2022 Porsche Macan Review

The 911 represents Porsche's undying commitment to sports cars, while the Taycan is the bold leap into the electrified future. But it's the automaker's SUV lineup that really keeps the lights on in Stuttgart. For every 911 that leaves the production line, Porsche sells two Macans.

Sustaining that level of interest is a big ask for a vehicle that was originally unveiled for the 2015 model year. Now, for 2022, the Macan receives its second significant refresh with subtle styling tweaks and an increase in performance. Porsche hopes this will keep it competitive against such small luxury SUV luminaries as the Mercedes GLC and BMW X3.

One major reason we're eyeing the 2022 Porsche Macan is that each trim level is more powerful than last year's model. The base Macan's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine now makes 261 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque — 13 hp and 22 lb-ft more than the 2021 Macan. With the optional Sport Chrono package, which includes launch control, Porsche says the Macan accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, or 0.3 second quicker than a comparable 2021 version.

The turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 from last year's Macan S is gone, replaced by the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that previously drove the next-level GTS. Boasting 375 hp and 383 lb-ft, the 2022 Macan S gets a boost of 27 hp and 29 lb-ft compared to its predecessor. Porsche says the replacement engine is good for a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.4 seconds.

At the top of the performance heap is the Macan GTS, which enjoys the uprated 2.9-liter V6 from last year's discontinued Macan Turbo. With 434 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque, Porsche claims the Macan GTS can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.

We spent time in both the S and GTS models. The latter was also fitted with a new GTS Sport package that, for $12,010, adds dynamic and aesthetic features such as larger wheels and a lower, stiffer suspension. Porsche enthusiasts will no doubt be drawn to the most aggressive Macan. But while there's no denying that a GTS fitted with this package has sharp handling more in common with a sports car's than a traditional SUV's, the trade-off is a stiffer ride quality.

The Macan S, by contrast, is likely the sweet spot of the Macan range if you're buying a Macan as a family hauler. It continues to strike a fine balance between sports car aspirations and everyday comfort, and the uprated engine offers a welcome boost in performance over the base model. The standard PASM system, which allows you to choose between softer or more aggressive suspension characteristics, certainly helps here, and our test car further benefited from an optional ($1,390) air suspension.

We haven't driven the new entry-level version of the Macan but the modest increase in horsepower will surely only enhance its appeal. Some might argue that it lacks the straight-line thrust expected of a car with a Porsche badge, but the base Macan's crisp handling, wonderful steering, poise and agility have always appealed.

The Macan's ride comfort is somewhat dependent on how you specify it. The GTS on the optional Sport package feels noticeably firmer than the norm, even in its most comfortable setting. You feel the road surface in a way that's more common to sports cars than traditional SUVs, but it would be wrong to describe it as harsh. The S offers a fine compromise. It feels sporting but manages the neat trick of being agile, composed and comfortable simultaneously. No one does suspension tuning better than Porsche.

If you're a front seat passenger, the Macan is an extremely comfortable place to be. Supportive seats with standard eight-way adjustment combine with a low level of wind and road noise. Rear passengers, however, fare less well. Headroom is plentiful and two 6-footers can sit in tandem, but there's less space than you'll find in a rival Mercedes GLC. Sitting three abreast is a real squeeze.

The 2021 Macan was the last vehicle in Porsche's lineup to feature the waterfall-of-hard-buttons center console design. This year, the Macan adopts Porsche's newest design philosophy, which might be described as "waterfall-of-haptic-buttons." While we don't generally prefer a haptic touch panel to actual buttons, Porsche now at least groups the controls in logical clusters. As a plus, you also won't have a sea of blank buttons if you don't check every option box, but piano black plastic is notoriously difficult to keep clean. Also on deck are a selection of new steering wheels taken from the 911 portfolio and a lower-profile transmission shifter.

The rest of the interior is really the same as it was. It might be 7 years old now, but the cabin still looks great and exudes quality. This applies both to the choice of materials and the underlying strength of the build. The Macan is expensive but at least it feels expensive.

Technology is one area in which the Macan is starting to show its age a little. The centrally mounted 10.9-inch touchscreen display is a generation behind that found in every other Porsche bar the 718. That means that while there's Apple CarPlay to replicate the functions found on an iPhone, there's no Android Auto. Bad luck if you worship at the altar of Google not Apple.

Macan shoppers should also note that much of the tech you might expect to find fitted as standard is an optional extra. Adaptive cruise control is a $990 option, for example, and wireless charging for a smartphone costs an inexplicable $580. This has long been the Porsche way, but that doesn't make it right.

Storage space for odds and ends in the cabin is best described as adequate. The door and center console bins are all modestly sized, which is also a fair description for the glovebox.

The Macan's comparatively small dimensions also compromise trunk capacity. With the rear seats up, its 17.2 cubic feet of capacity is 2.2 cubes smaller than the rival Mercedes GLC's cargo hold — the equivalent of an extra overnight bag. And even the GLC looks tiny next to the new Genesis GV70, which nearly doubles the Macan's capacity with 28.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats. 

Unfortunately, these welcome upgrades aren't free. While the base Macan is only slightly more expensive than last year's equivalent, the S and GTS have had a significant hike — the S is about $5,000 more than a 2021 model. The 2022 Macan S now starts between the 2021 S and GTS pricewise, while the 2022 Macan GTS' price tag is between those of the 2021 GTS and Turbo models.

The Macan is expensive, but apologists will rightly point to its residual values, which are among the best of any car on sale. This in turn speaks to the Porsche's enduring appeal and the benefits of gentle evolution. Many will balk at paying such a large sum for something so comparatively small. But if you don't need or even want more space, it remains a hugely enticing proposition. The Macan is still the enthusiast's SUV.