2024 Porsche Macan 4 review

Macan is Porsche’s smaller sib to Cayenne but we think it’s even spicier. The firm has just changed up to Gen II and it’s radically different. How so?

Cayenne was considered the saviour of Porsche, a cash cow that allowed the company to continue making its line of oh-so-desirable sports cars with boxer engines.

However, don’t dismiss the role Macan (meaning tiger in various languages) has also played. For monthly sales figures, the two are neck and neck, the Macan often outselling the Porsche Cayenne. 

So it’s a beautiful synergy between this pair. The Cayenne is the staple SUV for well-to-do families, while the Macan is the more diminutive, slightly sexier offering for those who might be downsizing their car at the same time as they are moving into smaller digs. 

For ten years the first-generation Macan has sold well, with over one million moved globally, and now it’s time for Gen II but what’s this?

Open the hood and there’s no engine! Just an 84L frunk which is for charging cables.

Electric Then 

So yes, the Macan is now fully electric but fear not, ICE lovers. For the Gen I Macan will sell alongside Gen II for the foreseeable future, meaning buyers have the choice of ICE or electric power.

Porsche, like its owners VW, has pulled back from its headlong dive into the fully electric realm, amid slowing demand.

That’s largely a result of dropped EV incentives and high interest rates, along with a sluggish global economy. 

Meantime we’re here to check out this particular model, the Macan 4 which is second in the line-up of four electric SUVs, three with AWD. It sells for $168,350. The base model has a motor on the rear axle and kicks Macan II things off at $162k.

At the other extreme is the Macan Turbo, which goes for $225k, has 470kW on overboost from a pair of motors, and a whopping 1130Nm of torque. Small wonder then that it shoots to 100 in just 3.3sec. 

We used to marvel at the ICE powered V8 turbocharged SUVs that could complete the 0-100 sprint in 3.5sec but the electric hotshoes are now to the fore if you want an even spicier performance dish. 

Too Easy

And it’s all so easy too, at least in the case of the Porsche examples. Just select Sport Plus, nix the ESC, put your foot on the brake, mash the accelerator to the floor with your right hoof and release the brake. Oh, and hang on to the wheel too as the longitudinal G forces ramp up. 

We’ve not had the chance to do it in the Macan Turbo but the Macan 4 is reasonably quick. Using the overboost function which happens when launch control is engaged, there’s 300kW on tap and 650Nm.

That’s enough for a 0-100 time quoted at 5.2sec, and with Porsche that’s always just a target to shoot for. We managed two runs that sneaked into the high fours while all were 5.01 or better. 

Porsche, as mentioned in the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo review, is one of the few firms that quotes an 80-120 overtaking time. They reckon 3.1sec using launch control for this model.

And they’re right on the money there, our best being 3.05sec or 88m, which is quick enough for safe overtaking. While we’re on the performance thing, a 33.35m emergency stop is impressive, except that we only managed that once.

Subsequent attempts were nothing like as good. And the reason for that would be related to the battery pack. It’s a 100kWh monster that gives a combined touring range of 516-612km.

The actual figure is dependent on how you’re driving, whether you’re in town or on the open road, and how many passengers, gear etc. Even whether you’re towing, as this has a maximum braked capacity of two tonnes. 

At pick up, with a full charge, range to empty registered 529km. After driving it around for the day, which included photography and performance testing, the 156km we travelled had used up about one-third of the battery energy.

That involved mainly open road running, a mix of easy going and harder stop/start work that really eats into battery reserves. Porsche rates overall energy use at 17kWh/100km but we saw higher figures than that, mainly in the low 20s.

Smarter Styling

On the local website are images of the current model and the new Gen II model next to each other. And they confirmed the fact that the latest Macan has hints of Taycan styling, especially up front.

What’s also apparent, especially when you go looking for it, is the extra aero of the newbie. It has a front splitter, active cooling flaps, a rear diffuser, a deploying spoiler and a completely flat underbelly.

They’ve even removed the rear wiper for aero reasons. So the fifth door release which used to be incorporated at the base of the wiper blade is now down lower by about 10cm or so.

The wheels also look as if they’ve undergone more than a little wind tunnel testing. All up this has a claimed Cd of 0.25, which is notably low for this type of vehicle.

Especially when you consider that the first generation had a Cd figure of 0.36. It also helps explain why this is so quiet through the air, and indeed on road where it registered a peak in-cabin SPL of under 69dB.

This new model has more of a coupe look about it than the first-gen example, and up front features a Taycan-like lighting signature.

The upper light unit features four DRLs embedded in the wings while lower down is the main headlight module, with LED matrix mains an option.

New for this model are frameless windows and overall it has more of a sporty countenance than before, especially with its pronounced shoulders that give it a muscular look.

PPE beneath

Actual usable battery capacity is 95kWh and it’s a fast charging demon. That’s because this is the first vehicle that makes use of Porsche’s new Premium Platform Electric (PPE). It incorporates an 800V electrical architecture, allowing a maximum charge rate of 270kW.

It can evidently fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 20min, if you happen to be near one of the few 300kW chargers in the country. Quite the fryer then. On a 120kW fast charger it will take around 46min.

And AC charging of up to 11kW is also possible. That means a recharge in 10 hours (0-100 per cent) rather than literally days if you’re using a trickle charger. Which of course you wouldn’t with something like this.

Back to weight then and this evidently scales up at 2.33 tonnes, which is roughly the same as the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo. But, like that car, you’d never really suspect it weighs that much given how it gets along.

Or more to the point, how it gets around corners. Our particular tester had a wheel and tyre upgrade, to 21s with plenty of rubber, 295/40R21s on the back and 255/45R21s up front.

The hoops would be of the Bridgestone Potenza Sport variety, so very decent rubber indeed. The Macan Turbo wheels painted in black high gloss are a $4330 cost option.

Even so, it doesn’t corner quite as well as the CT, given how much higher it rides; that shooting brake felt like a sports car.

This still has stacks of grip and nice balance, refusing to understeer until you really get up its chuff. And again, holding serious midcorner speed rather than the outrageous amount maintained by the Taycan CT.

Options or Higher Grade Model? 

Other relevant options on this car include black leather package ($2730 – I’d have thought leather was standard on something like this but there you go), a sliding panoramic roof system ($2910), tinted LED Matrix main headlights ($2680), a Bose surround sound system ($2080) and, arguably the best upgrade, adaptive air suspension system with height adjustment.

That upgrade means that when you shift from Normal to Sport or Sport Plus, there are very definite, easily noticeable changes in ride comfort and roll control.

Where the lower riding Taycan Cross felt like a sports car on road, this is more just like a really impressive SUV. Which is how the original Macan always was, at the head of its class.

I still recall my first drive in the diesel variant years ago, thinking there was nothing in the class that could touch that for cornering dynamics. And even performance for an oiler.

Things have obviously moved on in the decade since but this remains right at the pointy end of vehicle dynamics for an SUV. Of course there’s more around to give this a run for its money now.

And if you’re just not ready for charging, there’s always ICE power. A pity it’s the older body shell.

Is this the pick of the bunch? Probably not; our tester with its options was already more expensive at $186,870.

The 4S goes for $184,400. So it’s not a huge amount more than the 4, in the scheme of things, but you genuinely do get dramatically more performance.

There’s 380kW and 820Nm on tap, and an overtaking time of 2.4sec which is really snappy. It’s also a second quicker on the sprint time. 

Practically speaking this has decent luggage capacity at 540-1348 litres, with another 84L up front that you’d probably reserve for charging cables. 

Rear seat leg room isn’t staggering – there was noticeably more in the Atto 3 we had at the same time – but then, as mentioned, most owners will be downsizing to this anyway. 

A decade ago the Macan was a wonder in its sector. Now, there’s no more diesel on offer. There’s more electric SUV competition around too.

But it is definitely Porsche in its build and execution and it’s also nice to have the ICE alternatives, particularly when Macan S is less expensive and quicker than Macan 4.

Macan GTS and Macan 4S are roughly the same on performance and price.  

This article first appeared in the December/January 2025 issue of NZ Autocar magazine.