Used 2022 Porsche Macan

If you like the idea of the style, luxury, and performance of a Porsche packaged as a practical compact crossover, then you’ll love the Porsche Macan. Porsche’s traditional sports cars are spectacular, but most of them aren’t very practical as family vehicles or daily commuters. The Macan is slotted below the Cayenne as the smaller and more affordable of the two Porsche crossovers. It excels in style, performance, and interior quality, but some rivals are roomier and have more standard safety tech.

For 2022, the Porsche Macan has gotten a facelift, and the model range has been shuffled around a bit. The Macan Turbo has been discontinued, and the Macan GTS has been promoted to the new top trim. Meanwhile, the new Macan S has inherited a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine similar to the one used in the GTS model, while the turbocharged 2.0-liter in the base Macan has 13 more horsepower and 22 more lb-ft of torque than last year.

The single-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that formerly powered the Macan S is no longer available.

A few interesting facts: About 35% of Porsche Macan buyers are female, 60% of Macan buyers are new to the Porsche brand, and the two main reasons people cite for buying a new Macan are its exterior design and performance.

Additionally, some 60% of buyers purchase the base 4-cylinder Macan, while about 25% opt for the mid-level Macan S and 15% for the Macan GTS.

Note: A fully electric Porsche Macan will arrive in 2023. It’s based on an all-new dedicated EV chassis, and it will be sold alongside the gasoline-powered Macan reviewed here.

KBB recently spent some time in two 2022 Macans — a base version and a 2022 Macan S.

With 261 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, the base Macan works just fine in everyday life. Boost arrives quickly, there’s ample torque at low revs, and the paddle-shift 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox has a knack for always being in the right gear.

This is a sport-tuned SUV with an impressively tight chassis, for sure, and the turbo 4-cylinder feels quiet and relaxed when this compact Porsche SUV is being driven gently. But when fed judicious amounts of throttle, the Macan comes alive in a way that will put a big smile on your face.

Frankly, you won’t feel like you’re missing anything. Until you try the new 2022 Porsche Macan S.

Powered by a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 with 375 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, the new 2022 Porsche Macan S flat-out scoots. According to Porsche, it hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds (when equipped with the Sport Chrono Package), a full half-second more quickly than the 2021 Macan S. It also has an electronically limited top speed of 160 mph. Air suspension is standard on the Macan S, as is PASM (Porsche Active Stability Management) with Sport and Sport+ modes.

The moment you dip into the throttle, the Macan S lets you know it’s a powerhouse. It feels like nothing can stop it. Through the Alcantara-wrapped wheel, the steering feels a bit heavier than in a standard Macan, but with a more precise feel.

And the engine itself? With twin turbos mounted high in the vee, it’s a technical marvel. Throttle response is fantastic, and excellent mid-range torque means the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox doesn’t always have to be hunting for the right gear. What’s more, this engine makes light work of climbing mountains, as evidenced by our recent trip up Mt. Wilson near Los Angeles.

In this spirited drive up to the famous old observatory overlooking L.A., the Macan S felt agile in the tight corners and totally composed in the high-speed sweepers. Credit for the outstanding performance on this winding mountain road should go to the dialed-in suspension, of course, but also to the grippy Michelin tires (295/35R-21s) and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, which helps make this sporty SUV much more willing to change directions.

The brakes also felt great, but please note that the Macan S driven by KBB was a European-spec vehicle equipped with carbon-ceramic brakes not available on the U.S. Macan. Based on previous experience we’ve had with Porsches, though, we are confident that the standard steel brakes (some with a special surface coating) will have a firm pedal and plenty of stopping power.

We relished the accelerative thrust of the 2022 Porsche Macan S, but we got nearly as much pleasure out of the burbles and pops emitted by the engine’s exhaust during deceleration. Perhaps it’s Porsche’s way of letting us know that there’s a special engine under that clamshell hood, which has portholes to accommodate the headlights.

While the suspension of every 2022 Macan is well-tuned, we have a soft spot for the electronically adjustable PASM suspension that comes standard in the S model. It just feels like a proper blend of sport and comfort, and it allows you to change the driving character of this compact Porsche SUV while on the fly.

The Porsche Macan has the spirit of a sports car, but it doesn’t forget that it’s a luxury SUV. The interior of the Macan is driver-centric, but it’s also quite comfortable for the front-seat passenger. The technology, like the standard 10.9-inch infotainment system, is ergonomically designed and user-friendly. Some changes to the interior for 2022 include a redesigned center console with haptic touch elements, a standard analog clock, and a shorter shift lever.

The back seats of the Macan are a little tight for adults but okay for kids. The cargo space is reasonably good, but below average for this class. The Macan is unquestionably more practical than any 2-door Porsche, but if you’re looking for a lot of room and utility in a luxury SUV, consider one of the Macan’s competitors like the BMW X3 or the bigger Porsche Cayenne.

Exterior styling is one of the many strong suits of the Porsche Macan. Front and rear fascias have been revised, and the black side-trim panels now have a 3D texture. From Cayenne to Macan, it’s clear to us that Porsche has been doing a commendable job of translating the iconic German marque’s sporty aesthetic into the world of SUVs.

The front end of the Porsche Macan is very similar to the Cayenne, while the side profile slopes down in the back a bit more. This is part of why the cargo space is a little tight, but if style is more important to you than utility, this is a plus. A pretty daring palette of available paint options like Miami Blue, Papaya Metallic (an orange), and the aforementioned GTS-exclusive Python Green further adds to this SUV’s personality.

In overall size, the Porsche Macan is quite similar to mainstream competitors in this segment like the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, and Audi Q5.

GTS SPORT PACKAGE
The available GTS Sport Package is all-new for 2022. It adds the contents of the Sport Chrono package, plus a sporty appearance package, carbon-fiber interior trim, sport seats, and more. Python Green is a unique color available for Macans with the GTS Sport Package.

PORSCHE ACTIVE SUSPENSION MANAGEMENT
The PASM system that comes standard on the Macan S is an electronically adjustable suspension system. Toggle through different suspension configurations to enhance your diving experience.

The Porsche Macan has some excellent standard features that help to justify its relatively high starting price compared to most rivals. Standard features include LED headlights, 19-inch wheels, all-wheel drive, a power liftgate, 3-zone automatic climate control, power front seats, and four USB-C ports.

The standard infotainment system in the Macan is a 10.9-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and navigation. Unfortunately, Android Auto is still not available in the Macan. Standard safety tech features include front and rear parking sensors and a lane-departure warning.

There are three distinct variants of the Porsche Macan.

Slotted above the base model is the Macan S, which has a new engine for the 2022 model year. It’s a twin-turbo V6 producing 375 horsepower, giving it a more thrilling driving experience. On top of the engine upgrade, the 2022 Porsche Macan S also gets Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and upgraded brakes.

The range-topping GTS model tops the Macan model range in terms of performance and luxury. The engine is similar to the twin-turbo V6 in the S model, but it makes 434 horsepower. It also comes with a sport exhaust system with black tailpipes, more aggressively bolstered front seats, 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, unique side skirts, clear LED taillights, adaptive air suspension, Porsche Surface Coated Brakes, and a ride height that has been lowered by 10 millimeters.

One of our favorite options for the Macan is the Sport Chrono Package, which adds a stopwatch, a Sport Plus drive mode, and a Sport Response button on the steering wheel, giving you a temporary boost in performance.

A new option package is the GTS Sport Package ($12,010). On top of what you already get in the well-equipped GTS model, it adds a distinct appearance package with more black accents, carbon-fiber interior trim, 18-way adaptive sport seats, high-performance tires, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, and the contents of the Sport Chrono Package. The suspension with this package also gets a bit stiffer, by 10% in front and 15% in back.

You can add a few available safety tech features to the Macan, including adaptive cruise control, self-steering Park Assist, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring.

There are three engines available under the hood of the 2022 Porsche Macan. All three are exciting and provide an enjoyable driving experience. The bigger your budget, the more driving fun you can afford in a Macan.

The base engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 making 261 horsepower (up 13 from last year). It’s the most efficient engine available in the Macan, but the fuel economy isn’t very impressive compared to most rivals. Upgrading to the S model gets you a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 with a drastic performance improvement, turning it up to 375 horsepower. Finally, a 434-horsepower variant of the same twin-turbo V6 powers the GTS model.

All-wheel drive comes standard on every Porsche Macan. Also standard is a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which delivers quick, smooth shifts.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Macan)
261 horsepower @ 5,000-6,750 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/25 mpg

2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (Macan S)
375 horsepower @ 5,200-6,700 rpm
383 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/23 mpg

2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (Macan GTS)
434 horsepower @ 5,700-6,600 rpm
405 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/22 mpg