If you’re set on a sport utility and performance is your game, Porsche Cayenne is a clear choice—if you have plenty of dough—at least until BMW’s M versions of the X5 and swoopy X6 hit the road.

Poke fun if you will at the notion of a Porsche sport utility, but the Cayenne lives up to its heritage. Plus, the 2009 model year brings a Turbo S to the troop with a $125,775 sticker, the promise of 550 horsepower, and a zero-to-60 time of 4.8 seconds.

Of course, you don’t have to go to that extreme to enjoy the Cayenne’s high-quality materials, athletic handling, and power. The entry-level rig starts at $45,975, boasting 290-horsepower from its 3.6-liter V-6 and sprint times of 7.5 seconds with the six-speed manual transmission and 7.9 with Porsche’s Tiptronic automatic.

You don’t have to go to that extreme either. There are three in-between models: Cayenne S, GTS, and the Turbo (without the S), plus a host of options to suit diverse tastes. All-wheel drive is standard across the line, and an off-road package is also available, giving the Cayenne the ability to do a little trailblazing.

Cayenne was introduced in 2003, with the 2008 model year bringing some engineering updates and design tweaks. This year, Porsche delivers a few more improvements, including a welcome simplification of the optional communications-management setup with a new touchscreen system.

Bluetooth hands-free connectivity also is available for your cell phone, and you can play music from iPods and the like. Some models can be equipped with Porsche’s beefed-up ceramic-composite brakes, which stand out with bright yellow calipers.

Standard items on the $45,975 Cayenne are 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, cruise control, antilock brakes, stability and traction control, side airbags and curtains, leather seats with 12-way power adjustments and lumbar support, heated mirrors, chilled glove box, and a 12-speaker audio system. That makes the sticker pretty reasonable among the Cayenne’s peers.

Obviously, however, price can skyrocket at the speed of the Turbo S. For example, we tested the GTS Tiptronic, which starts at just over $75,000. Porsche added special paint, suede-like Alcantara upholstery, bi-xenon headlamps with washers, the communications-management system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, a moonroof, surround sound, and a few other goodies, taking the price to about $91,000.

Plus, there are plenty of other options to add if you so desire. The panoramic sunroof, for example, adds $3,900 to the tab; the aforementioned ceramic brakes, more than eight grand; a rear entertainment system, $2,950; rearview camera with parking assist, $2,670; four-zone AC, almost $1,700; and so on.

Porsche’s SUV certainly is comfortable for drivers, with big bucket seats that hug you as it carves through curves. It’s a heavy rig, the GTS topping 5,000 pounds, but it handles like a—well, Porsche—firmly planted on the pavement as you zoom, weave, and just plain enjoy being behind the wheel.

Rear quarters and cargo space are not particularly generous. Nor is fuel economy.

But then, that’s not why you’d be buying a Porsche, whether it’s the 911 sports car or the Cayenne sport utility. There are other sporty SUVs—from the flashy Infiniti FX, Mazda’s CX-7, which is fun and upscale without moving into luxury turf, and the Volkswagen Touareg 2, also a very solid ride.

The Porsche name just speaks for itself though, and the fact that the vehicle in question is a sport utility does not take away from that image. So, on that note, I’ll be looking forward to a test of the new Porsche Panamera sedan.