2026 Porsche Macan GTS Electric First Drive Review: Closing a Narrow Gap

• Porsche rounds out the Macan Electric lineup with the new GTS trim.
• It uses a mix of parts from the Macan Turbo and 4S EVs. 
• Pricing for the GTS Electric start at $107,650, slightly less than the Macan Turbo EV.

The GTS' single-speed transmission and 100-kWh battery pack are both borrowed from the Macan Turbo Electric. The Macan Turbo performed well in Edmunds EV Range and Charging Tests, and given the GTS shares that hardware, expect it to perform similarly, with around 300 miles of range and charging speeds of up to 270 kW. 

The Macan GTS EV has an adjustable air suspension, though the ride height has been lowered by a few millimeters. The suspension gets a GTS-specific tune, as do the traction and stability control systems. Other standard features on the Macan Electric GTS include Porsche's Sport Chrono pack (optional on other Macans), which adds a few drive modes as well as the Track Endurance mode found on the Porsche Taycan. This mode keeps the battery cool to prevent performance falling off as the car heats up.

Visually, the Macan Electric GTS uses the same design traits as Porsche's other GTS models, including black exterior accents and special trim inside. The rocker panels, lower fascia, window trim and rear spoiler are finished in black, either with gloss or matte paint. The headlights and taillights are both dark-tinted, and the standard 21-inch wheels are painted black. Inside, the GTS is available with contrasting stitching in either Carmine Red, Slate Gray Neo or Lugano Blue. 

The Macan Electric lineup as a whole gets a few changes for 2026. Maximum towing capacity has been increased to 5,500 pounds, and the driver aids get a slight enhancement, with improved parking cameras, remote parking, and signal-activated automatic lane changes on the highway.

Easy and fun

On city streets, the Macan GTS Electric doesn't feel all that much different from the Macan 4 Electric we used to own, but in a good way. Despite the sportier suspension tuning and lower ride height, the Macan GTS Electric is comfortable and fairly compliant on LA's uneven roads. I was concerned the optional 22-inch wheels on one of the test vehicles would make for a harsh ride, but Porsche has done an excellent job tuning the air suspension. I still wish Porsche would offer one-pedal driving like in most other EVs.

North of LA, Angeles National Forest is well known for a good reason. The area features some of the best driving roads in California. It's winding enough that you can really have fun in a corner, but it's not so tight that every turn is slow, blind and narrow. On these roads, the Macan GTS Electric is easy and rewarding to drive quickly. 

In the Sport and Sport Plus drive modes, the suspension lowers a few millimeters and the electric motors respond more quickly to your right foot. Since you don't have to wait for cylinders to fire, transmissions to shift or turbos to start spinning, there's an immediacy to the power of electric vehicles that you just don't get in gas-powered sports cars. While most EVs feel quick at city speeds before losing steam as speeds pick up, the Macan GTS Electric feels like a rocket everywhere you go. 

The lowered air suspension does a great job of keeping body motions in check in a corner. While the Macan GTS Electric still feels heavy, the center of gravity is relatively low and helps reduce body roll. The Macan EV's steering — while not on the same level as the steering in a true sports car like the Porsche 911 — is weighted well and offers a decent amount of feedback. 

Cornering stability is further improved by my test vehicle's optional rear-axle steering and sticky summer performance tires. The level of grip the Macan GTS Electric offers in a corner is almost comical. On more than one occasion, I intentionally tried to upset the balance by getting on the power too early. The Macan GTS Electric simply sorts out where the power needs to go and keeps on trucking. It's not upset by midcorner bumps or other road imperfections that would slow other vehicles down. 

Better but still flawed

The 2026 Porsche Macan GTS Electric starts at $107,650 including destination. That's a bit more than the base price for a Macan 4S EV ($92,250) and awfully close to the $115,050 base price for the Macan Turbo EV, though the GTS comes standard with features like 21-inch wheels and the Sport Chrono performance package, which cost extra on the Turbo. It's also a lot more than other performance electric SUVs like the Tesla Model Y Performance, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or Genesis GV60 Performance.

I've driven just about every GTS model Porsche has sold over the past decade, and they've tended to be my favorite variants in their respective ranges. The balance of performance and price is often hard to beat, as they offer a solid upgrade over lower models without requiring a big leap to a Turbo model. The Macan GTS Electric is enjoyable to drive, but I'm not sure I have the same level of affection.

The price gap between the GTS and Turbo is narrow, and the GTS doesn't address any of our chief complaints about the Macan Electric as a whole. The interior is still cramped relative to other EVs, and charging customers for things like a rear window wiper in an SUV seems like nickel-and-diming. The car drives very well and offers solid real-world electric range and fast-charging speeds, but the price makes the Macan GTS Electric a more niche vehicle than I'd hoped.