The verdict: The 2016 Porsche Macan S SUV is the apple that doesn鈥檛 fall far from the tree in Porsche鈥檚 repertoire, delivering a high-performance driving experience in an unlikely shape. Versus the competition: You can spend similar money on larger SUVs, but they can鈥檛 rival the 2016 Porsche Macan鈥檚 combination of athletic twin-turbo driving experience and luxuriously appointed interior. Porsche has been more than just a 鈥渃ar鈥?maker for years, since the introduction of its wildly popular Cayenne midsize SUV. Smaller doesn鈥檛 mean cheap, though, and the Porsche Macan doesn鈥檛 exactly have an apples-to-apples competitor, which makes it an interesting little SUV. 69,455 鈥?closer to the cost of midsize coupe-inspired SUVs such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE450 AMG Coupe. The Macan鈥檚 resemblance to Porsche鈥檚 sports cars helps its curb appeal. The rear is wide and curvy, like the 911, and its headlight styling is borrowed from the Porsche 918 hybrid supercar. The tires are staggered in width, with wider rubber in back giving the Macan a poised stance 鈥?as well as handling that鈥檚 more similar to a sports car than a family SUV.
1,650) on our Macan S measured 20 inches and wore Michelin Latitude Tour HP tires sized 265/45R20 up front and a sports-coupe-like 295/40R20 in back. Just because only one Porsche Macan is called 鈥淭urbo鈥?doesn鈥檛 mean the others aren鈥檛 turbocharged. Under the hood of a Porsche Macan S is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 making 340 hp, mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The engine is extremely well-mannered for a turbo engine, with power delivery so finely tuned and linear that most people won鈥檛 be able to tell the difference between it and a high-horsepower, naturally aspirated V-6. Acceleration is quick in the S, but not pin-you-to-your-seat fast; if that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e looking for, check out the 400-hp Macan Turbo. Still, Porsche鈥檚 signature exhaust symphony burbles through the tailpipes and sounds strikingly similar to any one of Porsche鈥檚 coupes. The standard exhaust system adjusts to deliver a more noticeable growl during higher engine loads and in Sport mode. Not all鈥檚 good in the neighborhood: There鈥檚 a slight lag in initial accelerator response when accelerating from a stop, even in Sport mode.
The delay isn鈥檛 very Porsche-like, and it鈥檚 annoying when you want to move from a stop with vigor. One area in which there isn鈥檛 much delay is the seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission鈥檚 shifts. This Porsche Doppelkupplung transmission shifts unbelievably quickly, with 911-like levels of shifting action in automatic mode and from the steering-wheel-mounted paddles. Given the Macan鈥檚 size, its EPA-estimated gas mileage is unimpressive at 17/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined. That鈥檚 closer to the larger BMW X6 xDrive35i (18/24/20 mpg) and GLE450 AMG Coupe (17/23/20 mpg) than it is to the X4鈥檚 19/27/22 mpg and the Evoque鈥檚 21/30/24 mpg. The Macan鈥檚 sport-tuned suspension is never uncomfortable like the rough-riding BMW, though I wouldn鈥檛 call the Macan 鈥渃omfortable鈥? our test car had standard coil springs and fixed-firmness shock absorbers. But a slightly busy ride at highway speeds is a completely fair tradeoff for how well the Macan handles, and a little body motion in aggressive cornering doesn鈥檛 take away too much from its dynamic personality. Adaptive shock absorbers with coil springs and an air suspension are options if you want to improve ride/handling characteristics.
16,000 in performance options to the Macan S if you want, including carbon-ceramic brakes, the aforementioned upgraded suspensions, a torque-vectoring function for enhanced cornering rotation, sport exhaust and more. Standard Interior styling is purely performance-minded. Our test car was equipped with optional red and black leather seats, red accent stitching and aluminum accents. Porsche鈥檚 signature center-mounted tachometer has a huge presence over any other gauge; it鈥檚 a testament to the Porsche Macan鈥檚 driver-oriented nature. 12,000 of convenience and media options, including blind spot monitoring, a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats, heated rear seats, a panoramic moonroof, navigation and a Bose stereo. About that heated steering wheel: The on/off button is hidden behind the wheel, in the bottom spoke. It鈥檚 nearly impossible to find without consulting the owner鈥檚 manual or getting a pointer from someone in the know. Brightly colored red sport seats hug your sides like good all-purpose sport seats should, with supportive bolstering and enough lower-back padding to make long drives doable.
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