2022 Porsche Macan

Porsche invited us to spend some serious time with European spec models in Southern California. That gave us a chance to put the 2022 Porsche Macan S through its paces in heavy traffic, on cut-up city streets, in the canyons, and out on the freeway. The update includes a fresh tune on the suspension that stiffens the Macan all round, but more so at the rear. The difference around town and on freeways is mostly negligible due to the active suspension on the S model. Still, out on the canyon roads, the Macan S is sharper than ever and exploits Porsche's Active Suspension Management to the fullest. It's a wonder that the small crosser can evoke the handling prowess of a 911, but it does. The rear-biased all-wheel drive lays the power down with little fuss but a lot of thrill, the brakes are responsive and easy to modulate, and when pushed into tight, technical sections of road, the Macan S becomes a fearsome little machine.

On back roads, the Macan is straight-up entertaining even if you forget to pop it into Sport mode, where things become particularly ferocious. The transmission holds gears, throttle response tightens drastically, and the V6 sounds way better than a V6 should. It's not a lazy comparison we made in the intro to a hot hatch because that is, essentially, what the Macan is. Particularly in its GTS guise with the suspension lowered by an extra inch. Either way, the Macan loves to turn in hard and maintain tight lines through the curves if driving hard is your thing.

The only way the Macan could be better on rough city streets is with the pillowy GTS air suspension setup. The steering is a little lighter than sports car enthusiasts will expect, but it's not out of place and pays off the most when slipping through tight city back streets to avoid traffic. The PDK transmission pays off as much in back streets, in traffic, and out on the freeway as much as it does in Sport mode. Any way you drive the Macan, the ride is never harsh, and the cabin is plush and quiet. Add that to a smooth and robust powertrain, and the Macan is a sophisticated little crossover, as happy cruising on back roads as it is on the freeway or traversing a city.

As a small performance crossover, the new Porsche Macan retains its edge to remain the best among its competitors. However, that comes at a price as you'll need to step into a twin-turbo V6 to get the full enthusiast experience. The 2022 update improves the overall recipe, and it's hard to find fault with the overall package beyond cost and Porsche's annoying habit of charging extra for features that should be standard. Build quality is excellent, as is comfort and ride, and the Macan makes for a great and practical daily driver. As a family vehicle, space becomes an issue, but families with smaller kids won't have a problem.

The base price of a Porsche Cayenne is roughly $70,000, putting it in the same sort of ballpark as the $65,400 Macan S and $79,900 Macan GTS. You might be tempted to upgrade to the more prestigious SUV, but at the base level, you only get the older turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 producing 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. Both the 375-hp S and 434-hp GTS Macans provide more power, a more exhilarating soundtrack, and more thrilling handling dynamics. The older engine may provide more low-down torque, but it just isn't a performance car engine.

In every other way, the Cayenne is superior, however. It has more interior room, and the 22 cube trunk beats the Macan's 17.9 cube trunk easily. The Cayenne also has a longer list of standard features, including forward collision warning with automatic braking and a 12.3-inch touchscreen interface. The Cayenne is a better product but keep away from the entry-level model. What you want is the mid-spec S that uses the newer 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, but for the privilege of owning that particular Cayenne, you'll have to fork over $86,800 before options.

The Porsche Macan SUV and Audi Q5 used to share a lot in common, right down to the wheelbase. The all-new Q5 rides on a slightly longer 111-inch wheelbase (110.5 for the Porsche), using the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and turbocharged inline-four-cylinder. The GTI-derived engine delivers 261 hp/295 lb-ft in the Porsche, while the Audi gets 261 hp and 273 lb-ft, meaning it barely rivals the standard Macan, let alone the more powerful ones which require a step up to the Audi SQ5 - reviewed separately.

In our opinion, the Audi wins it in the interior department with its minimalist, high-quality approach. It's also more practical, offering 25.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity versus Porsche's 17.9 cubes. Even the rear seats are more accommodating. The Porsche's pricing starts where the Audi's ends and even the SQ5 is significantly cheaper than most Macan models, though it uses the same underwhelming 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 as the Cayenne.

There's no doubt that the Macan is a better driving tool. Even the base four-cylinder is more engaging and fun than any available Audi Q5, including the SQ5. If that's your primary consideration, stick with the Macan, but the Audi is undoubtedly a better all-rounder at a more affordable price.