Porsche Macan Review & Prices

While the Cayenne was initial proof that Porsche knows how to make a cracking SUV, the Macan takes the same sporty, practical approach and distils it down into a smaller - and arguably better - package. You’ll pay handsomely for any version above the base model though, which has a lacklustre engine.

The Macan is like a crisp polo t-shirt, because it manages to look stylish yet casual while being comfortable and easy to live with day-to-day. In fact, it’s one of the most capable all-rounders on sale at the moment, and there’s an electric version available too: the all-new Porsche Macan Electric.

You’d never guess that the Macan is mechanically similar to the old Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Tiguan, because it’s so much better to drive, though far more expensive at the same time. You’ll probably cross-shop it against the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe, but neither of them is as accomplished as the little Porsche SUV.

None of the aforementioned alternatives look as good, either. While it took a few generations for the larger Cayenne to become truly handsome, Porsche hit it out of the park immediately with the Macan. You get the distinctive soft curves and rounded headlights, similar to the last-generation Panamera and Cayman, on a well-proportioned body. There’s lots of road presence in a reasonably-sized package.

The interior carries more classic Porsche styling traits, such as the ruler-straight dashboard, only kicking up over the iconic analogue rev-counter in the instrument display. Sure, alternatives have more modern-looking driver displays, but there’s something classy about a physical needle pointing at your speed in a posh car.

It’s not all old-school, though. The tall centre console features banks of touch-sensitive buttons, while the 10.9-inch touchscreen in the dash is crisp and clear to use.

You don’t get quite as much space in the Macan as you do in a BMW X3 or Mercedes GLC, and the storage cubbies aren’t all that generous, either. Long-legged passengers will find the back seats a bit claustrophobic, while headroom is nothing to brag about. The 500-litre boot capacity is adequate, but still smaller than in alternatives.

Engines range from a positively weedy 2.0-litre petrol in the base model through to the rapid 440hp GTS with its twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre engine. The Macan S is the sweet spot in the range, far cheaper than the GTS but almost as quick in a straight line.

Get behind the wheel and the Macan will impress you in any guise, as it’s remarkably easy to drive. Sure, being a Porsche it’s not as comfortable around town as its alternatives, but it settles down comfortably on the motorway - and it really comes alive on a winding road.

The entry-level 2.0-litre model has a lacklustre engine but the S is far more fun on a good road, while GTS models are genuinely capable through bends, like a proper hot hatch on stilts - though it’ll leave most fast hatchbacks in its dust.

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The Porsche Macan range starts at £56,000 for the base-model, 2.0-litre version. That’s around £3,000 more than the Audi Q5 and £5,000 more than an entry-level BMW X3, but it’s quicker and more fun to drive than its alternatives. Prices rise substantially through to the top-dog GTS, which starts at £75,000 in white or black. Ouch.

For that you get 21-inch alloys and the bahn-storming 440hp engine, plus a load of suspension tweaks which make it even better to drive than the regular Macan, not far behind the £77,000 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 - though it’s far better to drive than the SUV with the three-pointed star on its nose.

Hugely impressive handling for an SUV, but just be aware the entry engine isn't quite as sporty as you might hope

Around town

The standard 2.0-litre version is ideal if you spend most of your time cruising around town, fine if you’re not too bothered about your Macan feeling or sounding like a Porsche. It's never exciting, and 28.2mpg isn’t exactly something to write home about, but plenty for a posh SUV to waft about in at low speed.

Though ‘waft’ isn’t exactly correct, because the Macan isn’t all that comfortable around town. It never feels harsh, but it doesn’t exactly glide over potholes and speedbumps, either. All models come with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive as standard, making light work of heavy traffic.

Forward and side visibility is great; chunky pillars at the back get in the way at junctions though, and when parking, but otherwise the Macan is just the right size to use in the city without feeling ungainly.

Parking is made relatively stress-free by the standard front and rear parking sensors. You can get a 360-degree camera fitted for even greater peace of mind or – if you’re especially worried about tall kerbs damaging your nice alloy wheels – just let the optional park assist steer the car into spaces for you.

On the motorway

Things settle down at speed, and long journeys in treacherous conditions are a breeze as the standard-fit four-wheel drive helps maximise grip on slippery surfaces. While it’s comfortable enough at a motorway cruise, it’s the stability that really impresses thanks to its sporty suspension - with air springs on GTS models - and wide tyres offering plenty of grip.

The downside is more road noise than you get in its alternative, with the Mercedes GLC being notably quieter on a long drive. If relaxing cruising is what you’re after, you’ll be better off spending your money on the Macan’s optional autonomous driving aids.

On a twisty road

When it comes to having fun on a country road, the Macan sets a benchmark that other SUVs this size have yet to match.

Powerful and well-tuned brakes mean you can push on on country roads with confidence and the quick, accurate steering helps you guide the Macan into corners, knowing that you’ll get plenty of warning when the front tyres start to run out of grip.

Even through a series of sharp bends, the car’s controlled suspension stops body lean from getting out of hand. It’s not quite as comfortable over bumps as a regular Audi Q5 – especially if you choose the huge 21-inch wheels – but it’s not enough of a problem that you feel the need to opt for the optional air suspension on non-GTS models.

In the GTS, however, air suspension is standard, but it’s been further developed with a sportier tune and 10mm lower ride height. It’s a really sharp and engaging driver’s car for something so big and heavy, but does sacrifice some comfort as a result.

The Porsche Macan’s cabin looks great and feels plush, but if you want to make it look even better you’ll need to spend a wedge of cash on expensive options

All Macans come with an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat and six-way adjustable passenger’s seat as standard, so you’ll have no trouble getting comfortable – even if you’re over six-feet tall. Unfortunately, you’ll have to fork out for the optional 14-way adjustable seats – or the even fancier 18-way adjustable sports seats – if you want additional lumbar support to help stave off back ache on long journeys.

There’s plenty of headroom in the front too, despite the Macan’s sporty sloping roofline – but a slight bulge in the driver’s footwell means there’s not loads of space to stretch out if you have large feet.

Unfortunately there aren’t many large cubby holes dotted around the Macan’s cabin. The door bins are too small to hold a one-litre bottle and the glovebox isn’t particularly generous either. You’ll struggle for somewhere to put anything bigger than a medium-sized cup of coffee in the cup-holders, too.

You’ll find a reasonably deep storage bin under the central armrest, however. It’s big enough to store a few phones and comes with a USB socket to keep them charged.

Space in the back seats

There’s quite a bit less rear leg room in the Macan than you get in an Audi Q5, and your six-foot-tall friends will be left wanting a little for headroom, too. Carrying three abreast is more comfortable in a Volvo XC60 (there’s more shoulder room) while the large central tunnel means there isn’t much room for your middle-passenger’s feet.

The back doors don’t open particularly wide and their openings are quite narrow, so climbing in the back can prove tricky for tall passengers. Fitting a bulky child seat will also prove difficult, but at least the ISOFIX anchor points are clearly marked and come with handy flip-up covers instead of easy-to-lose removable caps.

Boot space

You can fit 500 litres of luggage in the Macan’s boot with all five seats in place – 50 litres less than in the Audi Q5, BMW X3 or Mercedes GLC. That’s still big enough for a baby stroller and some soft bags or a few sets of golf clubs though. There’s no annoying boot lip to lift heavy luggage over and the boot’s square shape makes it easy to pack full of suitcases, cardboard boxes and the like.

The rear seats fold in a handy three-way (40:20:40) split so you can carry long luggage and two rear passengers at once. There aren’t any handy seat release catches in the boot, however, so you’ll have to lean forwards to flip them down yourself.

With the rear seats out of the way you’ll have 1,500 litres of space to fill. It’s big enough to carry a bike without removing its wheels but 20 litres less than an Audi Q5, 70 less than the BMW X3 and 120 down on the Mercedes GLC.

The Macan’s boot is completely flat with the rear seats folded, so it’s a breeze to slide heavy boxes up behind the front seats and there are a few handy tether points in the floor - but a lack of shopping hooks to stop your groceries rolling around.

There’s a 12V socket in the boot so you can charge devices on the move, and you’ll find a sizable storage compartment under the boot floor; deep enough to hold a few small bags, or to hide valuables safely out of sight.

A high-quality cabin, but fully kitting it out will require a hefty spend from the options list

The Macan might be the baby SUV in Porsche’s range, but its cabin feels almost as upmarket as the larger Porsche Cayenne’s – if a little dark on basic models without fancy trim options.

Loads of leather and plenty of cold-to-the-touch metal pieces make it feel plusher than a low-end BMW X3, and the thin, three-spoke steering wheel and dashboard-mounted clock come straight out of the 911’s sports-car playbook.

Often touch sensitive controls can be fiddly, but Porsche’s are nice to use and give clear feedback to your inputs - handy, considering the rows of touch controls lining the Macan’s centre console.

There’s really no limit to how posh you can make the Macan’s interior, if you’re willing to spend a few quid that is. The options list lets you deck out the cabin in vast swathes of metal and leather trim or, if you’re feeling particularly flush, carbon fibre trim pieces.

The 10.9-inch infotainment screen is a vast improvement on the 7.0-inch screen you used to get on early Macans, and it has crisp graphics and a glossy sheen that looks expensive. The centre air vents underneath it sit a little too low to be as efficient, though, unless you enjoy a hot - or cold - knee.

Flicking between menus on the screen can be tricky when you’re driving – you don’t get a fixed rotary control that you get in a BMW – but once you’re on the right page, the large on-screen tiles are easy to navigate. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, too.

The Macan comes with a fairly punchy 11-speaker stereo, but you can also upgrade to a bassier Bose system - or go the whole hog on Burmester speakers which sound epic.

Fuel efficiency is the Macan’s downfall, because even the 265hp, 2.0-litre engine option is thirsty. You’ll only see 28.2mpg from the entry-level Macan and Macan T, powered by that engine. If you can stretch to the 2.9-litre Macan S then you may as well, because you get an extra 115hp and far stronger performance, with only a 2mpg penalty, while the rapid GTS model manages a combined 25.2mpg.

All models are subject to high tax bands, with CO2 emissions ranging from 227g/km in the 2.0-litre Macan to 261g/km in the GTS - and you’ll have to pay the luxury car supplement from years two-six on every version.

Company car drivers are better off in the Macan Electric, which sits in the lowest Benefit-in-Kind band, while the petrol Macan is far more expensive to run.

The Macan has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, but it’s worth noting that it earned that even before safety assistance tech was a requirement - the Porsche has since received it as standard - so the test is well out of date.

Safety kit includes active cruise control that’ll accelerate and brake for you on the motorway and traffic jam assist, which can do that as well as steering the Macan in nose-to-tail traffic alongside a lane departure warning system

Porsche is too niche a brand to have been featured in the 2025 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but given the Macan’s over ten-year-long production run, it’s safe to say that any kinks have been ironed out in the process.

That being said, if there is an issue then it’ll cost you a pretty penny to rectify at the main dealer - if outside of the three-year, unlimited-mile warranty period - which you can pay to extend for additional peace of mind.