Test Porsche Macan basis – (not) a sports car?

The Porsche Macan (base) at a glance

Inexpensive and good?

Driving a Porsche can be so “cheap”. The Cayman, Boxster and Macan (in this ascending order) cost less than 65,000 euros and even appear competitive with BMW, Audi and Mercedes in their respective segments. The Swabian trinity of savings not only unites the price, but also the number of cylinders. Although a boxer is at work in the 718 models, the Macan relies on a regular 2.0-liter four-cylinder (EA888), as is also used in the Golf GTI (combined fuel consumption: 10.7-10.1 l/ 100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 243-228 g/km)².

Unmistakably a Porsche! The front end with the optionally darkened LED headlights leaves little room for speculation as to who is being shot in the rear-view mirror. The paintwork in “miamiblue” however, is a matter of taste.

A little more power for the four-cylinder

That doesn’t have to be bad, especially since the last facelift in 2021 boosted the former petrol engine from 245 and 370 Nm to at least 265 hp and 400 Nm. The standard sprint from zero to 100 km/h should now take 6.4 seconds, and the top speed is given as 232 km/h. And although these numbers don’t seem entirely unsportsmanlike, as a buyer you should know what you’re getting into here. Anyone who buys a Porsche Macan just to own a Porsche, or who uses it as a status symbol for the nearby golf club, doesn’t really care what’s working under the hood. However, everyone else is advised to take a very extensive test drive.

Easy maintenance: The engine compartment clearly shows that a lot more than just four cylinders could work here. The 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine has been delivering 265 hp since the facelift.

Little sporty, but uncomfortably loud

The lack of power for a Porsche is one thing, but the fact that the four-cylinder sounds the way it sounds is another. After all, there are enough examples within the VW Group of how things could have been done better. Although the basic Macan seems well equipped for all daily tasks, at the latest on the motorway slip road the unit reveals itself as a loud, sometimes strained-sounding companion that is only protected from complete exposure by the perfectly shifting 7-speed PDK.

After eight years of construction, the cockpit of the Macan is no longer completely fresh, but it is still a pleasant place to work. There is still no fully digital combination unit, the dial and speed needle rule.

Driving dynamics at a high level

Ok, of course that’s not entirely true. The very direct steering, the excellent air suspension with adaptive damper control, torque vectoring and the hard-hitting steel brakes also make the Porsche Macan a great car. It is also this interlocking coordination of the partly optional components that clearly sets the Stuttgarter apart from the first Audi Q5 on which it was originally based. On the other hand, a deep step on the accelerator is a constant reminder that dropping the 3.0-litre diesel was obviously a mistake. Because if it has to be mass-produced technology from the VW empire that works in a Porsche, then one that is also fun.

The adaptive 18-way sports seats are extra, but they even fit tall people like they were tailor-made.

Test consumption by 11 liters per 100 kilometers

Now fans of small engines could argue that the four-cylinder is certainly more economical to drive than the six-cylinder that are also available. Is not he. Anyone who can keep their colleagues under 10 liters is good, otherwise 11 to 13 liters per 100 kilometers flow through the fuel lines. In view of the performance offered, this is simply too much. Meanwhile, the expanded fuel tank has a capacity of 75 liters and is also one of the cheapest items on the options list for a Porsche Macan. And here lies the real sticking point.

The four-cylinder is only worthwhile if the bare cash register frame already meets all the personal requirements of a Porsche. If, on the other hand, you don’t skimp on a tick in the equipment list, it’s worth upgrading to the Macan S or even the top model GTS (combined fuel consumption: 11.7-11.1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 265-251 g /km)².

The black sports tailpipes tell of powerful performance, but the four-cylinder turbo remains a tired affair overall and sounds more bad than good.

Very good workmanship, no PCM 6.0

Does that sound far-reaching? At a test car price of exactly 98,813.35 euros, even the GTS variant would have had room for a few design gimmicks. Is it really in “miambi blue” painted ventilation nozzles is another matter. Seen in this way, the demonstrator driven here should be seen more as an example of what is possible in terms of individualisation. Color of your choice, also in the interior, leather and Alcantara as far as the eye can see and numerous comfort amenities on request, even the basic Macan.

The excellent build quality and the good amount of space, on the other hand, are standard. A small drop of bitterness for all infotainment geeks: the latest version of the Porsche Communication Management System, PCM 6.0, will no longer make it into the current Macan. From 2023, the all-electric successor will be launched, which will initially be in the showroom alongside the Macan with a combustion engine that can be seen here.

Backbenchers sit comfortably overall, but a good connection to the first row of seats can never hurt, so that long legs have enough space.

Conclusion

In the end, the conclusion is more than clear: with its four-cylinder, the basic Macan is far from being a sports car. In terms of price, it only holds its own against the Macan S as a bare cash register frame, and the consumption is also too high in relation to the performance. Regardless of the engine installed, the little brother of the Cayenne remains a force in its segment. Driving dynamics, processing quality and appearance continue to rank at a very high level, as does the extremely long price list. (Text and image: Thomas Vogelhuber)