AEB not standard for 2019 Porsche Macan

The upgraded 2019 Porsche Macan has arrived in Australia without autonomous emergency braking (AEB) as standard.

Instead, the critical safety aid that is standard on cars as cheap as the $14,190 Kia Picanto mini-hatch is available only as a $2400 option bundled with active cruise control.

That’s on top of the $81,400 (plus on-road costs) that Porsche Cars Australia is charging for the entry-level four-cylinder Macan, and in addition to the $97,500 it asks for the V6 turbocharged Macan S.

The mid-size Macan luxury SUV is Porsche’s biggest seller in Australia. It is also the cheapest model in the range and accounts for more than 50 per cent of sales.

But while diesel power has been axed, more expensive Turbo and GTS versions of the five-seat SUV won’t come standard with AEB when they arrive over the next couple of years either.

AEB has been found to reduce rear-end crashes by up to 38 per cent and, in the US, police-reported crashes have reduced by 55 per cent for vehicles fitted with this technology.

Right now the only Porsche models to get standard AEB are the new Porsche Cayenne SUV and Panamera luxury saloon because they have the latest-generation driver-assist technology.

As a facelift of a car launched in 2014, the new Macan misses out on that system upgrade and therefore AEB.

The omission of standard AEB means the Macan would not be eligible for a maximum five-star ANCAP independent crash test rating, although Porsche doesn’t seek out those ratings or co-operate with such assessment programs here or internationally.

“It’s just the nature of product planning and technology how we phase these things over time,” said Porsche Cars Australia spokesman Chris Jordan.

“There are lots of things people would love to see standard in cars and we understand.

“We do have a rich spec in Australia. We do put things in standard in Australia over and above other markets.

“But I do understand it’s the latest safety technology and it’s a hot topic. So I can understand why it’s of interest.”

Jordan said less than 20 per cent of Macan buyers currently option active cruise control and its AEB function.

But ANCAP, which has had a running battle with Porsche in recent years about testing models such as the Macan and Boxster, was unimpressed by these justifications.

“Safety should be the priority of all brands across all segments, regardless of the price-point or level of prestige,” said ANCAP chief James Goodwin.

“This is a family SUV so technology like AEB is particularly important.

“We now have very affordable models like the Kia Picanto and Toyota Corolla providing AEB as standard, and this makes it difficult for other brands to justify its omission or additional cost.”

The 2017 Cayenne and 2014 Macan have been tested by Euro NCAP and achieved five stars. Those scores are not listed on the ANCAP website.

Jordan said Porsche’s global position was to present its vehicle safety based on its own development and testing and not promote third party accreditations or ratings.

“We do our own homework,” he said. “We just talk about our own specifications and our own safety and we are definitely confident in the crash structures, the technologies in the car, the way they are built and their quality.”

Watch out for our first local drive of the facelifted Macan S tomorrow (February 27) afternoon.