Having already delivered a relatively straightforward SUV with the Cayenne, Porsche clearly felt little pressure to do the same with its brand new Macan. Instead, the Macan with its broad, low design is much more of a luxury sport-hatchback than a CUV. In fact it’s been suggested that the Macan is less a baby brother to the Cayenne than it is a big brother to the 911. The Macan’s impressive power, extreme agility and sharp handling all seem to support this claim making it a very intriguing addition to the CUV market.
What's New for 2015
This is the debut year for the Macan, so it is a completely new CUV.
Choosing Your Porsche Macan
With only two trim levels to choose from, your primary decision comes down once again to engine. Both the S and the Turbo come with active all-wheel drive, Porsche's seven-speed PDK double-clutch automatic transmission and the Porsche Traction Management system. Porsche’s Sport button is standard as well -- when activated, it makes the engine more responsive and gear changes tighter. Other standard features include wheel-mounted paddle shifters, 19-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, power tailgate and cruise control.
Many of Porsche’s common optional upgrades are available for the Macan. Some of them (like the Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus system, ceramic-composite breaks and 21-inch wheels) are designed to push the Macan experience to the sportier side. Others (like self-adjusting headlights, a sixteen speaker Burmester audio system and adaptive cruise control) bend more towards the luxury. Also available is the Sport Chrono package and a 360-degree surround view camera system which shows your Macan’s position from a bird’s eye view.
The MSRP on a base Macan S is virtually identical to that of the Cayenne. Moving up to the Turbo comes with a huge jump in cost (around an additional $22,000) with the primary upgrade being the engine. We recommend a moderately equipped S as your best all-around value.