Porsche Macan Forums

As some here may have registered, I'm planning to move on from my Macan SD in the next 3-9 months - no specific deadline but it will be happening before too long. Most likely option is an I-Pace for which I have a deposit down, but there are one or two outsiders like a Cupra Ateca or even, conceivably, a replacement petrol FL Macan (though that's probably 20-1 against on grounds of delivery timescale and seeing sufficient major changes in the FL spec).

So sometimes when I drive the Macan now I get to musing about things I will miss - great and small - about my SD (...and things I won't). Here's my list so far in no particular order:

Will miss

LED signature lights - simple, but elegant and distinctive;

Driving a less common car - I couldn't care less about Porsche badge snobbery, but I do enjoy driving something that's not always immediately recognisable;

Styling: SUVs don't seem to lend themselves to attractive/appealing styling. But Porsche IMO has done pretty well with the Macan;

Driving a car that feels generally solid and well-engineered with an engine that's clearly been designed to be used, reassuringly powerful brakes etc;

The PDK in Sport mode genuinely does work pretty well.

Being treated like an adult by the OPC. First time I arranged a test drive just to be given the keys to a Porsche and told to go off on my own for a couple of hours and enjoy myself. That in itself went a long way to clinching a deal.

The (often) 600 miles range between fill-ups.

Won't miss

The poor driving ergonomics: Where do I start? Bitty and dated dash layout; fragmented menu system; probably don't even need to mention the myriad of buttons;

The flakey electronics which eg once a week decide to ignore the fact that Connect Plus is fitted and so refuse to show any of the associated options until eg the next day. And all without leaving any trace in the error log, so despite repeat attempts by the OPC to investigate there's no real clues as to the cause. And I know I'm not the only one to suffer this sort of issue.

Auto headlights that insist on coming on at light levels well above those of almost any other car on the road and which appears to be impossible to override or reset either by me or the OPC.

Seats (14-way) that I just can't get properly comfortable in - there's just something wrong about the seating position - it may be right for a sports car but shouldn't have been carried over to an SUV. (And yes I know I'm in a minority here.)

Limited interior space for a tallish 4.7m long SUV and, on a similar theme, intrusion of the tunnel into the driver's leg space (at least on RHD models);

The bag hook in the boot seems designed to graze knuckles on a regular basis. Surely Porsche could have done much better with this detail.

The appalling rear wiper (yes, I know there's a fix, but it shouldn't need to be fixed). The rear wiper controls aren't too much better.

The lap timer for Sport Plus. Yes it needs something to break up the expanse of the upper dash, but surely Porsche could have come up with a better and more useful piece of design as a gauge or display than a lap timer that I'm never ever going to use. Even a nicely styled analogue clock would have been better.

Edit: And, in the won't miss category, I'd really like to have added the length and bulk of the Macan. I know this is totally personal preference but I do prefer the practicality and chuckability of driving somewhat smaller cars with a better turning circle. The ratio of interior space to external size on Macan just is not great and this is one reason for even considering the Cupra Ateca. But then the I-Pace is actually much the same size of the Macan, so I concede that I am prepared to have a larger vehicle provided it's got enough potential plusses.

Enjoyyour Jag.

Enjoy the totally different treatment you will get from the dealer.

Enjoy having a mark one Jag, I sincerely hope it proves to be well engineered.

I do agree with you about the Macan.

Dash and buttons, what buttons I rarely use those that are not near the steering wherl.

You forgot to trash the overhead console thing which really is dire.

Headlights, I disagree on this one, so what if they come on before everyone else, better to be seen.

Seats, yeah they are good but I to cannot put my finger on what is wrong, or maybe its just me getting old.

Lack of interior space sucks.

Dash dial does its job at breaking up the top but in two years of ownership mine has nor ever will be used, an analogue clock would look far more stylish

Yep, the are Pros and Cons about all cars.

Keep us posted on what replacement car you get in the end, John.

I don't mind the driving ergonomics, but the PCM is very clumsy.
I do agree with you on the size of the Macan. And from time to time I browse Auto Trader to see if I could change to a smaller estate car or a hatchback. But then I sit back in the Macan and all that is forgotten.

Good luck and nice to see that someone has kept their Macan for a good while.

Thanks for an interesting review, John.

Looking forward to hearing about your next vehicle...

Could consider a T-Roc R as alternative to Cupra Ateca - should be ready to roll by end of year + likely same approx 300 bhp engine as Seat.

3 years plus, there is a lot to like
Weight solid feeling and sporting handling
Use seat memory and adapt position as I want to on longer drives
Pdk brilliant, cars response great for country roads
Sat nav, used to it, always gets me there, very good versus wife's cx5 system.
Boot, use seats down quite a bit, boot end more limited
After lots of SUV height cars, can't think of a better day to day fun vehicle, Q5 don't do it for me, I pace yet to drive one, had a great jaguar track day (free), so sign up.
Like the range between filling SD, biggest moan may be narrow parking spaces!

Had mine since Sept. 2015 with 17k miles so far.
Any one had their's longer?
Thinking of changing, waiting to see what the face lift is like.

Firstmacan wrote: ↑Sat Jul 14, 2018 6:54 pm Had mine since Sept. 2015 with 17k miles so far.
Any one had their's longer?
Thinking of changing, waiting to see what the face lift is like.

Same here (Sep 15), but part-Garnet interior.

Also waiting for face-lift, but apparently we need to buy a house first, somewhere to live and all that …

Caster wrote: ↑Sat Jul 14, 2018 6:31 pm Could consider a T-Roc R as alternative to Cupra Ateca - should be ready to roll by end of year + likely same approx 300 bhp engine as Seat.

Yes I have looked, but the T-Roc interior really is depressingly low-rent, whereas the Ateca is somewhat better. I do think that VW are missing a trick in not upgrading the interior of one their smaller SUV models to be fitted with the 300bhp engine whether it's T-Roc, Ateca or Karoq (I don't really care and fairly agnostic as to the nominal marque) . There is just no premium higher-performance but smaller SUV on the market that appeals to me and I can't believe I'm the only one looking for this category of vehicle. I'm not even too fussed about the price-tag. Is it really so difficult to up-spec the interior with some extra leather and other premium features (but obviously without adding _too_ much weight)?

The one other potential candidate could be the Tiguan R, assuming that it appears. This is maybe half a size too big - it's 4.5m - but still significantly smaller than a Macan.

NB I know the SQ2 (or is it RS Q2) could be one other option when it eventually appears, but I'm allergic to the ipad on the dash, ditto SQ3/Q3 RS, though I also struggle with the Q3 shape which is just so uncharismatic. It's all a great shame IMHO because otherwise Audi interiors are generally good.

All that said, the I-Pace looks to be a very appealing drive and for my circumstances (charging at home and very few seriously long-distance journeys) any disadvantages of an EV look minimal.

Having read this thread, I can honestly say John, you don't know what you want! Take care in your next purchase!