Porsche Cayenne S

Porsche raised the public's collective eyebrow when it decided to enter the sport-utility vehicle business in 2003 with its bulbous Cayenne. However, in spite of its rather ungainly styling, this midsize luxury SUV has proven itself worthy of the vaunted Porsche name.

With a lineup that stretches from the low $40Ks to six-digit territory and engines that range from a V6 to a 500-horsepower twin-turbo V8, the Porsche Cayenne isn't your typical midsize SUV. Nor is it the most practical or family-friendly. Indeed, the Cayenne's relatively small cargo area, high load floor and lack of a third-row seat option limit its real-world functionality.

But in terms of spirited driving, there are few better. Thanks to its stellar dual-range all-wheel-drive system, razor-sharp steering and superb brakes, the Porsche Cayenne demonstrates surprising dexterity both on-road and off. Several engines are offered, and we recommend springing for one of the V8 models, as they are the only ones truly up to the task of getting the heavy Cayenne moving with the alacrity befitting a Porsche. The GTS model in particular is the true athlete of the bunch.

To many Porsche purists, even the concept of a Porsche luxury SUV, especially one that was co-developed with Volkswagen, is pure blasphemy. But in truth, the Cayenne makes tremendous sense: Not only does the high-priced, high-profit-margin Cayenne give a healthy boost to Porsche's bottom line, it also gives customers desiring the lifestyle benefits and image projection of a sport-utility vehicle an option that delivers a healthy dose of performance as well. The undeniable cachet of the Porsche name doesn't hurt, either.