2021 Porsche Macan S with standard suspension: Still the sportiest compact SUV? | One-Mile Review

You got noticeably excited driving the Macan with the paddles and in sport mode but you gave the fun factor a 5?? 😂😂😂 what a joke.

Wait!!! So if this is a Porsche Club of America video/channel? And in turn should know the product, why did he just say it's a 3.0L Twin Turbo engine? These are two conflicting specs.. The Twin turbo engine spec is in fact, a 2.9L displacement. Whereas the 3.0L has a single turbocharger, nestled in between the Valley of the engine/heads. Exactly like Audi, which they collaborated in the design. Just to be clear for the audience, future viewers; This is a generation 2 Macan. IF this was a generation 1 Macan, his 3.0L twin turbo assessment would have been spot on.

Crossover SUV or Hot Hatch? Hmmmmm.

Ratings? I would have to give it a 6.5. What other SUV is going to be near that much fun! The Cadillac Escalade std SWB with the 6.2L LS and 375hp is .07 hp/lb, the Macan S here is ,08 hp/lb!! 12.5% more! And the PDK!! Sweet! --gary

Nice Vu!

First class review on a great sporting SUV .Porsche are second to none thats for sure.

I had purchased a '21 Macan S with steel springs as well. Having owned a '13 Cayenne with air-ride, I would have preferred the air ride but thought the standard suspension was still a nice balance between ride and handling. Expecting this was going to be a very longterm vehicle for me, I also appreciated the simplicity of the suspension vs the potential for future repairs. This purchase was my attempt to downsize and combine a tow vehicle and manual 981 Cayman. My advice is to spend some time test driving. The fatal flaw for me was the delay/hesitation of the transmission/turbo when needing to accelerate quickly from a rolling stop. Really unforgivable for a performance vehicle. I was told not an issue with the GTS or earlier turbo. It did however make for a good 2000 mile road trip to trade it in.

Had to trade in our 2016 Macan S for a Cayenne Diesel so we could tow our Airstream Basecamp X. No regrets but I certainly miss the Macan. If I had to own one car only, it would definitely be a Macan, with the most desirable being the GTS. As for the ratings by Vu, no argument except for the daily driver. It has to be a 10 because the Macan, even with the S package, does it all, everywhere. I cannot imagine a better daily driver. When taking our Porsches in for service we typically get a base Macan as a loaner. Interesting to see the difference from the 6-cylinder S. I find the base to be plenty capable and a little nimbler than the S. If one was not too fussy about performance and needing to spend a little less, a base Macan would suit them well. It will be interesting to see the EV version next year. Keep up the good work.

I have exactly the same year and model. Sadly sold my ‘88 Targa 911 and bought this model for year round use. Never expected my MacanS to perform like my 911 but it comes close. My MacanS is super fun to drive, powerful at any speed and cars see you coming and jump out of the way. Your ratings are too conservative, too low. Min #8 - 10 rating. Can’t be beat in it’s class.

Great review! I love my 2020 Macan S.. I absolutely agree on hiding the speed…

Excellent review, Vu. A couple of years ago, I bought a 2016 Macan S with 42k miles on it. Took a bit to overcome a somewhat sketchy past, but it is vastly better than an Audi SQ5, which had an unfortunate overly sensitive sensor that would slam on the brakes with no cars or other obstacles near it. In the past, I've had a 2001 Carrera 4 and a 2008 Cayman S. The Macan S is neither of those, but now I can throw in a couple of backpacks filled with photography equipment in the back and still have fun driving the car. And as another commenter mentioned, the Macan is much easier to get in and out of. One of my best moves, I think, was getting a Softronic ECU tune [Autosportsystemsgroup (ASG)], in Merrifield, Virginia), which boosted horsepower from 348 to 410 and torque from 354 to 445. The tune, which cost just under $1,500, made a significant improvement in performance. The Macan S is not an exotic sports car, but it definitely is one of the finest cars I've ever owned and a delight to drive, either on a trip or to the grocery store.

It’s a single turbo 3 litre not twin turbo 👍

Looking like I may need a Macan now.. I'm 70 now w/ failing health. I can't get in and out of my Carrera anymore. It's killing me !! Dang It !!

Great video Vu, your impressions are dead on. We own a 21 S that we specifically ordered with the standard suspension for the reasons you had mentioned. Many swear by PASM or the air option on these but I feel shoppers would be discounting themselves by overlooking the base suspension. There is no amount of Porsche marketing or suspension technology that can mask 2+ tons and a high CG!

"They hug you in all the right places." I can't think of higher praise for a seat. :) I've seen too many videos/heard too many stories about air suspensions going bonk to ever truly trust one on a car I was planning to own for more than a few years.

Love my 2018 Macan S as a daily & road tripper, super comfortable. I rented a Q5 and they’re definitely different animals and the seats weren’t nearly as comfortable.

Macans are getting very popular in our region - Florida Crown. The next electric version will probably replace my wife’s MDX.

The Macan just looks better than a Cayenne IMO. Lots of other people seem to agree.

Just a rebadged Q5? LOL! You nailed it Vu. Porsche build quality is epic and perceptively exceeds Audi’s. My 2022 Cayman S has much better build quality than my 2018 Audi TTRS, and that car was stellar. Porsches are just better.

Long Trip I'd give it a 9.5. We have taken our Macan S from NW Indiana to Tucson, Santa Fe, New York City, and Charlotte NC, just to name a few. See "The Longest Test Drive" article in EBrake.

As someone who's driven most variants and owns a 2022 GTS, I will say that if you get one of these, PASM is a must on the standard suspension.

Pretty sure it's a twin scroll Single Turbo