In my opinion, the pros and cons of the Porsche Macan are significant. While I personally believe that the good stuff far outweighs the bad, there are some serious drawbacks to this ridiculously expensive SUV from Stuttgart that you really need to be aware of. It would be irresponsible of you to ignore them.

On one hand, the Porsche Macan is a big SUV that drives like a sports car. It’s fast, comfortable, and it handles very well for a vehicle of its size.

On the other hand, this isn’t a vehicle you want to own long-term. Maintenance and repairs on the Macan are ridiculously expensive, to the point where it’ll have you giving it the middle finger every time you walk up to it. You’ve been warned.

White Porsche Macan
Think of Macan ownership as being in a relationship with a really hot (but high-maintenance) individual. The first few months are gonna be awesome, but you’ll be looking for any excuse to bail when that first repair bill comes in.

All the pros and cons of the Porsche Macan

Since the Porsche Macan is an SUV that I both absolutely love and totally hate, this pros and cons list was really easy for me to put tougher. You can read my 202o Porsche Macan review to read all the specifics, but for now, here are the most notable pros and cons:

Pros

  • The Macan handles deceptively well for a vehicle weighing over 5,500 lbs, and it’ll hang with just about any vehicle weighing half as much.
  • The seating position is very Porsche-like. That’s a massive compliment by the way, since Porsche is pretty much the master of building highly-engaging sports cars.
  • It’s fast! I promise that even the base four-cylinder turbo engine will be more than enough to put and keep a smile on your face.
  • Build quality is quite good. The Macan isn’t as rock solid as say, a Mercedes E350 in my opinion, but it feels like an extremely well built vehicle.
  • I like how high end the interior feels (and looks). Yes, there are some cheap plastic bits here and there, but for the most part it’s a very luxurious environment.
  • The way that the Macan transforms from “mild” to “wild” with the press of the throttle is intoxicating. Driven normally around town, it’s quiet and subdued. Mash the throttle at a stoplight, and it roars to life like a sports car. It’s pretty cool.
  • It’s big, but not excessively big. You won’t have any issues wedging it into tight parking spots.
  • Speaking of size, this is one of the easiest SUVs to get into or out of. You just slide in or out. No climbing. No falling into the seat. No fuss.
  • The transmission in the Macan is easily the best I’ve ever experienced in SUV. Shifts are lightning fast, and the reverberation in the exhaust note on the upshifts is a reminder that you’re driving a finely-tuned machine. 
Scott from DriveAndReview sitting in a Porsche Macan
Yours truly contemplating how they managed to make something so astonishingly good suck so astonishingly bad. There’s as much to love about the Macan as there is to hate!
Black Porsche Macan interior
The interior of the Macan is every bit “Porsche” as the interior of a 911 is. It’s weird how they managed to do it – but I like it.
2020 Porsche Macan with hood up showing 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine
Also, laugh all you want about the base 4-cylinder (turbo) engine option, but it’s actually quite potent – and completely capable of delivering the full “Porsche” driving experience.
Driving a 2020 Porsche Macan with black interior
And what a magnificent driving experience it is!
Porsche Macan size
It’s big! I mean little. A little big, but not too little. (Just wanted to make that clear).

Cons

  • It looks like a freaking Volkswagen. In other words, the Macan looks awfully plain and vanilla for a vehicle costing as much as it does. Especially one with a Porsche badge on it.
  • The blind spots are absolutely atrocious. You’ll have a hard time seeing anything over your shoulder (I either direction) thanks to the thick pillars and narrow windows all the way around.
  • It’s not hard to see where they cut corners in the interior to save costs. There are lots of cheap plastic bits spread throughout, and they rattle like crazy over bumps and rough roads.
  • May God have mercy on your soul (and wallet) when is the warranty of your Macan expires. Mass-produced SUV or not, it’s still a Porsche, and it’s going to be ridiculously expensive to maintain and repair when the time comes. And trust me when I tell you that the time will come…
  • For as bland-looking as it is, it is still a Porsche after all – which means that you’ll be a target for thieves and scammers who might assume that you’re absolutely loaded.
  • Some of the interior materials seem awfully delicate. I can’t imagine all that suede is going to hold up well over the long term.
  • The front seats are a little narrow. That (combined with a very wide center console) will surely make some drivers feel a bit cramped. 
Porsche Macan looks like a Beetle
From certain angles, the Macan (any model year) looks about as tough as a Volkswagen Beetle. In other words, RIP to the masculinity of any manly men who choose to drive one of these things on a daily basis.
Porsche Macan cheap plastic interior parts
Nope, spending a bajillion dollars on a fancy Porsche won’t make you immune from hearing creaks and rattles from cheap plastic bits everywhere you go.
Porsche Macan blind spots
It’s been two weeks since I drove the Macan you see in these pictures, and I’m still cursing about the horrific blind spots. @#$&*)!!
White Porsche Macan rear view
My advice? If you choose to buy a Macan, take lots of pictures of it. 30 years from now, they’ll help you to remember how much of an idiot you were for thinking that owning a Porsche couldn’t possibly be as expensive as everyone says it is. 
Smiling while driving a Porsche Macan
The smile you make when you rent a Macan just for the day (as opposed to living with one every day and being responsible for maintenance and repair bills).

Two good reasons why you should buy a Porsche Macan

I won’t hid the fact that that I don’t think I would ever buy a Porsche Macan for myself. That said, I totally understand why you would want to get one of your own. The Macan is an awfully tempting choice for what I consider to be too very good reasons:

1. It’s the perfect compromise for anyone wanting a sports car but needing an SUV

Driving a Porsche Macan for the first time was a life changing experience for me. I didn’t know much about them up until that point, other than the fact that I saw them everywhere.

Porsche Macan steering wheel and dashboard
I’ll admit it. It’s trippy as heck to walk up to a bland-looking SUV and seeing a full-blown Porsche interior.

Five minutes behind the wheel helped me to understand why it’s such a popular vehicle. I’ve driven legitimate sports cars that didn’t feel as connected to the road as the Macan does. It’s a deceptively nimble and quick SUV, and there is no question about its legitimacy as a Porsche.

2. It’s the ideal size be used as a daily driver

One of the things that I like the most about the Macan is how easy it is to get into and out of. It’s not so tall that you have to climb up into it. It’s also not so low that you have to literally plop down into the seat.

Instead, it’s just a matter of a lateral side step. The maneuver is easy, comfortable, and natural. Which is exactly what you want in a car that you get into an out of hundreds of times a year.

Porsche Macan rear cargo area
I also like how decently large the rear cargo area is. I don’t know, but it seems like it’d hold at least 20 bags of manure without issues.

Two good reasons why you shouldn’t by a Porsche Macan

As much as I like the Macan, I could never buy one of my own. Here are the two main reasons why:

1. Sorry, but it’s not exclusive

Here in Southern California, I can’t drive a mile without seeing a Macan or two. These things are literally everywhere, and I can’t help but to wonder what the owners think about that. Did they purchase it thinking that they were buying their way into an exclusive club of Porsche ownership of some kind?

Maybe so, but I can assure you that it’s not exclusive. Buying a Macan is essentially spending a lot of money to drive a vehicle as common as a Ford F150.

White 2020 Porsche Macan base model
Nope, this isn’t the car for anyone looking to impress others (unless you want them to think how awesome your new Volkswagen is).

2. The cost of maintenance and repairs are no joke

The good news is that the Porsche Macan is a (mostly) reliable SUV. The bad news is that the cost for maintenance and repairs (which will be required at some point) are going to be more expensive than most people can handle.

This is the part about Porsche ownership that many don’t fully understand IMHO. Yes, you might be able to afford the monthly payments on the loan. But are you going to be able to handle a surprise $3500 bill to replace the turbo when it goes bad? It’s those additional (usually massive) costs which will likely prevent me from ever driving a Macan. At least a used one.

Scott is a San Diego based automotive enthusiast who never wastes an opportunity to drive something new. Don’t let the fact that he's owned 3 Mustang GT's (and 2 Pontiac 6000's) fool you – he appreciates all brands equally!

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