Porsche Macan 2019 Review

It’s history now that Porsche’s controversial shift from being a pure sports car maker into also manufacturing SUVs, with the launch of the Cayenne in 2002, has proven a masterstroke.

So much so that the Cayenne is attributed with having saved the Porsche brand from bankruptcy or worse, leading the Stuttgart-based outfit to double down on its SUV strategy by launching the smaller mid-sized Macan in 2014.

The Macan has in turn been an outstanding sales success for Porsche, so much so that it’s now the brand’s global best seller, a feat it emulates here in Australia.

Earlier this year Porsche released an updated version of its two Macan models; the base Macan as tested here, and the more powerful and expensive Macan S.

At a manufacturer recommended retail price of $81,400 the Macan is by some measure the least expensive way to buy into the fabled Porsche marque.

Depending on your perspective, this could make the base Macan seem like a raving nick, or like a Mazda CX-5-sized SUV that costs around twice the freight of that more conventional model.

Our test car also wore an extra $20k of accessories that together push its price up and over the magic $100k mark ($101,040 plus ORCs).

Notable inclusions are 20-inch Turbo wheels ($5720), panoramic roof ($3790), BOSE surround sound ($2650), and metallic paint $1990.

You’ll also need to allow for around $12,572 in luxury car tax, plus stamp duty, third party insurance, registration, dealer delivery and any other state government charges.

For that money you get a fairly standard but still measly luxury car warranty of just three years with unlimited kays and 15,000km or one-year service intervals.

If you’ve always wanted a Porsche but the fabled 911 is out of reach, then the Macan offers a way into the brand.

You might also buy a Macan in the hope that some of Porsche’s feted suspension smarts will have trickled down into its junior SUV range, and you’d be right.

The Macan is highly regarded for its driving dynamics and is still arguably the class benchmark in this regards. Its suspension setup is impressive, with enough discipline to ensure it feels well connected to the road, but not so firm that it’s punishing to drive in Aussie conditions.

It also steers especially well and this combination of accurate steering, taut body control and strong all-wheel drive grip means the Macan rewards the enthusiast driver.

Where it’s not so strong, however, is in the power stakes; this model’s longitudinally mounted 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder mustering only 185kW and 370Nm.

By comparison, the same capacity engine capacity in Jaguar’s rival F-Pace produces a meatier 221kW and 400Nm.

No surprises then that the Macan accelerates to 100km/h in 6.7sec, some seven-tenths slower than the Jaguar.

The revised 2019 model Macan went on sale in February, boasting a raft of mid-life facelift-style changes to what is a now five-year-old car.

In terms of spotting a 2019 model form earlier variants one key clue is its adoption of a full-width LED rear light bar, that mimics similar styling treatments on other current Porsches.

There are plenty of other changes under the skin, to the structure, suspension, engines, brakes and more, but it all adds up to a major polish, as opposed to an all-new model.
Inside, the addition of a larger and improved 10.9-inch infotainment screen is among the more significant changes, but one that can’t distract from the unsightly clutter of switches and buttons that adorn the centre-console.

Deep down most of us have a bit of badge snob lurking within and driving something with a Porsche brand on the snout is right up there on the bucket list for many.

Thanks to its price point, the versatility of the SUV format and the Macan’s fairly compact dimensions, a growing number of buyers and drivers are also women.

Some are mums, too, and the Macan works reasonably well as a family car, albeit with a slightly tight and upright rear pew. It’ll manage four passengers okay but five is a stretch.

Boot space at 500 litres (or 1500 litres with the rear seat folded), is a bit less than what its rival Jaguar offers, for example; while the tow rating of 2000kg means it will haul a jet ski, or camper trailer but not a full-size caravan.

The Porsche Macan is classified as a premium mid-sized SUV, which pits it directly against the likes of the Jaguar F-Pace, the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q5 and Lexus RX.

Its nearest rival is the Jaguar F-Pace, which benchmarked heavily against the Macan during development.

The two even look quite a bit alike, if you close your eyes and squint in side profile, thanks to a shared propensity for a shallow-glasshouse, steeply raked D-pillar and powerful haunches.

If you’ve always wanted a Porsche because you regard the German brand as the benchmark for performance and handling, then the Macan will deliver on the former but disappoint on the latter.

The four-cylinder turbocharged engine is adequate but not overly impressive and there are rivals out there, including from Porsche’s own stable in the form of the Audi SQ5 quattro that will kick its freckle.

But get beyond the fact it’s not the quickest or the most exciting SUV on the block and there’s still plenty to like about the looks and the driving dynamics of this impressively polished premium SUV.

How much does the 2019 Porsche Macan cost?
Price: $81,400 (plus on-road costs); $101,040 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 185kW/370Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 8.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 204g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A