Is the Macan the Porsche for Me?

When this 2023 Macan S arrived recently, I thought I’d do something simple. Rather than take it on a special route or put it through a performance test, I’d use it exactly as I use my own cars: on my daily commute.

That means a mixture of main roads, town traffic and country roads—the sort of driving many owners do every day.

I’ll be honest, Macans aren’t typically the Porsche models I spend most time in. Usually you’ll find me behind the wheel of one of Porsche’s sports cars. So I was interested to see how the Macan would fit my style of driving.

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed was the quality of the cabin. I’m probably more critical than most, having sat in thousands of cars over the years, but the materials that you actually touch feel very good indeed.

Like most modern Porsches, the interior design is strong, refined and well thought out. The ergonomics work well, the seating position is excellent and the seats themselves are extremely comfortable.

On the outside, this particular car wears a light grey paint finish with black window surrounds and black roof rails. It’s a combination that looks very upmarket. The wheels, which I’m told are actually one of the smaller options available, suit the car perfectly.

On the Road

The biggest surprise came once I got moving.

Compared with earlier Macans I’ve driven, this later-generation car feels noticeably quieter and smoother. Porsche has clearly worked hard on refinement. Whether that’s improved cabin insulation, engine mounting development or a combination of both, the result is impressive.

The smaller wheels probably help too. They improve ride quality while offering a little more protection from kerb damage, something many owners will appreciate.

The suspension deserves particular praise. It’s well judged for UK roads—firm enough to control the car properly through bends, yet compliant enough to deal with the poor road surfaces we’re all familiar with.

Top marks to Porsche here.

A Few Minor Niggles

No car is perfect.

My biggest criticism concerns the touch-sensitive switchgear. Whilst it looks modern and sophisticated, it quickly attracts fingerprints on the gloss black surfaces.

I also found the temperature controls easy to knock accidentally, occasionally resulting in a blast of unexpected heat.

Another small frustration was connecting my phone via Bluetooth. To be fair, I hadn’t read the handbook, so this may well have been user error rather than a fault with the car.

Then there’s the tailgate. It opens electrically from the key, but to close it you need to press the button underneath the tailgate itself. Not a major issue, but it struck me as slightly odd.

What Surprised Me Most

I wasn’t interested in driving this car quickly. For me, outright speed is best reserved for Porsche’s sports cars.

What impressed me was how effortlessly the Macan covered ground. On country roads it made rapid progress without ever feeling strained or demanding. Everything felt easy, relaxed and confidence inspiring.

This particular example was also fitted with cloth seats rather than leather, and I actually see that as a benefit. They stayed cool in warm weather, felt comfortable throughout the journey and worked brilliantly with the heated seat function.

If I were ordering one myself, I wouldn’t be overly concerned about having the sport suspension settings, sports exhaust modes or even leather upholstery after experiencing this car.

Living With It

Over a mixture of town, country and main-road driving, I averaged around 25 mpg.

More importantly, I stepped out of the car genuinely impressed.

The Macan S surprised me. It delivers the quality, engineering and feel you’d expect from a Porsche, but packages it in a practical, comfortable and highly usable format.

For many owners, it might just be the perfect Porsche for everyday life.

We handle a large number of Macan and Cayenne models. If you’ve ever wondered whether one might suit your lifestyle, get in touch with our team and come and try one for yourself.