arentz07

It's been a while since I last posted a Turo review (here's the last one), but it's time for another one.

2015 Porsche Macan Turbo




Can a "crossover SUV" be more fun than a sport sedan? That's something I've been wondering about even since I first heard about cars like the Porsche Cayenne, the BMW X5 M, and now, a seemingly endless list of other sporty utility vehicles. For this weekend, my wife and I had a bit of a stay-cation in order to celebrate her birthday, so I decided I use that as an excuse to drive us around in a 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo, a relatively recent example in this trend of sporty crossovers. Doing so would spice up the time we spent driving around both in terms of speed and prestige, I thought. But, since I had a relatively new Lexus in the driveway, was it worth it?

What is it?

This is a 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo, which was the first model year of the Porsche Macan in the U.S. It's the top-tier Macan, apart from the more-recently-introduced Macan Turbo with Performance Package, which has a name that is only better than some BMW X model trim names in terms of comprehensibility. Back to the Turbo, it has 400 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 406 pound-feet of torque from 1,350 to 4,500 RPM. This power comes courtesy of a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6. It's a compact SUV, and as such, features tricks like an air suspension that can quickly raise and lower the vehicle, an "Off Road" mode that changes the transmission behavior and other things, and a hill-descent control. As a Porsche, it still features some driver-focused features such as launch control and a Sport Plus Mode, which isn't exactly a gimmick in this car... but more on that bit later.



This particular Macan Turbo is a relatively "stealth" spec if you ask me. Black exterior over black interior, with the base 19-inch wheels says to me that the owner didn't want people to look on too hard. It also, curiously, lacks a sunroof, but it still features the Alcantara headliner. Anyway, in spite of the relatively unassuming color scheme, I noticed people stopping to glance at it a few times. In my neck of the woods, Porsches are as rare as they are expensive.

Styling and First Impressions

The Macan, as you might expect from Porsche, isn't actually that flashy. Sure, the wheels are somewhat large for a "compact" car, and the LED tail lights are sharp and striking, but there's nothing ostentatious about its looks (<cough> LEXUS <cough>). Both inside and out, the Macan appears to be a crafted vehicle, with attention to detail in spades. In person, I'd say the Macan makes more of an impression than it does in photos. The wide hips out back (a Porsche signature, I've noticed) and clean lines make for an instantly appealing visual. The fact that it looks this good in a basic black shade of paint (with no flake to be found) speaks to how well-designed the exterior is. And, the side profile is anything but "SUV" - it has a swoopiness that hints at its on-road intentions.



Storage and Interior Impressions

The Macan's interior is a nice place to be, simply put. None would go so far as to call it the most luxurious car interior available, but it is well-crafted and functional while remaining easy on the eyes. The seats have a good amount of bolstering and are on the firm side. It took me a few attempts to find my ideal seat adjustment, but once I did, I was able to appreciate the way the seating height, steering wheel, and overall excellent visibility of the car make it easy to pilot even on day one. My 70,000-mile rental had a bit of wear on the leather seats, making them a bit less soft than one would hope for. That said, I appreciated the legitimate aluminum trim, especially the aluminum paddle shifters. Truly, the paddles in this car were the most-expensive feeling I've used yet.

Thankfully, the Macan has ample space to hide junk. The capacious lower-door pockets accompany a middling glove box and practical hatchback-covered cargo area for what I'd say is an imminently useful amount of room. As far as human space goes, it's just enough that I wouldn't call it "cozy". The cabin feels tight and sporty without being as confining as many other "sporty" vehicles, including my own Lexus IS. This, combined with the vast array of switches in the center console, makes the Macan feel relaxed, yet eager to go.

Oh, and the steering wheel has little holes in it. For weight savings, right? (I won't lie here, I think it's cool regardless.)



Driving Impressions

The Macan Turbo is a driver's car, no doubt about it. When firing up the blown V-6, I was greeted by a cheerful 2500-RPM snarl every time. I'd purposefully open the windows on startup just so I could experience the sound. This car made me excited to get going every time I got in it. How did it do that?



First of all, the car feels immediately refined and smooth, in stark contrast to the somewhat rowdy cold start sound.The dual-clutch transmission does a good job with low-speed takeoffs, as long as I keep in mind that it is in fact a dual-clutch unit and moderate my initial tip-in... Once moving, however, the gears are shuffled with the smoothness of any automatic I've driven before in part-throttle scenarios. To be honest, the most obvious tell that this is, in fact,a PDK, is the sheer speed at which the tachometer snaps to its appropriate position when the gears change. Seriously - the first time I pulled a paddle I thought I was playing a video game. "This lack of delay in shifting can't possibly be real... Right?"

Continuing the theme of refinement, the ride quality is smooth, without ever feeling bouncy or boat-y. My rental was equipped with the air suspension, and I'd say, based on my experience, it's a good option to have. Although some larger impacts could be heard and felt in the cabin, the highway cruises were comfortable and smooth. The Macan's one of those cars that feels like it's moving about 15 MPH slower than it's actually moving. I actually enjoyed driving this car on the highway, as we could crank the tunes on the excellent Bose speakers and completely drown out the noise - something that's hard to do in basically every other car short of super-luxury cars. Oddly, I did experience a couple of rattles here and there, but they sounded different every time and didn't persist for more than a couple of seconds. Porsche build quality is quite strong, even at 70,000 miles.

However, let's get back to that raspy start up sound. What exactly was all that attitude about? Isn't this a luxury car?

Well, that's the greatest thing about the Macan. Press the Sport or Sport Plus buttons on the center console, and it immediately shifts down a couple of gears. Throttle response seems to improve, and steering weight increases slightly. Nail the gas pedal, and after a brief whiff of turbo lag, the occupants of the car are simultaneously slammed into their seat backs. The car "purrs", too. The V-6 emits a growl that sounds organic. No fake engine noise here, folks! On the up-shifts, the characteristic dual-clutch "fart" noises happen, and it's all just acceleration bliss from the next gear on to whatever speed you dare to reach.

Let's not view the experience with rose-tinted glasses, though. I found the transmission's behavior in the Sport and Sport Plus modes to be not half as smart as some other cars, such as any Lexus with Sport mode. Even when I wasn't really going for it, it would hold gears quite long, and even under moderately-light braking, excessively early downshifts were delivered. As such, I found it necessary to take manual control of shifting during Sport mode operation... which, I suppose, isn't a bad thing. The paddles respond immediately, and the shift quality is superb. On the upshifts, there's a firmness that says, "Oh, you want to go fast? Well, that doesn't involve comfort." I personally love that. This car really doesn't mess around.

I only wish the car had a little more grip. I managed to squeal the tires once, something I genuinely didn't expect. Worse, it was at an intersection, with some undoubtedly judging onlookers nearby. I'd say 235 front and 255 rear tires are a bit undersized for a car weighing over 4000 pounds, especially when the same car has more than 400 horsepower. That said, the brakes were easy to modulate, and steering felt secure in all situations. This is an easy car to drive smoothly and feels imminently confident.

Conclusion

Driving the Macan Turbo was an eye-opening experience for me. I'll admit that I got this car mainly for style. I wanted my wife and I to show up to our various stay-cation spots looking glamorous. That goal was met. However, I didn't anticipate the amount of fun that a CrOsSoVeR could be when fitted with a proper drivetrain and tuning. On top of that, this car is super comfortable and would be a great daily driver. I'd say if any car is a jack of all trades, and master of acceleration, this is it.

swajames

Great review! Thanks for sharing your experience. The Macan is a fantastic vehicle.

Toys4RJill

Sounds like you had quite an experience. What is your daily driver? (Just for contrast) of where you are coming from.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

great review. awesome car!

Stroock639

i drove the macan s around for a little bit once, it was definitely nice and pretty quick but not thrilling by any means... didn't give me the james may fizz and it felt fairly weak before the turbo fully spooled... very quick transmission though, certainly helped me do a 0-60 in the low 5s

the turbo model with a bigger engine and that extra power i'm sure makes a difference though! i still don't love the idea of a porsche crossover (because i'm not with the times it would seem), but if you're gonna make one a 400+ hp turbo 6 cylinder is definitely the way to do it

it's certainly priced like a porsche when you option it out haha

arentz07

Yeah, Porsche options are fun. Yeah I think there was definitely some turbo lag in the Turbo model as well, but boy when it comes on, it's strong.

I have a 2016 Lexus IS 300 AWD. Prior to that, all my dailys have been "boring" sedans. So I don't have top-shelf standards, but I've also driven BMWs, Teslas, and of course other Lexus models.

arentz07

So, surprise, surprise, I rented this car again. Last time, I didn't get to really play with it on a back road, but this weekend a friend and I devised a short excursion to a nearby town with a nice few back roads on the way.


My friend's 335i and the Macan at a gas station before our trip.

Now that I've had more time with it, I have yet more thoughts:

I spent more time getting the seating position right this time, and it was a good idea to do so. The seat has tons of adjustment, including adjustable bolsters, which I didn't notice my first time with it. The overall seating position is quite low for an SUV, too, making it easy to forget what I'm driving.




The car has a distinctly rear-biased power split by default, and in Sport Plus mode, it will allow a decent amount of dancing from the rear. Turning onto on-ramps at speed was a highlight of driving this car.

Speaking of turning, the car is very balanced when really going for it on back roads. I find it responds pretty quickly when I throw it into a corner hard, not too dissimilar to my IS. Though the tires on my particular car were pretty norm-core, the chassis itself felt very capable. I let my friend drive it, and he said, "I feel like the limit of the chassis is far away - it's limited by the tires."



All in all, it's a phenomenal car on a back road. The power is great, sure, but the whole package is what's impressive. For an SUV - no, for any car with four doors, it drives sharply. Does it give me that same low-slung, sporty driving position as the IS? Not really, but that's about it. It turns in sharply, has the best automatic transmission I've ever experienced, and is, on top of all that, super comfortable in Comfort mode on the highway. Surprised that I re-rented the same car?




Now I just have to wonder what the "proper" Porsches are like - a 911, or Cayman, perhaps.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

Great review, I drove a Macan S I think, at a Porsche Road show event. It felt good but not enough drive time to really test it out. If I was in the market for a SUV this would probably be my 1st choise. Perfect match for my Boxster.

TripleL

I somehow missed this thread in June, so I'm delighted you rented again so I could enjoy it. Read both your reviews found them very fair and spot on. Have fun with it!

Also something to think about if you still have the Macan. I save Sport Plus for the track only (or that 1 time everyone tries launch control LOL) as its pretty aggressive for the street. I find hitting the Sport button, then hitting the suspension an extra click to sport plus and lower the suspension and leave the automated manual in Drive and I have a blast on the right roads. YMMV

Again thanks for the review.

arentz07

Cool! Yeah I turned it back in this afternoon. But, I tried out everything I had time for in 48 hours.

My go-to if I wanted to drive "fun" was Sport Plus, but with manual shifting. I found the transmission programming to be a hair too much for the street, as you alluded to. However, Sport Plus brings the lowered ride height and firmer dampers, which makes the car feel super sharp.

Toys4RJill

What does it cost to rent one of these?

Kennyr44

My bud just bought a 2015 Macan S. The Macan S has a V6 twin turbo also with less HP than the Macan Turbo model. I know a little confusing. His has 52,000 miles with a 2 year certified unlimited miles bumper to bumper warranty. I drove it pretty far including a winding mountain road. The power and handling is pretty amazing. It’s a comfortable car but has very little room behind the 2nd row. I really wished it was mine after driving it! He paid about 36k.

arentz07

Here's the actual car: https://turo.com/us/en-us/suv-rental...e/macan/528242

I paid about $344 USD for two full days with the car, including a protection plan.

bagwell

needs larger diameter rims, those look puny to me (those are probably 18s but they look way too small IMO)

EZZ

It will be interesting what happens to this segment when the EVs come next year offering far more performance for far less. I know the Macan is going full electric soon which is really smart. I think Ford did the right thing targeting this segment first with their EV. Interesting times.