Porsche is known for making powerful and high-quality cars and it’s done it again with the new Porsche Macan. Although the Macan isn’t a convertible like many Porsches are known for, the new Macan does boast the same great performance, appealing aesthetics, and luxurious features that people expect from a Porsche. 

Indeed, the 2019 Macan is getting rave reviews from sites like Car and Driver and U.S. News. Here’s why this German SUV is getting all that praise.

Performance

Two trims for the 2019 version of the Macan has been revealed so far and both are packed with power. The base variant comes with a 248 hp turbocharged engine and the S trim has a 3.0-liter 348 hp turbocharged V6 engine. Porsche will reveal the GTS and the Turbo versions of the Macan soon and those will definitely be even more powerful.

To give you an idea of how much more powerful the GTS and Turbo versions might be, the 2016 version of the Macan Turbo came with a 400 hp engine. For a subcompact SUV, that’s a lot of power in a relatively small frame. Very few competing subcompact SUVs can boast similar numbers. For example, on the lower end of the spectrum is the new Lexus UX which has a 169 hp engine. On the higher end is the Audi SQ5 which has a 349 hp engine. 

All that power allows the Macan to get performance figures comparable to some sports cars. Porsche claims that the new Macan can go from 0-60 miles per hour in 6.3 seconds with the standard engine.

With the 348 hp engine though, the new Macan can go 0-60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds. The top speed of the new Macan is also 141 miles per hour or 157 miles per hour for the 248 hp and 348 hp engines respectively. 

Car and Driver also reports that the suspension system for the 2019 Macan has been improved as well. They already thought that the 2018 Macan’s handling was great and so this upgrade should make the new Macan handle even better. Most people buy SUVs for the practicality, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun while driving it.

Porsche Macan features and amenities

The 2019 Macan features a larger and superior infotainment system compared to its predecessor model. The new Macan comes with a standard 4G interior WiFi system as well as a 10.9-inch touchscreen display.

Premium options that drivers can add onto their Macan include a 10-speaker sound system and leather linings to outfit the interior with. In addition to that, the new Macan also comes with modern safety features and that gives the Macan great safety ratings in crash tests. Compared to other luxury subcompact SUVs like the Jaguar F-Pace S, these features overall are about the same. 

Practicality

The power and performance of the new Macan comes with a trade-off though, as it isn’t as impressive in terms of its fuel economy. The new Macan gets about 20 combined MPG according to the government which is much less than other comparable SUVs. Those SUVs may not be as fast as the Macan is, but they are certainly more practical. 

On top of that, because of the redesigned interior, the 2019 Macan does have less room overall than its competitors. Although it can still seat 5 people, its cargo capacity suffered from the redesign. Porsche claims that the new Macan will have a rear cargo volume of 17.6 ft³ and a volume of 52.9 ft³ when the rear seats are folded. Audi claims that its 5-seat SQ5 has a rear cargo volume of 25.1 ft³ with the rear seats up and a volume of 53.1 ft³ with the rear seats folded.

In terms of pricing, the new Macan is comparable to other luxury subcompact SUVs. The base model starts at $51,150 and the S trim starts at $59,850. For comparison, the Audi SQ5 can range from $52,400 to $62,100 and the Jaguar F-Pace S can range from $45,200 to $63,600 depending on the trim.