DRIVEN; Posche Macan Delivers The Ultimate Compact SUV Experience

More than a decade after Porsche riled sports-car purists by leaping on the SUV trend with its Cayenne — to huge sales success — the German automaker has pounced on the hot small-SUV market with a tiger of a baby ute.

The 2015 Macan is a compact sport-utility vehicle that roars with high-performance touches: active all-wheel-drive; a choice of two twin-turbo V6 engines producing up to 400 horsepower; a dizzying array of electronic suspension tricks and other options; and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that can shift itself faster than you can flick the paddle shifters.

In naming the Macan, Porsche tried to avoid the "Cayenne Junior" label — and more pepper jokes. The name is the Indonesian word for tiger, reflecting the design goal of a fast, aggressive and agile crossover vehicle.

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GermanNut - 7/17/2014 1:23:44 PM

-1 Boost

I wonder how much the Macan will steal sales from BMW's X3 and X4? I think this will be a huge blow for BMW because not only does the Macan offer a better driving experience, but it's not that much more expensive than the X4.

$44,700 base for the BMW X4 vs. $49,900 for a base Macan and both will be virtual strippers at that price with absolutely no options.

MattDarringer - 7/17/2014 1:45:05 PM

+1 Boost

The Macan is $10K too high priced for base.

MattDarringer - 7/17/2014 4:20:06 PM

0 Boost

@MeatHelmet I love the profit that comes off our Porsche store, but dealers wanted a real volume product and that Macan isn't that. All the Macan is doing currently is cannibalizing Cayenne sales.

skytop - 7/17/2014 1:34:28 PM

+5 Boost

You you like an SUV that has the profile of a cockroach, is small and over priced, you have found your dumpy SUV at Porsche.

MattDarringer - 7/17/2014 1:46:00 PM

+1 Boost

I can't wait for the Porsche Tiguan.

MattDarringer - 7/17/2014 4:23:44 PM

0 Boost

@MeatHelmet I've driven a Macan. Have you? Yeah it's fast yadda yadda yadda, but I'd take a Grand Cherokee in SRT8 trim. It's fast, handles well, but isn't cramped like the Porsche "Q5" and yes when people balk at the price of the Macan, we walk them 15 feet away to the comparably equipped Q5 for a LOT less.

MattDarringer - 7/17/2014 7:31:51 PM

+1 Boost

They are lined up. It's done wonders for Q5 sales.

USNA1999 - 7/18/2014 7:12:13 AM

-1 Boost

As long a VW keeps slapping a PORSCHE badge in front of it, it will sell like crazy and PORSCHE will make a huge profit out of them just like they do with the CAYENNE. I like it but a little too expensive for my taste.

MattDarringer - 7/18/2014 10:56:07 AM

+1 Boost

@USNA1999 the hype on the Macan and the Cayenne costs $30K. Of the premiums, the BMW X5 is a much better proposition.

genesee - 7/20/2014 10:37:44 PM

+1 Boost

macan is way overpriced. very small. not ugly but defensively not hot.