Porsche Macan Review

There are plenty of manufacturers in the small SUV throng, so you'd be forgiven for thinking the Porsche Macan is just another of those luxury SUVs. Our Porsche Macan review tells you everything you need to know about the firm's smaller SUV and why it's much more than a baby Cayenne. 

Before anyone thinks it, the Macan is a proper Porsche. As we’ll discover, the Macan isn’t perfect by any means, but at doing the things that Porsche is famous for, it’s pretty much flawless.

Obviously, there’s one area above all others where a Porsche has to deliver, and that’s in how it drives. On that score, the Macan is nothing short of sublime. 

It displays physics-defying levels of body control when you change direction, and with massive grip and wonderful balance from a rear-biased four-wheel drive system, it’ll simply drive away from any rival along a twisty road, putting a broad grin on your face as it does so. Even better is the steering, which just like all the best Porsches, immerses you in the action every step of the way.

What’s more the ride is comfortable for family car duties, and refinement is good enough to make long stints at the wheel an absolute pleasure. All the engines punch hard, with greater punch as you progress up the range, so performance levels are easily worthy of the Porsche badge. All in all, this thing isn’t just great to drive by SUV standards, it’s great to drive by any standard.

The other area in which a Porsche must dazzle is quality. If you’re going to pay so much for a car, you want it to feel worth it. The Macan might be one of Porsche’s most affordable models, but it doesn’t feel like a poor relation, with a sumptuously trimmed and substantially built interior. 

In fairness, there are a fair few areas in which the Porsche Macan isn’t quite so dazzling. As we’ve said, it’s pricey compared with most rivals, and many of those rivals are considerably roomier, considerably more practical, and considerably better equipped, particularly when it comes to safety.

However, if the areas that are important to you are those in which the Macan does well, or you simply want to know that your family SUV is the sharpest-driving SUV on the face of the planet, the Porsche Macan is your only choice.

For most buyers, the Macan S is the one to have. It has the six-cylinder engine the car really deserves, enough pace to feel every inch a Porsche and a much stronger sense of occasion than the four-cylinder models.

The standard, four-cylinder Macan and Macan T make sense if budget matters and you want the chassis brilliance without stretching into the upper half of the range. Both are quick enough for everyday life, and the Macan T adds a little extra dynamic intent.

The GTS is the one to choose if you want the fullest expression of the Macan’s talents, but for many buyers, the S is the more rounded answer.

The petrol Macan range currently starts from around £56,000 in the UK, with the T, S and GTS stepping upwards from there.

Used prices now start from around £20,000 for earlier diesel and petrol examples, while later facelifted cars and six-cylinder petrols sit considerably higher.

As ever with Porsche, specification matters. Two superficially similar used Macans can feel very different in value once you account for suspension, seats, lighting, sports exhaust and infotainment options.

The BMW X3 is the obvious alternative if you want a premium SUV that is also good to drive, while the Audi Q5 (which is closely related to the Macan) remains a strong all-rounder with a more restrained character.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC majors more on comfort than sharpness, and the Range Rover Velar adds style-led appeal, while the Alfa Romeo Stelvio remains the left-field choice if you want something more flamboyant. But if driving enjoyment is your priority, the Macan sits at the top of this class.

Want something electric? Then take a look at our Porsche Macan Electric review.

If you’re looking for the most practical car of this type, then the Macan isn’t it. The front seats are fine for space, but in the back, legroom and headroom are quite a bit tighter than they are in most rivals, particularly the latter. You should fit okay if you fall short of the six-foot mark, but anyone taller might struggle. 

You won’t want to try fitting three people in the back on a regular basis, either. The cabin is rather on the narrow side and a bulky central transmission tunnel robs the middle occupant of foot space. What’s more, while many rivals offer rear seats that slide, recline and all sorts of other clever stuff, there’s none of that in the Porsche.

The Porsche Macan's boot is a decent size at 488-litres, big enough for buggies and a few bags, and it’s a useful square shape with no load lip to negotiate when lobbing heavy items in. However, rivals like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 offer considerably more in the way of capacity. That said, the Macan does give you rear seats that fold in a 40-20-40 arrangement, giving you extra versatility when carrying large loads, taking rear boot space up to 1503-litres.

The Porsche Macan measures 4,726mm long, 1,927mm wide and 1,596mm high. That makes it a relatively compact premium SUV by modern standards.

In practice, it feels easier to place than many rivals, which helps reinforce the Macan’s more driver-focused character.

The Macan’s infotainment improved significantly with the larger 10.9-inch touchscreen introduced with the facelift. It’s sharper, more modern and much easier to use than the smaller screen fitted to earlier cars.

Even so, this remains a Porsche, which means equipment and features can still depend heavily on how the car was specified. That matters most on the used market, where two similar-looking examples can differ noticeably in what they offer.

The system itself is good rather than class-leading. It is clear, responsive and well integrated, but the Macan’s real strength remains the way its controls and driving position make the whole cabin feel built around the driver.

The standard interior features seats trimmed in synthetic leather with 'Sport-Tex' fabric inserts plus a leather finish for the steering wheel and gear selector. There are several part-leather packages and a few full leather options with various colours available. 

Brushed aluminium, carbon fibre and wood inlay packages can be optioned, as can contrast stitching and even different colour seatbelts. You can go further still by engaging the services of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur.

The current petrol Macan range centres on four versions: Macan, Macan T, Macan S and Macan GTS.

The standard Macan uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with 265PS. It is the least charismatic engine in the range, but it’s still quick enough to make the car feel lively and responsive.

The Macan T uses the same engine, but with a slightly more driver-focused chassis setup and a subtly different character. It’s more about feel than outright pace.

The Macan S is where the range really starts to make emotional sense. Its 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 produces 380PS and gives the car the sort of effortlessness and punch that suit the Porsche badge much better.

The GTS uses an even stronger version of that same V6 with 440PS, and it turns the Macan into one of the quickest and most focused SUVs of its type without tipping over into something excessive.

Every Macan uses Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and it remains one of the best transmissions in any performance SUV.

The Macan feels astonishingly well sorted dynamically. Body control is exceptional for an SUV, the steering is accurate and alive, and the rear-biased all-wheel-drive system gives it the kind of balance most rivals can’t dream of.

The S and GTS are the versions that best show what the car can do, because the stronger engines give the chassis the sense of urgency it really deserves. But even the base car feels more disciplined and more enjoyable than most direct alternatives.

Ride comfort is also strong. The standard suspension is perfectly acceptable in terms of comfort, adaptive dampers help, and air suspension is the plushest option of all. What matters is that the Macan never feels as though its dynamic polish comes at the cost of everyday use.

Refinement is good, too. Wind and engine noise are well managed, and while the standard four-cylinder can sound a little workmanlike next to the V6 cars, the overall impression remains of a premium, well-insulated and deeply capable long-distance SUV.

The Macan achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating when it was originally tested, though that was back in 2014, and standards have moved on significantly since then. The safety body now considers this rating ‘expired’.

It’s also worth noting that some key assistance features were optional rather than standard, especially on earlier cars. That means used buyers need to check the specifications carefully rather than assuming every example has the same safety kit.

Fuel economy depends heavily on which engine you choose. The four-cylinder Macan and Macan T are the most efficient on paper, with official figures around the high-20s mpg mark.

The six-cylinder S and GTS are thirstier, but in context, they remain acceptable for the performance on offer. Real-world results will depend far more on how often you lean on the Macan’s pace than on the brochure figure.

If you are buying new, the Macan comes with Porsche’s standard new-car cover. If you are buying used, Porsche Approved is reassuring because Porsche Approved pre-owned cars in the UK currently include a minimum of 24 months Porsche Warranty and a minimum of 24 months Porsche Assistance.

That is separate from the broader Porsche Approved Warranty scheme, which can be renewed on eligible cars for 12, 24 or 36 months at a time and can apply up to 15 years of vehicle age, provided the car continues to meet Porsche’s conditions. In other words, a Porsche Approved Used Macan gives you two years of cover from the start, while older cars may still be eligible for extended Porsche-backed warranty cover later on.

Servicing is unlikely to be cheap, but the Macan has a strong reputation for durability, and it is well supported by both Porsche centres and specialists. On used cars, condition and history matter more than almost anything else, so it is worth prioritising clean ownership, the right tyres and a full maintenance record.

You wouldn’t expect premiums to be a snip on any Porsche, even one that’s relatively small and affordable, as the Macan is. And indeed they aren’t. Insurance groupings sit between 35 and 47 (of 50, with 50 being the most expensive), depending on which version you go for. Even so, it’s a little surprising they’re not even higher considering the power they have, especially the versions at the top of the range.

For most Porsche Macans first registered on or after 1 April 2017, the standard annual VED rate is now £200.

Because all current petrol Macans cost more than £40,000, they are also caught by the Expensive Car Supplement for five years from the second licence. That takes the annual bill to £640 during that period.