The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Overall poise
- Great steering
- Classy cabin
- Many options
- Big screen
Dislikes
- Expensive
- Limited driver-assistance tech
- Base turbo-4 lacks verve
- Small rear seat
Buying tip
features & specs
After a Cayman but need some cargo space? Enter the 2024 Porsche Macan.
What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Porsche Macan? What does it compare to?
The 2024 Macan is the smaller of Porsche’s two SUV models. Shop it against the BMW X4, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, and Audi Q5 Sportback.
Is the 2024 Porsche Macan a good SUV?
It’s not an easy-to-rationalize choice thanks to its hefty price tag and so-so fuel economy, but those who want 911-esque thrills with a dose of practicality will be well-served in the Porsche Macan. It’s a 6.4 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2024 Porsche Macan?
The Macan is mostly unchanged for 2024.
Wearing lines clearly evocative of the larger Porsche Cayenne, the Macan is a curvy, muscular choice. It’s not gorgeous outside, but it has just enough Porsche cues to properly anchor this sports car/SUV lineup. It’s more impressive inside, even if its touch-sensitive buttons can be a bit tricky to operate. Spend your time sorting through a myriad of paint and trim options before settling on just any Macan, though. This little SUV is worth exploring.
The base 261-hp turbo-4 delivers good power, though it’s short on that special Porsche verve. Instead, opt for the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 included in S and GTS versions, which put out as much as 434 hp. All models use a slick 7-speed dual-clutch automatic that fires off some of the fastest shifts around. The Macan has a poised, balanced feel in any configuration. It’s best with optional adaptive dampers or air springs, especially if you want wheels larger than the available 20s. Just don’t look for good fuel economy. The Macan tops out at 21 mpg combined, which isn’t very good. There’s no hybrid version here.
The Macan has a pretty, if not exactly spacious, cabin. Great front seats give way to a cramped second row. Rear cargo space is small for an SUV, though folding the second-row seatbacks reveals plenty of room for bigger items.
Macans now have standard adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. You’ll pay extra for blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and a surround-view camera system, however.
How much does the 2024 Porsche Macan cost?
The Macan lineup starts at $62,550 for the base model with its 10.9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 19-inch alloy wheels, steel springs, and power tailgate. Figure closer to $70,000 for a typically equipped base model with more power adjustment for the front seats, heated front and second-row seats, cooled front seats, and a big sunroof. Better yet, we’d spend $75,000-plus for the Macan S with its strong V-6.
Where is the 2024 Porsche Macan made?
In Germany.
2024 Porsche Macan Styling
Porsche’s smallest SUV has a toned bod over a classy cabin.
Is the Porsche Macan a good-looking car?
It’s no classic beauty, but the 2024 Porsche Macan channels its Cayenne big brother inside and out. It’s a 7 on the TCC scale thanks to its muscular exterior and its tech-heavy cabin.
The Macan wears a reptilian style with short overhangs and a blocky front fascia. Think of it like a 911 that’s wearing a puffy jacket—and we mean a pricey coat, not a cut-rate one. There’s a lot of unpainted plastic up front which gives the Macan a somewhat rugged look, but its flared arches and big wheels mean it’s definitely an on-roader. The wide taillights at the rear are a clear link to both the Macan and the sporty 911.
Unlike some other models in the Porsche lineup, there’s not a huge amount of differentiation between each different Macan trim. That’s good news for those who are fine with the base turbo-4, though those spending up for a six-figure Macan may have to settle for looking rather pedestrian.
Inside, the cabin has a big touchscreen and a slew of touch-sensitive buttons that disappear behind glossy black plastic when the ignition is switched off. Porsche offers its usual wide array of interior trim and materials, so don’t settle for plain—unless that’s your personality.
2024 Porsche Macan Performance
The Macan doesn’t skimp on Porsche-grade acceleration or handling.
The Porsche Macan boasts exceptional acceleration and poise, plus a comfortable ride. It’s a solid 8 on the TCC scale.
Is the Porsche Macan 4WD?
Yes, though it’s definitely not an off-roader. There’s little in the way of serious four-wheeling tech on its options roster.
How fast is the Porsche Macan?
It can be pretty peppy. The base 2.0-liter turbo-4 comes from the Volkswagen Group’s portfolio. You can find it in everything from a Jetta GLI to an Audi Q7. Here, it’s tuned for 261 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, which zips to each corner via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Look for a 6.0-second run to 60 mph, which is plenty quick. This engine is standard on the base and Macan T versions, the latter of which adds the Sport Chrono package with an additional drive mode and launch control.
The turbo-4 lacks the personality we expect from a Porsche, so that’s why we’d step up to the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 in the Macan S. Its 375 hp slashes over a second off of the run to 60 mph, and it’s much more characterful. GTS versions use a 434-hp version of that engine, which enables them to run to 60 mph in about 4.3 seconds.
On all, the 7-speed dual-clutch is a thrilling dance partner. It fires off rapid shifts and comes with convenient paddles. It’s perfectly suited to the Macan.
All models boast stellar, communicative steering that makes them a joy to fling down a winding road. The base suspension setup is soft enough for day-to-day commuting, though it’s the optional air springs (included with the Macan T) that ride the best if you’re planning to opt for bigger wheels. Macan S and GTS versions have adaptive dampers, which help out, too.
Big, powerful brakes help scrub off speed.
2024 Porsche Macan Comfort & Quality
More practical than a 718 Boxster, the Macan is nonetheless not a particularly spacious small SUV.
So long as you’re not after a family hauler, the Porsche Macan provides a comfortable, well-equipped cabin. It’s best appreciated from one of the supportive front seats, though your luggage will be happy enough. It’s a 7 on the TCC scale.
The front seats come with standard 8-way power adjustment; more bolstering and either 14- or 18-way adjustment is available. Rear-seat passengers will find narrow, short door openings and limited leg room. The Macan is best used as a two-seater.
Behind the rear bench, you’ll find just 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space, though folding the rear seatbacks opens up a heftier 53.0 cubes.
Macans are nicely finished inside even in base trim, though you may want to option up to nicer leather as well as real wood or carbon fiber trim.
2024 Porsche Macan Safety
The 2024 Porsche Macan has yet to be crash-tested by the IIHS or the NHTSA.
How safe is the Porsche Macan?
It has yet to be crash-tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS, so we can’t give the 2024 Macan a score for safety.
Standard fare now includes a system called Porsche Active Safe that bundles adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. The automaker charges extra for blind-spot monitors and a surround-view camera system. Narrow front roof pillars make forward vision good, but the high belt line and chunky rear roof pillars make rearward vision a challenge.
2024 Porsche Macan Features
The 2024 Porsche Macan is available in a huge range of configurations, none of which are cheap.
Porsche offers a huge lineup of Macan trim levels, each with so many optional extras that you’ll want to plan to spend some time sorting through the spec sheet before signing on the dotted line. We rate the range at 8 out of 10 thanks to a big touchscreen, plentiful options, and good standard fare.
The lineup begins at $62,550, for a base 4-cylinder, which has a big 10.9-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay mirroring, 19-inch alloy wheels, leather seats with power adjustment up front, and a power tailgate. They also come with adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
Which Porsche Macan should I buy?
If you’re on a budget, stick with a base Macan but consider the $3,660 Premium Package Plus that bundles 14-way front seats with memory, heated front and rear seats, cooled front seats, blind-spot monitors, adaptive LED headlights, and a big sunroof. That’s a lot of stuff for the money.
We’re less intrigued by the Macan T, which has some performance bonafides but sticks with the base 4-cylinder engine. Spend instead for the Macan S. It’s $73,950 to start. We’d spec ours with metallic paint, 20-inch Neodyme wheels (they’re so pretty), upgraded leather with more power adjustment, an air suspension, the Sport Chrono package, noise-insulated glass, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view camera system, active lane control, and a few other bits for just shy of $90,000. That’s a lot of cash, but the Macan S manages to feel worth every bit of what Porsche wants.
How much is a fully loaded Porsche Macan?
The Macan GTS starts at $88,450, though it’s not hard to tack on another $25,000 in options.
2024 Porsche Macan Fuel Economy
The 2024 Porsche Macan isn’t particularly thrifty.
It’s a guzzler, especially since there is no Porsche Macan hybrid. The base turbo-4 checks in with EPA test estimates of 19 mpg city, 25 highway, 21 combined, which is in line with some competitors offering 6-cylinder motivation. The Macan S is estimated at just 17/23/19 mpg, while the GTS is rated at a mere 22 mpg on the highway.
All Macans use premium fuel.
