- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.9TT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
280kW, 520Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 10.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2022 Porsche Macan review: Australian first drive
More urgent engines, and a modernised interior make evolutionary changes to the Macan range more than the sum of their parts.
- Tremendous performance, even from base Macan, from updated engines
- Seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is a cracker
- Dynamically adept
- Options, options, options... some items really should be standard
- Safety technology lacking in key areas
- Second row remains cramped
Introduction
If there’s one thing Porsche knows how to do well, it’s evolution. For seven decades now, Porsche has fine-tuned and evolved its range, each evolution – usually – an improvement on the breed.
Now, it’s the turn of the German carmaker’s medium SUV, the Porsche Macan, which has undergone a minor facelift, a major heart transplant and a technology nip-and-tuck to keep a model that first debuted in 2014, fresh.
The trimmed down 2022 Porsche Macan range comprises just three variants, with the Turbo model dropped from Porsche’s medium SUV line-up. That leaves the Macan GTS as the halo car of the range, and a halo it is; more on that later.
The range kicks off with the eponymous Macan, priced at $84,800 plus on-road costs, making it the most affordable new Porsche on the market, and by a long way.
The mid-range Macan S asks for $105,800 while the new range-topper Macan GTS gets underway at $129,800 plus on-roads, far and away the most affordable performance-focussed Porsche on the market, and arguably the thinking person’s sports car.
On the surface, the updated (this is a facelift, not an all-new model) Macan range looks much like the model it replaces. Cosmetic changes are subtle, a revised grille and newly-styled air intakes out front the headline act. Down the side, the Macan’s ‘blades’ have received a subtle tweak, making them more pronounced and affording the SUV a lower stance and profile on the road.
It’s a similar tale inside, the biggest change the touch-sensitive buttons (in place of mechanical buttons and switches) on the centre console that acts like a flight command system for the Macan.
The biggest changes for 2022 come under the bonnet, however, with reworked engines offering more power and torque across the Macan range.
The entry-level model carries over its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol but several key areas – fuel injection, timing chain, piston rings – have been revised and tweaked, the end result a 10kW/30Nm power and torque bump, now at 195kW and 400Nm.
The mid-range Macan S has ditched its single-turbo 3.0-litre V6 and in its place a more heroic 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 shared across the broader Porsche catalogue. Power and torque have increased by 20kW and 40Nm to 280kW and 520Nm – the same as the previous Macan GTS.
It’s the same engine under the snout of the revised Macan GTS, albeit with an even bigger performance boost – 44kW and 30Nm – over the GTS model it replaces. Outputs are now rated at 324kW and 550Nm, the same as afforded by the now defunct Macan Turbo. Make no mistake, the Macan GTS is the new hero in the range.
Key details | 2022 Porsche Macan | 2022 Porsche Macan S | 2022 Porsche Macan GTS |
Price (MSRP) | $84,800 | $105,800 | $129,800 |
Colour of test car | Volcano Grey | Gentian Blue | Carmine Red |
Options | $10,470 | $26,130 | $23,380 |
Price as tested | $95,270 | $131,930 | $153,180 |
Rivals | Audi Q5 | Mercedes-Benz GLC | BMW X3 |
Inside
There are no wholesale changes to the interior of the updated Macan which looks familiar to anyone who’s sat in the outgoing model. Like they are externally, the design changes inside are subtle, with the hero piece the new multifunction steering wheel transplanted from the Porsche 911.
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The tiller feels chunky and solid in hand, exactly as you want a Porsche wheel to feel. It’s mercifully clean in design too, with only minimal buttons to get your head around.
The more powerful S and GTS models also feature a Manetinno-style dial used for selecting drive modes. It’s absent on the base model which features a touch-sensitive button on the new digital array in the centre console.
The new, stubbier gear lever sits inside the gloss black touch panel command centre that houses an array of controls for various vehicle functions. It replaces the analogue array of switches and toggles which looked and felt overwrought in the older Macan.
Tri-zone climate control is standard across the range, as is leather seat trim, the GTS alone scoring what Porsche dubs its ‘Race-Tex’ package that adds microsuede inserts into the seats, armrests and central storage bin.
The front seats are beautifully supportive – with electric bolstering in the Macan GTS – while the driving position belies the Macan’s SUV proportions, offering a feeling of being cocooned inside a sports car. Electrically adjustable seats in tandem with an electrically adjustable steering wheel for tilt and reach ensure the perfect driving position.
The driver display is a mix of old world charm and new age digital information. Traditional analogue dials for speedo and tacho are augmented by a single digital dial that toggles through a host of driving data including fuel consumption, tyre pressures and sat-nav. The central tacho in the GTS is finished in a racy red colour. It looks sharp too. There’s a digital speed readout as well.
The second row remains as it always has, and that is tight for adult occupants. There’s not a tremendous amount of leg- or headroom back there, even behind my 173cm frame driving position.
Boot space isn’t class-leading either, Porsche quoting 488 litres for the entry-level Macan and a slightly diminished 453 litres for the Macan S and GTS variants. Those capacities expand to 1503 litres (Macan) and 1468 litres (S and GTS) with the second row stowed away. For context, the Macan’s twin under the skin, the Audi Q5, provides 550L.
A space-saver spare wheel lives under the boot floor.
Key details | 2022 Porsche Macan | 2022 Porsche Macan S | 2022 Porsche Macan GTS |
Seats | Five | Five | Five |
Boot volume | 488L/1503L | 453L/1468L | 453L/1468L |
Length | 4726mm | 4726mm | 4726mm |
Width | 1922mm | 1927mm | 1927mm |
Height | 1621mm | 1621mm | 1606mm |
Wheelbase | 2807mm | 2807mm | 2807mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
A new 10.9-inch touchscreen hosts Porsche’s Communication Management infotainment system which, despite being a generation older than the system found in some newer Porsche models, remains well-designed and intuitive to use.
Satellite navigation is standard across the range as is DAB+ radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Apple CarPlay. There’s no Android Auto. Porsche drivers don’t use Google-based phones, apparently.
Satellite navigation mapping is excellent, with clear and easy directions and instructions married to uncluttered and crystal sharp graphics.
Apple CarPlay works seamlessly, as it should, and is quick to fire up on start-up.
A 14-speaker premium Bose sound system is standard in S and GTS variants, the entry-level Macan making do with a 10-speaker regular audio system.
There are four USB-C points in total, two in the central storage bin and two more in the rear centre console.
And if there was an award for font usage, Porsche would win, its infotainment typeface clean, elegant, well-designed and most of all, easy to read. Sometimes, it’s the attention to detail that stand out. The little things matter.
Safety & Technology
The Porsche Macan range remains untested by Australia’s safety body, ANCAP and while it’s fitted standard with blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and front and rear parking sensors, it misses out on key tech such as rear cross-traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking, not even as options. That’s below par in this day and age.
So too the inclusion of adaptive cruise control only as a $1620 option, even on the top-spec Macan GTS, technology often found standard in much more affordable cars and SUVs. Regular cruise control is standard across the range. A suite of six airbags covers both rows of occupants.
2022 Porsche Macan | 2022 Porsche Macan S | 2022 Porsche Macan GTS | |
ANCAP rating | Untested | Untested | Untested |
Value for Money
On price alone, the Porsche Macan makes a compelling case. It’s by far the most affordable Porsche in the country, an ideal entry point for those wanting a ‘Porsche’ badge on the bonnet. Even the hi-po Macan GTS makes a decent case for itself, undercutting similar performance SUVs like the Audi SQ5 and Mercedes-AMG GLC43 by a fair margin.
But, as is the Porsche way, options can quickly diminish that tempting initial price. Our three test cars at launch carried respectively $10,470 (Macan), $26,130 (Macan S) and $23,380 (Macan GTS) worth of options, some of which really should be standard at this end of the market. Seat heating for $790? And adaptive cruise control at $1620? Hmmm.
Porsche covers the Macan with its standard three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty which is slim in today’s automotive landscape where five years’ surety is increasingly the norm.
Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first. Servicing costs aren’t a strong point, however, the Macan asking for a healthy dollop of dollars to keep fresh.
The first five years’ of scheduled servicing ask for, in order, $695, $995, $695, $1750 and $695. That’s $4831 over five years before factoring in some consumables, such as brake fluid, spark plugs and air filters which carry an extra cost. Not cheap, then.
The new Macan’s power bump across the range has brought with it an increase in fuel consumption. Porsche claims 9.3 litres per 100km for the Macan (up 0.4L), 10.2L/100km for Macan S (up 0.6L) and 10.3L/100km for the GTS (up 0.7L) on the combined cycle.
Our launch loops which involved some spirited driving interspersed with highway running saw an indicated 10.8L/100km (Macan), 12.8L/100km (Macan S) and 12.1L/100km (Macan GTS). All Macans requires premium 98 RON unleaded. The fuel tank measures in at 75 litres.
Key details | 2022 Porsche Macan | 2022 Porsche Macan S | 2022 Porsche Macan GTS |
Warranty | 3 years/unlimited km | 3 years/unlimited km | 3 years/unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months/15,00km | 12 months/15,00km | 12 months/15,00km |
Servicing costs | $2385 (3yrs) $4831 (5yrs) plus consumables | $2385 (3yrs) $4831 (5yrs) plus consumables | $2385 (3yrs) $4831 (5yrs) plus consumables |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 9.3L/100km | 10.2L/100km | 10.3L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 10.8L/100km | 12.8L/100km | 12.1L/100km |
Fuel type | 98-octane petrol | 98-octane petrol | 98-octane petrol |
Fuel tank size |
Driving
Even in its most humble trim, the Porsche Macan impresses with its on-road ability. The 2.0-litre turbo four is punchy without being manic, its 195kW and 400Nm enough for most applications.
Porsche claims a hot-hatch-esque 6.2 seconds for the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint time and that feels on the money, the turbo-four offering plenty of shove from standstill.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends drive to all four wheels and it should come as no surprise that Porsche’s iteration of the dual-clutch is a cracker, with razor sharp shifts and intuition that’s hard not to be like. Gear changes are seamless, whether using the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters or leaving the Macan to its own devices.
On the road, the base Macan displays excellent manners. It sits on passive dampers (adaptive dampers are a $2180 option for the base Macan) but that doesn’t detract from the ride quality, the Macan’s road holding ability and bump absorption excellent. Tip it enthusiastically into some corners and there’s a nice balanced feel to the chassis while the steering feels precise and engaging.
It lacks a little of the aural theatre of its more powerful siblings, but we’d venture for plenty of buyers at this end of the range, that’s perfectly okay.
The Macan S ups the theatrics, with a growling note from the 2.9-litre V6 that’s at once pleasing to the ear and speaking to elevated performance. Porsche claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.6 seconds for the mid-range Macan and it’s easily apparent this is a plenty quick medium SUV. Outputs are rated at a healthy 280kW and 520Nm
Acceleration from standstill is linear and predictable while on the move, the decent dollops of torque on tap come to the fore, the Macan S eagerly surging ahead in a refined and fuss-free manner, all while the exhaust note increases in intensity.
The seven-speed dual-clutch is as it is in the base Macan – sharp, intuitive and willing to hold on to engine revs, even in auto mode if the situation demands. Some tight twisting stretches of tarmac highlighted its sporting bent, the Macan S happy to surge out of corner exits at speeds that will have your licence cancelled if you push on for more than a couple of seconds.
Unlike the entry Macan, the Macan S sits on standard-fit adaptive dampers that firm up as you dial through Sport and Sport+ driving modes. And yet, even in their firmest setting, the ride remains remarkably comfortable, displaying none of the harshness that manufacturers sometimes tune into their most aggressive set-ups, and yet offering dynamic responsiveness that inspires confidence.
The steering too, is direct and razor-sharp, the Macan S responding to even the smallest inputs accurately and predictably. Nicely-weighted too, adding to that feeling of sportiness.
It does make you question the purpose of the Macan GTS. But, that question is soon dismissed after only a couple of minutes behind the wheel of the new halo Macan.
More powerful than the S, the Macan GTS offers 324kW and 550Nm from the same 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. Like its stablemates, the GTS’s V6 is married to Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch auto sending drive to all four wheels.
Porsche says, when hooked up, the GTS will cover the dash from 0-100km/h in just 4.3 seconds. That’s properly quick, and quicker than the deleted Macan Turbo’s claim of 4.5 seconds.
For context, that’s just 0.3s slower than the Porsche Cayman GTS coupe, which not only features a bigger 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine but is also priced at around $50k more than the Macan GTS. And for added context, the Macan GTS is 0.1s quicker to the benchmark 100km/h than the Cayman S that asks for around $15k more than the Macan GTS.
Suddenly, the prospect of the thinking person’s sports car has a distinctly SUV-shaped flavour.
Straight-line performance isn’t everything, of course, and the good news here is that the Macan GTS behaves impeccably under harder driving. That 4.3-second claim is on the money, and it translates to a surge of speed when required out of corners.
The slick seven-speed dual-clutch does its part, as it does in the broader Macan range, with razor-sharp shifts and an intuitive nature under harder driving that’s hard not to like. The engine sings its revolutions happily under spirited driving, eager to extract the maximum kilowatts and Newton meters. The exhaust bellows too, a raucous cacophony accompanied by delicious pops and burbles on down shifts and overrun.
It’s engaging in a way that was unthinkable of SUVs, even performance SUVs, not all that long ago.
Under wheel, the Macan GTS benefits from Porsche’s adaptive air suspension that provides three settings and a selectable lower ride height (by 10mm). The upshot is of a finely-balanced and poised SUV that is able to take corners aggressively with diminished body roll.
It’s in its sportiest settings, however, the Macan GTS begins to feel a little firmer than its Macan and Macan S stablemates. It’s not unwieldy, but there is a harshness over smaller lumps and bumps noticeably absent from the adaptive damper set-up in Macans lower down the range.
The adjustable ride height is a boon for more spirited driving. While 10mm might not sound much, it’s remarkable how the shift in centre of gravity makes an impact. In its lower setting, the Macan GTS is happy to remain flat and composed without a trace of body roll. It feels like a well-sorted hot hatch. And can be driven like one too, if that’s your bent.
Key details | 2022 Porsche Macan | 2022 Porsche Macan S | 2022 Porsche Macan GTS |
Engine | 2.0-litre turbo four | 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 | 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 |
Power | 195kW @ 6500rpm | 280kW @ 6700rpm | 324kW @ 6600rpm |
Torque | 400Nm @1800-4500rpm | 520Nm @ 1850-5000rpm | 550Nm @ 1900-5600rpm |
Drive type | All-wheel-drive | All-wheel-drive | All-wheel-drive |
Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 105.7kW/t | 145.1kW/t | 165.3kW/t |
Weight (kerb) | 1845kg | 1930kg | 1960kg |
Tow rating | 2000kg braked, 750kg unbraked | 2000kg braked, 750kg unbraked | 2000kg braked, 750kg unbraked |
Conclusion
It’s hard not to like the Porsche Macan which, even in at entry-level is an engaging and fun chariot. Arguably, it’s all the Porsche most people need, the Stuttgart coat of arms on the front nose enough, even if performance isn’t exactly sports car-like.
That it marries a decent amount of practicality to an engaging drive experience makes for a compelling proposition.
But… for those whose budget can stretch to the more powerful Macan S and GTS models, the rewards are plentiful, with genuine sports car performance from a package that is also capable of doing the school run or weekly shopping without raising a sweat.
The Macan GTS in particular is, we’d venture, all the sports car/SUV one ever needs, with its blisteringly quick performance and confident and refined road manners.
On the downside, the list of options can add up pretty quickly and the lack of advanced safety technologies found in much more affordable cars and SUVs is a brickbat in a field of bouquets. But, the lure of the most affordable performance-focussed Porsche in the garage will undoubtedly mitigate those concerns for a swag of buyers.