Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2014 Porsche CAYENNE VS 2014 Infiniti QX70 Near Phoenix, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Cayenne have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Infiniti QX70 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All Wheel Drive is standard on the Cayenne. But it costs extra on the QX70.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Cayenne’s standard Porsche Hill Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX70 doesn’t offer Porsche Hill Control.

The Porsche Cayenne has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The QX70 doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Cayenne’s optional blind spot warning system uses digital cameras monitored by computer to alert the driver to moving objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The QX70 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

Compared to metal, the Cayenne’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Infiniti QX70 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Cayenne and the QX70 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The Cayenne’s corrosion warranty is 3 years longer than the QX70’s (10 vs. 7 years).

There are over 27 percent more Porsche dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Cayenne’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Cayenne has a standard 220 amp alternator (190 amp - Cayenne V8). The QX70’s 150 amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked fourth.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche second in reliability, above the industry average. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 20th.

The Cayenne has more powerful engines than the QX70:

The Cayenne’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 139 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 267) than the QX70 3.7’s standard 3.7 DOHC V6. The Cayenne’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 369) than the QX70 5.0’s standard 5.0 DOHC V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cayenne S Hybrid is faster than the QX70 5.0 (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne Diesel gets better fuel mileage than the QX70 3.7 AWD (20 city/29 hwy vs. 16 city/22 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne S Hybrid gets better fuel mileage than the QX70 3.7 AWD (20 city/24 hwy vs. 16 city/22 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne gets better fuel mileage than the QX70 4WD:

Regenerative brakes improve the Cayenne Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The QX70 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cayenne Automatic’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The QX70 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Cayenne has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX70 (26.4 vs. 23.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the Cayenne’s brake rotors are larger than those on the QX70:

The Cayenne offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The QX70 doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Cayenne stops much shorter than the QX70:

For better traction, the Cayenne’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the QX70 (295/35R21 vs. 265/45R21).

The Cayenne’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the QX70 3.7’s standard 60 series tires. The Cayenne’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the QX70’s optional 45 series tires.

The Cayenne has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The QX70’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Cayenne (except Hybrid) offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The QX70 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Cayenne offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Infiniti doesn’t offer an active suspension on the QX70.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Cayenne is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the QX70.

The Cayenne GTS handles at .95 G’s, while the QX70 3.7 AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Cayenne Turbo executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.6 seconds quicker than the QX70 5.0 AWD (24.8 seconds @ .81 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Cayenne has a 1.34 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the QX70 (8.7 vs. 7.36 inches), allowing the Cayenne to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Cayenne Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is 3.39 inches higher than on the QX70 (10.75 vs. 7.36 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Cayenne Diesel is quieter than the QX70 5.0 AWD:

The Cayenne has .3 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom and 1.4 inches more rear legroom than the QX70.

The Cayenne has a larger cargo area with its rear seat folded than the QX70 with its rear seat folded (62.9 vs. 62 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Cayenne easier. The Cayenne’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 25.5 inches, while the QX70’s liftover is 31.1 inches.

The Cayenne’s cargo area is larger than the QX70’s in every dimension:

The Cayenne’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The QX70’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the QX70, the Cayenne offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Cayenne’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The QX70 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Cayenne and the QX70 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Cayenne is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX70 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Cayenne’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The QX70’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Cayenne’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The QX70’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cayenne to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The QX70 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the Cayenne’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the QX70’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Cayenne offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The QX70 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Cayenne detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The QX70 doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Cayenne has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The QX70 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The Cayenne’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The QX70’s power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

The Cayenne offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The QX70 has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Cayenne and the QX70 offer available heated front seats. The Cayenne also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the QX70.

Insurance will cost less for the Cayenne owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Cayenne with a number “5” insurance rate while the QX70 is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cayenne is less expensive to operate than the QX70 because typical repairs cost much less on the Cayenne than the QX70, including $119 less for a water pump, $6 less for fuel injection, $222 less for a timing belt/chain and $2563 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Porsche Cayenne and the Infiniti QX70, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cayenne first among midsize premium CUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The QX70 isn’t in the top three.

Motor Trend selected the Cayenne as their 2011 Sport Utility of the Year. The QX70 has never been chosen.

The Porsche Cayenne outsold the Infiniti FX by almost three to one during the 2013 model year.