Cayenne

The real island begins where the seafront promenade ends: the road down to Cala Gonone clinging to the cliff face, the inland climbs of the Gallura through granite outcrops and cork oak groves, the final kilometre of white gravel between the car park and the right beach. The Cayenne is the way to experience all of that Sardinia — not just the one in the shop windows — with five seats, all-wheel drive and the ground clearance that removes every hesitation.

It is also the most rational answer for anyone arriving as a family or a group: luggage, beach gear, pushchairs — everything finds a place without anyone being squeezed. In our guide to luxury SUVs in Sardinia we explain why space and prestige are not mutually exclusive; Porsche delivery in Olbia, at the airport or the port, does the rest — you step off the ferry or the plane and simply drive away.

The 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 breathes deeply from low revs: 353 hp managed by the eight-speed Tiptronic S, a torque-converter automatic that puts fluency first — gears flow past like ribbon, without a jolt, perfect when there are children asleep in the back or guests you would rather not disturb. Press on, though, and the picture changes: 0–100 km/h in 6 seconds and a surge few SUVs can match.

The chassis is the true family signature. You sit high and command the road, yet body roll stays remarkably contained and the steering communicates with a precision you do not expect from two tonnes. Over the rises and dips of the SS125 between Dorgali and Baunei the Cayenne holds a grand tourer's pace, while all-wheel drive ends any debate about suddenly damp asphalt or dusty hairpins.

The Coupé version cuts the roofline into something sleeker and more muscular: the same room for four adults, considerably more stage presence outside the hotel or the restaurant on the harbour. It is the choice of those who want an SUV that, shot in three-quarter profile, reads as a raised coupé — and on the Costa Smeralda it does not go unnoticed.

The Turbo GT is the Cayenne at its most extreme: a twin-turbo V8, a stiffened chassis and a circuit-bred set-up make it the benchmark among high-performance SUVs. To see where it sits within the wider line-up, the luxury SUV rental in Sardinia page compares every alternative in the fleet. Requirements and conditions are provided at the quotation stage.