19 MPG combined is more like a side effect than a main goal of owning a 2018 Porsche Cayenne GTS. People buying this car want performance, a fun driving experience, and the Porsche name. The GTS is made to give driving thrills, and its need for premium gas is part of what you get.

City and highway performance

The EPA estimates are 16 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway for the 2018 Cayenne GTS, which has a 3.6L twin-turbo V6 and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The city number is probably more useful for GTS drivers, since they likely spend a lot of time in cities. The highway number is better, but the engine still wants fuel to perform.

Annual fuel cost

The EPA says the annual fuel cost for the 2018 Porsche Cayenne GTS is $3,050. This comes from driving 15,000 miles a year, with some miles in the city and some on the highway, using national average fuel prices. Your fuel costs will be different based on how you drive and local gas prices, but the $3,050 EPA estimate is a standard to compare the GTS to other cars.

Real-world expectations

The EPA gives a starting point, but owners might see higher or lower numbers based on driving. Driving hard will lower fuel economy below the city estimate, while careful highway driving might get close to or a little over the 23 MPG number. The important thing is: the GTS rewards fast driving, and its fuel use shows that.

How it compares

The 2018 BMW X5 M, a similar car, gets only 16 MPG combined. A Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S from the same year gets around 15 MPG combined. Even the Audi SQ5, which is less about performance, only gets around 21 MPG combined with its supercharged V6. The Cayenne GTS buyer might not be looking for the best gas mileage, and the similar or worse numbers from other cars show that fuel use is less important than performance in this group. For those wanting better fuel economy within Porsche, browsing all Porsche fuel economy data shows other models with much better ratings. You can research CAYENNE MPG across all years to see how the GTS compares within its line.

Tips to maximize efficiency

Use “Normal” mode when you can. “Sport” and “Sport Plus” use the engine’s full power, but they also use more fuel. The more conservative driving mode can help with fuel economy for driving to work and on the highway.

Avoid always using the engine’s full power. The twin-turbo V6 in the GTS is great, but quick bursts of speed cost fuel. Driving smoothly will lower fuel use without losing the car’s sporty feel.

Keep your tires inflated and aligned. Low tires increase resistance, making the engine work harder and use more fuel. Regular tire care helps fuel economy and handling. Check your tire pressure often.

Take out extra weight. Removing things from the car makes it lighter and helps fuel economy. Every extra pound takes more energy to move, so removing things from the inside can help a little.

Plan your routes well. Avoid stop-and-go traffic for better fuel economy. Driving in free-flowing traffic helps you not idle, which wastes fuel. Do all your errands in one trip to avoid cold starts, which use more fuel than a warm engine.