2017 Porsche Macan Review

Owning a car like the 2017 Porsche Macan can constantly remind you of the great automotive adventures you could be having. Sure, you're bound to spend much of your time in it nudging along in traffic, but as you feather the responsive throttle, hear the distant rumbling of the exhaust and feel the meaty, weighted action of the perfectly contoured steering wheel, it's easy to start thinking of what might be.

Instead of staring at the back end of a Pontiac, you could imagine sitting at the base of Pikes Peak. The road is closed to other traffic, there are 12 miles to travel, 156 turns to make, 7,800 feet to climb and you can go as fast as traction and skill will allow. It's the sort of adventure a turbocharged Porsche was made for, and in the case of the Macan, it's a dream scenario that can be undertaken with three people and some luggage along for the ride. It's this inspired potential as much as the Macan's actual, thoroughly impressive capabilities that makes this compact luxury SUV one of the most desirable in its class.   

The Porsche Macan GTS is new for 2017, representing the most engaging and visually arresting version of this compact luxury SUV.

And indeed, that desirability grows even greater for 2017 courtesy of a pair of new trim levels and additional standard equipment. For those who really want to experience that Macan potential, the new GTS trim level might be the way to go. It slots between the S and Turbo, bringing with it a standard, reworked sport version of the otherwise optional air suspension, along with extra power and a variety of aesthetic enhancements.

On the other end of the spectrum is the new Macan base model for those less concerned with all-out power (though its turbocharged four-cylinder engine should still deliver acceleration that's among the class leaders). It brings with it a lower base price for 2017, but it's actually about the same as when the previously entry-level Macan S debuted in 2014. At least you get more standard equipment now, though, with a standard rearview camera and parking sensors (items BMW and Mercedes-Benz annoyingly make you pay extra for) along with a lane-departure warning system that is an option on competitors.

Porsche's touchscreen interface has also been given an overhaul for improved functionality, and the inclusion of Apple CarPlay. Of course, options still tend to be a bit more expensive in the Macan and since they are added à la carte, you'll likely find that the price moves with eye-popping speed.

Then again, eye-popping speed is literally what you can get from the Macan, and for that it remains one of our top-recommended compact luxury SUVs despite its questionable value and  subpar ability to carry rear passengers and luggage. As such, we would still recommend taking a long look at its highly desirable competitors, including the BMW X3/X4, Jaguar F-Pace and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class -- all of which are available with the sort of high-performance capability that the Macan pioneered for the class. Now, would they inspire a journey to Pikes Peak -- real life or imagined? Perhaps, but it's the Macan that is bound to feel most at home.

Also new for 2017 is the Macan base model. The only notable difference between it and the Macan S is under the hood.

In simulated panic stops from 60 mph, Edmunds recorded distances of 121 and 120 feet for the Macan S and Macan Turbo, respectively. These are perfectly acceptable, and average distances for vehicles equipped with all-season tires.

There have been no third-party crash tests performed on the Porsche Macan.

The Macan's cabin is impeccably made and highly customizable.

The 2017 Porsche Macan is a compact luxury SUV that seats five people. It is available in five trim levels that correspond to different engines: base, S, GTS,  Turbo, and Turbo with Performance package. All come standard with all-wheel drive.

The base Macan comes standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 18-inch wheels, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a lane-departure warning system, a power liftgate, automatic bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, foglights, automatic wipers, rear privacy glass, heated mirrors, cruise control, three-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats, partial leather and simulated suede upholstery, a 60/40-split folding rear seat and a cargo cover. Electronic features include the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) 7-inch touchscreen interface, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, two USB ports and a 10-speaker sound system with satellite and HD radios, a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack, a media player interface and 11GB of digital music storage.

The Macan S gains a bigger V6 engine, 19-inch wheels, bigger brakes, different exterior trim types and dual twin-pipe exhaust ports.

The GTS has a more powerful version of the S engine plus a sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, 20-inch wheels, bigger brakes with red calipers, unique exterior design elements, a sport exhaust, adaptive headlights, front seat memory functions and heated sport seats unique to the GTS.

The Macan Turbo builds on the Macan S with an even more powerful V6 engine, different 19-inch wheels, LED running lights, brakes and exterior styling elements, adaptive headlights, an upgraded power steering system, 18-way adaptive and heated sport seats, full leather upholstery, simulated suede headliner, a navigation system added to the PCM and a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system.

Porsche is also offering a new Macan Turbo with Performance package trim that adds some engine tweaks for more power, the air suspension with a lower ride height, power-folding mirrors and a heated steering wheel.

Darkened taillights and blacked-out trim and tailpipes are just some of the Macan's many customizable elements.

Apart from the engine and styling elements, all of the Turbo's extras are available on the other trims as part of the Macan's extensive options list. Although virtually all of those options are available as stand-alone items, there are two noteworthy packages that could make ordering or selecting a Macan a little simpler. The Premium package adds the adaptive headlights, auto-dimming mirrors, heated front and rear seats and the 14-speaker Bose system. The Premium Package Plus adds those items plus a panoramic sunroof, keyless ignition and entry, and 14-way power front seats with ventilation and memory functions.

Other options include (and we do mean "include" because there are countless trim, color and material customization choices) LED headlights, different wheels from 18-22 inches, surround-view parking cameras, lane change assist, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, thermally and noise-insulating privacy glass, roof rails, an adaptive suspension (PASM), the adaptive air suspension, a sport exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (brakes individual wheels around turns to improve handling) and the Sport Chrono package (an enhanced Sport Plus driving mode and launch control). Inside you can get a heated steering wheel, rear side sunshades, extended leather interior trim, a dual-screen rear seat entertainment system, the navigation system functionality, a six-CD changer, Porsche connect smartphone apps and a 16-speaker Burmester sound system. The GTS and Turbo can be equipped with carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

We Recommend
We like the balance of price and performance you get in the Macan S. It has more capability than you'll ever need, yet it doesn't ever feel uncomfortably aggressive. If you find the endless options list overwhelming, keep things simple with the Premium Package Plus, which adds a nice grouping of desirable equipment without getting too fancy with the customization possibilities.

The new 2017 Porsche Macan base model has more power and torque than the turbo four-cylinders of most rivals.