Porsche has a surefire winner on its hands with the Macan. The small SUV is deeply rooted in the company's sporting heritage, as is evident with even a passing glance. The Macan's steel and aluminum body has near-perfect proportions and, as Porsche says, it "embodies sportiness, dynamism, and precision, together with an elegance and lightweight construction." Taking cues from the Cayenne, 911 and even the 918 Spyder, the Macan is unmistakably Porsche.
The Macan is available in Base, Macan T, Macan S, and GTS with all three featuring active all-wheel drive and the latest development of Porsche Traction Management. The rear axle is always powered, while the front receives its cues from the available traction. In particularly unstable driving situations, such as icy roads, fully 100 percent of the Macan's power can be shifted to the front wheels through a multi-plate clutch.
The Macan also benefits from an aluminum 5-arm wishbone suspension up front, with a self-tracking trapezoidal link suspension in the back. Paired with big 6-piston brakes, 19-inch alloy wheels and fat tires, the Macan is as sure-footed as they come.
Three engines are offered in the Macan. The base Macan is powered by a turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder making 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Porsche claims a sprint from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds. The Macan S is powered by a turbocharged 2.9L V6, which produces 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque from just 1,850 rpm. That's enough to propel the Macan S to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 156 mph.
All three engines are mated to Porsche's PDK dual-clutch 7-speed automatic transmission, which makes for extremely fast gear changes. Paddle shifters make changing gears a snap and a selectable Sport mode allows for more responsive engine and transmission management. This equates to faster shift times, a higher redline and a sweeter sound from the exhaust.
Standard amenities in the Macan include 19-inch wheels, bi-xenon headlights with LED headlamps and running lights. Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with hard-drive navigation is also standard, as is an 8-speaker audio system, Bluetooth connectivity, 3-zone automatic climate control, rearview camera and parking sensors and a power tailgate.
The Macan S builds on these features, and in addition to the larger engine, it includes dual exhausts, 20-inch wheels, and larger brakes.
The Macan Turbo commands a large premium over the S model, in large part thanks to all the performance features it gets. Standard on the Turbo model is Porsche's Active Suspension Management system which will continuously adjust the suspension on the fly to maximize handling, vastly changing the character of the vehicle. Other standard features include 21-inch wheels, even bigger brakes, an adjustable sport exhaust system, heated front seats, brushed aluminum interior accents, and an alcantara headliner.
Macan interiors are as luxurious and ergonomically efficient in the only way Porsche knows to build. Leather abounds. The large tachometer sits front and center before the driver, with the ignition on the left--a Porsche hallmark. All models feature a 3-way rear bench that, when folded, allows for 50.3 cubic-feet of cargo space.
The Macan Electric is available in two trims 4 and Turbo both powered by dual electric motors, the 4 produces is 402 horsepower while the Turbo produces 630 horsepower.
The Macan Electric features an adaptive suspension, painted calipers, a rear spoiler, power liftgate, power sunroof, heated power folding side mirrors, LED headlights, 20-inch wheels, heated front seats, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, an HD satellite radio, 10-speaker sound system, 10.9-inch touchscreen, voice activated navigation, wireless device connectivity and charging, 4 USB ports, a 12.6-inch gauge cluster and a heated leather steering wheel.
The Turbo trim adds larger brakes, adaptive headlights, power front seats, sport pedals, front seat memory, a 14-speaker sound system, and a sport steering wheel.
Standard safety features include front and rear parking sensors, active lane departure, blind spot warning, forward collision mitigation, rear collision warning, front pedestrian detection, driver attention monitoring and a traffic sign information system.
Great Performance From The Entire Model Range
Excellent All-wheel Drive
Exceptional Craftsmanship
Standard Features
Loaded With Technology
The Porsche Macan adds a new Macan Electric for 2024 but otherwise carries over with minimal changes.
The Porsche Macan is poised to become the benchmark of the compact sport crossover segment. The BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Range Rover Sport can't touch it in looks or performance, and with Porsche's proven track record of perfectly blending all-wheel drive sure-footedness with blistering speed and crisp handling, the Macan should impress the luxury compact SUV shoppers its after.
