Porsche Macan GTS 2020 Review

Getting an SUV to handle like a sports car has been deemed by many as insurmountable. So it stands to reason that Porsche has begun treating it as a specialty.

From the same folks that brought you the successful rear-engined sports car with the 911 – a concept many argued was flawed from day-dot, but has become the world’s supercar benchmark over eight carefully crafted generations – comes the second-generation Porsche Macan GTS.

On sale nationally now, the 2020 Macan GTS is spruiked by Porsche as its most focussed SUV. A new 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 supports the claim, boasting higher outputs and aiding updated cosmetics and new equipment.

So can the Macan truly raise the bar for SUV dynamism – and in turn handle like a sports car? We reckon it’s as close as you’ll get.

Now granted, Lamborghini has done an excellent job in delivering sports car-like thrills from an SUV with its Urus. But that costs the better part of half a million dollars in Australia.

By comparison, the 2020 Porsche Macan GTS costs $109,700 (plus on-road costs) – a considerable sum, yet one that makes it vaguely attainable (or at least aspirational) in the same vein as a Toyota LandCruiser Sahara or RAM 1500 pick-up.

The Porsche Macan GTS is easily distinguishable from the rest of the four-model Macan range, thanks to a Sport Design Pack with new black front and rear highlights and unique side skirts, a black rear diffuser and exhaust outlets, and darkened LED headlights (with Porsche Dynamic Light System or PDLS) and tail-lights with LED light bar. It also sits decidedly lower to the ground, but more on that shortly.

Positioned between the 3.0-litre V6-powered Macan S ($98,200 plus ORCs) and the $142K Macan Turbo flagship in terms of both price and pace, the GTS rides on 20-inch RS Spyder Design satin-gloss black wheels with 360x36mm front and 330x22mm rear brake rotors and red callipers.

Inside, there’s plenty of brushed aluminium, a multi-function leather-trimmed steering wheel with paddles and Alcantara graces the centre armrest, door trims and centre panels of the exclusive sports seats, which come with eight-way adjustment and beefier side bolsters (14-way comfort seats are optional).

In Australia, standard equipment also extends to a new 10.9-inch touchscreen, digital radio, Apple CarPlay with Siri voice recognition (no Android Auto), ParkAssist with reversing camera and Surround View, privacy glass, rear side airbags, a larger 75-litre fuel tank and auto-dimming mirrors.

The Macan is backed by a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia, at a time where more European marques including Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are adopting more generous five-year provisions.

Servicing intervals for the Macan GTS are spaced every 12 months/15,000km. According to Porsche, a basic service will set buyers back $695.00, an intermediate service costs $1058.00 and a major service costs $1868.00.

Though its purchase price offers some semblance of sensibility, the truth is the options list for the Porsche Macan GTS is almost as long as its standard features list.

Our test car, finishing in striking Carmine Red hue, rolls out of the dealership at $142,650 before on-road costs thanks to optional extras including the paint job ($4970), GTS leather interior package ($8020), self-levelling air suspension ($3100) and carbon interior package ($1770). Even the heated seats are optional, at $880.

It’s a similar story with the safety suite. The Macan officially boasts a five-star safety rating – albeit one that’s backdated to 2014 by Euro NCAP – with standard equipment including full airbag coverage and the latest electronic aids.

However, driver safety aids including high speed autonomous emergency braking (30-210km/h), adaptive cruise control and Lane Change Assist have all been relegated to the options list. And a head-up display isn’t available.

Sharing its Porsche-designed 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 with the more powerful Macan Turbo, the Macan GTS produces 280kW of power (up 15kW on the Volkswagen/Audi-sourced 3.6-litre biturbo V6 it replaces) and 520Nm of torque (+20Nm) over a broad 1750-5000rpm.

Also seen in the Cayenne and Panamera, the downsized V6 is basically a detuned version of the same engine in the 331kW/600Nm Audi RS 4 and RS 5, and the 324kW/550Nm Porsche Macan Turbo with which it also shares its seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The standard Porsche Macan GTS can perform the nought to 100km/h dash in 4.9 seconds, but in line with the rest of the car’s equipment list, doling out more dough can make it faster again.

When optioned with the $2390 Sport Chrono package including launch control, Porsche says its most dynamic Macan variant hits 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and onwards to a 261km/h top speed.

That makes it 0.3sec quicker to 100km/h than its predecessor and once again positions it well above the entry-level turbo four and between the 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo V6-powered Macan S and the Turbo.

The Porsche Macan GTS speaks to its ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ brief with specific tuning for the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) damping system. It sits 15mm lower in ride height than other Macan variants; optioning adaptive air suspension drops the chassis a further 10mm.

You can further amplify performance with optional Tungsten carbide-coated Porsche Surface Coated Brake (PSCB) or Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) systems.

This is all from a platform that essentially started duty in the Audi Q5 and has been the underpinnings of the Macan since its first emerged in 2013.

The sporty theme of Porsche Macan GTS is shouted loud and proud from the driver’s seat. Our Carmine Red example is bristling with carbon-fibre inserts and Alcantara, underlined by a tasteful black theme to the cabin.

The sporting theme goes hand in hand with practicality, thanks to deep door pockets ample USB-C ports (two in the front, two in the rear), central cup-holders and adequate cubbies and storage bins.

The spatial layout of the Macan has always been one bone of contention for family buyers. However, we found the first and second row proportions offered decent passenger amenity, the latter also accessed via rear air vents and offering two ISOFIX attachments on the outer pews.

Though the Macan’s cabin internals are heavily dictated by its design, there is enough headroom, legroom and shoulder room in the back for adult passengers, while the window line is low-set enough for little ones to see out of.

The biggest downfall of the Porsche Macan GTS on a family-friendly front is its 488-litre boot, which will accommodate a designer pram or a full-size suitcase, but not too much more. That said, an electronic tailgate, split-folding seats, four tie-down points and a 12-volt outlet ensure some semblance of practicality. There’s also a space-saver spare tyre.

Elsewhere, cabin presentation is first-rate, even if the centre fascia is festooned in buttons and switchgear feels a little last generation. Not a complaint as such; it’s very starship command and the materials feel worthy of the price.

The instrument cluster comprises two traditional analogue dials supported by a digital readout with important trip computer, infotainment and maps information, while the starter system comprises a fixed turn-key that works in concert with the proximity key fob.

Low-slung seats enable the driver to sit right within the GTS, garnering optimum feel and therefore confidence. That’s important for a driver’s car.

The downsizing engine trend may be the bane of many car enthusiasts – killing off some legendary donks in the name of emissions compliance – but the smaller 2.9-litre V6 is a masterstroke in the updated Macan GTS application.

Raspy at idle, tractable at any RPM and willing to march confidently to its circa 7000rpm cut-out, the twin-turbo six oozes character and charisma.

And despite being a smaller-displacement V6, the 2.9-litre still has all the makings of a traditional big-bore unit with loads of torque an innate effortless in its application.

The matching PDK transmission is another key conduit, delivering fast, well-timed shifts, intuitive down-shifts as required and, more broadly, a tactile driving experience.

With the gearbox’s assistance, the Macan GTS really hits its straps between 2500rpm and 5000rpm, a broad sweet spot that is matched by an equally satisfying and raucous exhaust note.

The rest of the Porsche Macan GTS package is about as close a perfect mix that you’ll come in terms of performance and comfort – irrespective of it being a 1910kg SUV.

The Macan’s 4686mm x 1926mm x 1609mm footprint (length, width, height) is a cinch to place on tight roads, aided by tactile, precise steering that is full of feel and feedback. That shrink-wrapping attribute is thanks in part to the car sitting so low on its optional air suspension.

Meanwhile, the tuning of the chassis means the Macan doesn’t unravel dynamically with sharp changes in direction or high-speed cornering; instead, it just hooks in, grips and goes.

Michelin Latitude rubber plays its part here, with a big adhesion patch teaming with all-wheel drive traction to bring excellent lateral grip even across extreme high speed loads.

Equally, the Porsche Macan GTS exhibits impressive control over bumps, taking the edge off harsh hits while also minimising small amplitude imperfections.

Ultimately, the car’s sporting pretentions cannot be completely masked, with a general firmness to proceedings and occasional thudding over cat’s eyes and road joins. But it’s pretty bloody good.

Road noise is basically as you’d expect for a car with big tyres and a sporting theme, likewise fuel use: we averaged 8.5L/100km on a 100km/h highway run and 11.5L/100km on a 250km round trip that included a heady mountain climb.

The Porsche Macan GTS is unmistakably the pick of the updated mid-size luxury SUV range.

In fact, for those after an SUV with sporty pretensions but not fussed over proportions in the segment above, we’d argue the Macan GTS is the pick of the sporty SUV crop. A terrific all-rounder.

In addition, there are subjective elements of our test example that make it feel like more than an ordinary SUV, too. The quality and purity of the paint work, the consistency of the panel gaps inside and out, the sound of the exhaust.

These aforementioned idiosyncrasies are traditionally associated with sports car ownership – and are proof the Porsche Macan GTS achieves exactly what it sets out to do.

How much does the 2020 Porsche Macan GTS cost?
Price: $109,700 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo petrol V6
Output: 280kW/520Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 10.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 229g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP 2014)