel was associated with work trucks or quirky Volkswagens, not a two-row luxury midsize SUV wearing the Porsche crest. But for a few short years, from 2013 through 2016, the Porsche Cayenne Diesel carved out a unique spot in Porsche’s lineup and left behind a story worth telling.

Under the hood sat a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 diesel borrowed from Volkswagen and Audi, paired to Porsche’s slick eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic. On paper, the numbers didn’t sound wild—240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque—but in practice it was a different animal. The torque came on low and strong at just 1,750 rpm, giving the Cayenne the kind of effortless surge that made highway passing feel almost casual. Tap the throttle, and you rode a wave of diesel grunt rather than the high-rev rush of a gas engine. It was a different flavor of Porsche performance, but it worked.

The efficiency was equally eye-opening. Official EPA ratings hovered around 20 mpg (city) and nearly 30 mpg on the highway. For a nearly 4,800-pound SUV with all-wheel drive, that was impressive, especially compared with the thirsty V8s in the segment. The Cayenne Diesel also wasn’t just a road trip cruiser—it was a hauler. With a towing capacity around 7,700 pounds, it could drag a boat, a camper, or a couple of motorcycles to the track without breaking a sweat. Few luxury SUVs could match that mix of efficiency and utility.

From behind the wheel, the Diesel felt every bit like a Porsche. Steering was sharp, ride quality was composed, and the interior wrapped you in the same sense of purpose and quality that the brand is known for. Sure, there was a faint diesel growl under acceleration, but Porsche had tuned it so well that it came across more as character than compromise. For long drives, it was one of the most relaxed yet capable versions of the Cayenne.

So why did it vanish? Two words: Dieselgate scandal. Just kidding—it totally wasn’t Dieselgate. Wink wink. In 2015, regulators revealed that the very 3.0-liter engine in the Cayenne Diesel used software to cheat emissions testing. Porsche quickly issued a stop-sale, and by 2018 the brand announced it was done with diesel altogether.

According to Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG, in a statement dated January 1, 2020:

Porsche is not demonising diesel. It is, and will remain, an important propulsion technology. We as a sports car manufacturer, however, for whom diesel has always played a secondary role, have come to the conclusion that we would like our future to be diesel-free. Naturally we will continue to look after our existing diesel customers with the professionalism they expect. 

The timing also coincided with a market shift—buyers were moving toward hybrids and electrics. According to Porsche, diesel variants only made up 12 percent of Porsches worldwide in 2017. Plus, Porsche was eager to push forward with plug-in Cayennes and, eventually, the Taycan.

Looking back, the Cayenne Diesel was an oddball, but in the best way. It combined long-distance comfort, real towing muscle, and genuine Porsche DNA in a package that now feels like a time capsule from a different era. For enthusiasts, it remains a quirky gem: the Porsche SUV that ran on torque, range, and a little bit of controversy. That last aspect is perhaps the most alluring.