Porsche Macan review: fun and practical sporty SUV

The Porsche Macan has been around for a long time, although, sadly, this version’s days are numbered.  It’s a very popular premium mid-size SUV and there's a good reason for this. Beyond its desirable badge and stylish exterior, the Macan is one of the better SUVs to drive and if you can live with the relatively firm ride it’s still comfortable and practical enough to handle family car duties.

The Macan’s sporty focus continues in the petrol-only range of powertrains and the high running costs that come along with them. Yet the standard seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic gearbox means the Macan is a beautifully relaxed car to drive, and the fit and finish of the interior is simply flawless.

About the Porsche Macan

After the runaway success of Porsche’s first SUV, the Cayenne, it was clear the German sports car manufacturer couldn’t afford not to extend its presence in the SUV sector. 

The Macan entered production in 2014, before an initial update in 2019 brought significant changes both inside and out. Another refresh in 2021 further extended the life span of Porsche’s mid-size SUV, because it’ll continue to be sold alongside a brand-new, electric-only Macan due to arrive in 2024.

The Macan is still a very desirable SUV that drives extremely well, which is a pretty remarkable feat for something that’s been in production for so long. But that’s not surprising considering it bears one of the most highly-regarded performance car badges of all time. There may still be some of Porsche’s more puritanical sports car fans who still roll their eyes at the mere idea of a Porsche SUV, but most of the rest of the world has got over that philosophical hurdle, as the sales figures attest. 

The Macan swims in a crowded pool. It’s up against the likes of the Jaguar F-Pace and Range Rover Velar, along with other German rivals such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and X4,  and Mercedes GLC. Meanwhile, the Lexus NX features impressive on-board technology, and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and Maserati Grecale offer buyers their own stylish take on what a premium SUV is all about.

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The most recent round of updates in 2021 saw the flagship Macan Turbo axed, subtle power increases for the rest of the range and a few exterior details freshened up. Porsche’s baby SUV got a new front bumper and rear diffuser, standard Sport Design door mirrors, Porsche's LED Dynamic Light System, along with new wheel designs and fresh paint options. Inside the cabin, haptic touch surfaces replaced buttons, while the infotainment touchscreen grew substantially and now features the latest user interface.

The Macan lineup now consists of four models: the standard Macan, Macan T, Macan S and top-of-the-range Macan GTS. The base model and Macan T are powered by a 261bhp version of the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, while the Macan S uses Porsche’s in-house 2.9-litre hot-V (which denotes that the two turbochargers live within the ‘V’ of the engine) V6 petrol unit packing 375bhp. The top-spec GTS model uses the same V6 but produces 434bhp – 69bhp less than the BMW X3 M and X4 M. Both engines are connected to a seven-speed PDK auto gearbox and four-wheel drive as standard.

For an alternative guide to the Porsche Macan, visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk...