Mijae007

Hi guys,
My name is Andrew. I browse the forums a lot (mainly the classifieds) but rarely post. But I figured I'd share some insight and a quick review of the new car with you guys. I appreciate the S2000 so much I thought I'd share some insight with those who share the same passion of mine with the s2000 with members here on s2ki. I felt I needed to share a positive experience I'm having with our new car in case some of you are shopping for an SUV as well.

My wife and I were looking for a new SUV late last year. We considered the Acura MDX, Audi Q5, and Range Rover Sport among others when shopping. Crazy thing is we didn't spend a whole lot of time deciding. The moment we test drove the Macan S, the decision couldn't be any clearer. So I bit the bullet, put a down payment down, and picked up the car just in time for our 1st year anniversary. The Macan handled more like a sports car (lots of characteristics that of our s2000) than any SUV I've driven in the past. The car handles unbelievably well. It feels planted and turns in with ease (largely due to the staggered setup of larger width tires in the rear). The pickup was also surprisingly fast. Although its the S model, it still comes twin turbo from factory. I don't remember the specs but I believe its around 340hp/340tq. Its AWD, but you can electronically control how much torque to split between the front and rear wheels. And most important to note is the 7spd pdk transmission. I've driven similar transmissions in the new M3 and 911 Turbo S and I got to say its nearly identical in performance. I still heel-toe but the car automatically blips the throttle when downshifting. It also shifts up unbelievably fast. Its pretty amazing how much racing technology Porsche put into this SUV. In case of those who didn't know, the steering wheel is that of the one found in the 918 Spyder. It has paddle shifters as well as easy control units at both 3 and 9 oclock positions for display unit and radio. The exhaust note is perfect for a daily driving SUV. It sounds real aggressive at start up like all Porsches and the exhaust stays open with a real throaty sound until it warms up and the revs drop to almost a silent hum. The exhaust also has an electronic valve that opens and closes based on amount of throttle being pushed or sport mode being on/off. Also, the transmission used to automatically downshift quite aggressively when you braked up until we got the car re-tuned by Porsche for a ECU tune recall. Now the car stays in a higher gear (lower rpm) when you brake unless you get on the brakes real hard. I actually liked the sporty nature of the car prior to the recall but oh well. A really cool feature of the car is how the hood is vented underneath to channel cold air into the dual intake chambers. The air comes through the huge mouth of the front bumper, through channels cut away into various parts of the hood, through the hood, then into the intake. Pretty amazing how much time and detail the engineers put into it. There's a lot to appreciate when you look into the details.

We got the Macan in the navigation/communication package with panoramic sunroof. As well as the 18 way setting seats. Comfort lighting package (a must for daily use). And factory ski rack (looks great on the car and functional for those who snowboard/ski, etc).

One feature I wish we got in hindsight is the lane change assist. It shows a little exclamation mark on your side view mirror when there are cars in your blind sight. This option should be standard on all cars in today's day and age.

Some downsides to the car include the heated/cooled seats. The seats don't get as hot as the seats in our 2012 VW jetta but it does the job. It's also a plus for passengers as the rear seats also have a heating option. The cooling option is particularly nice for me as I'm always hot compared to the wifey, but the fan is a bit noisy when turned on to the highest setting. Not really a negative, but another is the amount of brake dust. The car comes factory with softer pads for better braking but as you all know, this only means more dust and quicker wear...

Otherwise, there aren't a lot of negative things to say about this car. We've owned it since September of 2014, put 10xxx miles on it with a couple short road trips and its been an absolute pleasure to drive. The cargo space is plenty, the utility of the car is great, and its just a damn good car. Two thumbs up from me. I highly recommend the Macan S to anyone looking for a compact SUV.

I don't have any pictures of our own, but here is one I found online that looks identical to ours with the same wheels minus the factory roof rack.
http://www.alexmelen.com/macan/4.jpg

Hope this review was helpful in some way. Good luck to those of you who are shopping.

mosesbotbol

Been totally digging the Macan S. Very sharp

alSpeed2k

Nice!

cbehney

Congratulations. I've been thinking about one. It would be nice to try a test drive but the dealership can't keep any in stock. They're flying out of there evidently. Great purchase; keep enjoying it!

Mr.E.G.

It's just a matter of time until I read a thread about a new Winnebago, kayak, or butt plug wherein someone finds some semblance of an s2000 in its inherent characteristics.

Zoidberg

I wanted to come in here and question your reasoning for an SUV. You compared them to the MDX, Q5, and Range Rover Sport, which are all larger vehicles. You went for the smaller choice without question. I wanted to suggest that you could have simply gotten an M5, or an AMG wagon, or something like that because they have the same seating capacity and storage space, but not needlessly tall like a CUV. Or better yet, you could have gotten a 'real' Porsche sports car and then also a cheaper 'real' SUV for the few times that you might actually need it.

I was going to say something about how you've sold your soul to the American consumerism of pointless crossovers and this is why nobody builds sports cars anymore and this is why we don't get manuals anymore...

...But then I think about actually driving the Macan. I've driven the Cayenne Turbo S. If 4000 lb SUVs can go 0-60 in 4 seconds and hunker around 270* freeway on-ramps at ludicrous speeds because of PASM, then the smaller, lighter, newer Macan would actually be delightful to drive. So CUV or otherwise, if a car looks good, drives nicely, and does everything else comfortably, then how can I hate? I want one too. Nice car.

Mijae007

True, the Macan is smaller than all the others tested...minus the Q5. The Macan was actually built on the same chassis as the Q5. Trying not to be biased but to me, the Macan looks really good. It doesnt have weird-off proportions like a lot of other CUVs on the market. Another factor that went into the decision making process I failed to mention in the original post was the consideration of having little ones in the near future. We considered a new sedan for a short while too until we realized we didn't want to be hunching over all the time getting to the baby seat...so we considered all options CUVs and SUVs. The Range Rover Sport was actually more appealing than the Macan as far as SUVs went, but it was ultimately the driving feel of the Macan that had me sold, plus price, and what you get for the price. The Q5 was actually really nice and comparable in features but....Porsche or Audi, Porsche or Audi?? We went with Porsche. The driving feel was just on another level. There are plenty of cars on the market (sedans and SUVs) that have more cargo space and utility, but for us, the Macan had just enough room and exceeded all my expectations of performance you would consider to find in a SUV.

WolfpackS2k

Actually the Q5 has considerably more rear cargo space since it's rear window is sharply raked like the Macan's. Great purchase, if it fits your needs.

Though I feel like if I needed a more "practical" car with a little one on the way I would have gotten the M3 or C63 AMG. You mention hunching over, but the ride height difference is like 5-6 inches, almost no difference.

I can't help but say that, because IMO CUVs are utterly pointless creations

Congrats on the solid purchase!

Jdrum1

I generally agree with you, but that extra 5-6" of clearance can be significant when driving through water.

My town has no storm drainage, so it regularly floods. Most storms result in a number of flooded cars.

If it wasn't for that, I'd have a car for a daily (instead of my Acura RDX).






Congrats on the Macan. I thought it a sin for Porsche to enter the SUV market, but their offerings sure have grown on me.

marthafokker

From his car list, looks like no kids? Kids change people's choice. I still miss my s2ki.

Congrads on the new toy. Wish my wife would give an okay for a purchase like this.