Porsche Macan Review
People love comparing this to the X3, and since I've driven a few of those, I figured it was important to give the Macan an extended test drive.
Disclaimer: this review was initially published in September before I moved my site over to Substack. That had the “oopsie-daisy” effect of making the links housed there now inaccessible. So, if it reads familiar, that’s why. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to!
Having driven a handful of Porsches, I thought I had a pretty good idea of how the Macan would feel compared to other performance-luxury SUVs. My obvious benchmark was the BMW X3, and I don’t think anyone would disagree that it’s the closest competitor. Offerings from Audi and Mercedes-Benz fall a bit short in the sporting department, and the Volvo XC60 somehow never feels premium enough to stack up. I took a borrowed Porsche Macan through some of the most beautiful backroads I’ve ever been on in Portland, OR, and got a feel for how the supposed king of small and sporty SUVs really performs.
Performance Basics and Equipment
We picked up a base 2022 Porsche Macan with a few choice options added. But, under the hood still rests a stout 2.0-liter four-cylinder making just 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. I’d have liked the Macan S quite a bit more; while the Porsche never felt lethargic, the mountain passes would’ve been a hundred times more fun with a hundred extra horsepower (375, to be exact). Car and Driver says the Macan hits 60 mph from a standstill in 5.0 seconds flat; mine did not seem that sprightly. Since I didn’t launch it, I’m not going to dispute it further.
This particular Macan was optioned well. It had heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic roof, and Bose sound. The sound was good but not great. Apple CarPlay worked completely without issue, which is nice – some of the other vehicles I’ve driven with it have consistency issues.
The Route and Where We Drove It
We had the Macan for about a week and took it throughout downtown Portland, Oregon, and the surrounding areas. It was a solid mix of city driving and mountain curves. I intentionally routed our way through the Oregon wilderness up into Mount Hood and Government Camp areas. We also sat in some traffic on our way into Salem – south of Portland. In all, we covered about 300 miles. Predictably, it rained. The 19-inch wheel and tire package (Michelin A/S it looked like) handled the conditions just fine – minimal tramlining and great wet and dry grip.
Driving the Porsche Macan
There’s a lot to like in the Porsche Macan. The turbocharged four-cylinder develops enough power to keep you entertained. More interesting and enjoyable, though, is the PDK transmission. It feels more exotic than the ZF eight-speed that populates this segment in offers from BMW and others. It’s plenty quick to shift and does a good job of figuring out what you’re doing even left in automatic mode.
With respect to handling, the Macan scores equally high marks. The Macan gives better steering feel than competitors I’ve driven from Mercedes and BMW. There’s body roll, predictably, but it isn’t anything you won’t find elsewhere in the segment. My test subject had the base 19-inch wheels, and I wouldn’t opt for anything bigger unless you’re driving on roads paved with glass. Despite the air suspension, I don’t think the Macan is any more or less comfortable than equivalent sport-forward SUVs like the X3 M40i. That’s okay; besides, the communicative steering more than makes up for it. In my book, it earns that Porsche crest on the hood.
One of the biggest takeaways from the 997.1 I drove a few years ago was the overwhelming feeling of “specialness” you get from the driver’s seat. Looking in your side mirrors, you see curvaceous haunches. You sit low in the vehicle and the gearshift feels like it was specifically crafted to be put just so and to be gripped just so. Perhaps describing the cabin as purposeful is more accurate – and the prime directive is always driving. It’s a feeling that BMW M does exceptionally well and one of the reasons I still love their vehicles. I’m not sure that the Porsche Macan lived up to expectations in that regard. I think that might be more of a me problem than anything the Macan does, though. It's also important to note that this isn't a BMW M car - or even a particularly performance-forward Porsche model. It's designed to function largely the same way that a base X3 would. And with that juxtaposition, it stands a bit taller.
Verdict
While far from economy class – and this was, admittedly, a base Macan, despite being well-optioned – the Macan never truly felt special. That might go away in the higher trims, or it might not. I hope to drive one soon and figure that out. The Macan is good. But not in the way a 911 is good.
I would have trouble recommending a Porsche Macan to someone over an X3. Before you even get to options, a base Macan has an MSRP about on-par with the comparable X3 M40i (or new X3 M50). For that you get a heck of a lot more power and much better standard equipment. That said, the X3 can’t touch it in the handling department. But…it’s an SUV. Does it need to handle like a sports car? And that’s exactly what I would ask anyone considering the two SUVs.