[justm3f80]

Hi, I'm new to the German vehicle driving scene. My family has always had Japanese cars mostly Subaru's. Having relocated to to North America after stints working abroad I found the quality of Japanese cars sold (here in Canada) to be a notch lower that the ones I drove in Japan or in S.E Asia or at least what I experienced in Subaru's - was a certifiable subie fanboi in a previous life.. I'm a recovering AWD addict. I ended up ditching my 2018 Forester XT turbo after a year of ownership, it just wasn't a fun car to drive, wife hated it and prefered her previous Audi Q5 2.0T which felt planted on the road and was more comfortable that the Forester. Not saying the Forester was bad but we just didn't enjoy it and felt it lacked a soul. Fast forward we are now looking at options to replace the Forester. I'm leaning towards the all new X3 M because it's reviews have been great and the reliability so far stellar! and it would be great to add another 'M' to the fleet. A friend recently raved to me about the Porsche Macan S and how it's such an all rounder for the price, luxury, comfort speed and handling. Looks wise its sharp (to me) but not as handsome as the X3 M IMHO.

I'm hoping to get an honest impressions on livability of both for those who have been fortunate enough to experience them. I expect to lease for 3.5 years so no long term ownership considerations for my part. I want to beat on the car as a daily and cut it loose at the end of the lease. We have a dog (Enzo) he prefers Italian cars but that's out of my budget for now

Thanks in advance!!

[damnitBobby]

The new facelift for the Macan S certainly has my attention. It gets the 2.9L V6TT as standard. Also the interior got a much needed update. I would def get it over the X3M.

[Burrcold]

If you are going to be looking at a 2021 you would have to get the Macan Turbo for a performance comparison to the X3M. The refresh 2022 that will land in the US/Canada early next year (orders open now) they rejigged the lineup, so the GTS now gets the Turbo engine, and the S gets last years GTS engine (both Audi derived engines 2.9L V6tt as damnitBobby mentioned), The 2021 GTS engine is just a detuned version of the 2021 Turbo engine, which is a detuned version of the Audi RS5 engine.

[SYT_Shadow]

The Macan is a surprisingly decent car. The biggest difference I see is it is tiny inside. Much smaller than an X3

[Germanauto]

My father daily drives a 2019 Macan S. In my experience the Porsche wins in the handling/steering dept, easily. This thing is basically a hot hatch that's been jacked up whereas to me the X3M feels like it's on stilts. But the X3M is far more powerful, spacious, and it's tech is a generation ahead. Since it's his personal car and not the family car, the rear seats really don't matter. They are definitely tighter than the X3M.

I think color/options matter a lot. There are a lot of black/white Macan S' rolling around but my dad found the one car on the west coast in Miami Blue with black Sport classic wheels. It's a total show stopper and people love it. Of course, those options make the price quite a bit higher. X3M is better bang for your buck as far as horsepower goes.

[FCX5]

Originally Posted by justm3f80

Hi, I'm new to the German vehicle driving scene. My family has always had Japanese cars mostly Subaru's. Having relocated to to North America after stints working abroad I found the quality of Japanese cars sold (here in Canada) to be a notch lower that the ones I drove in Japan or in S.E Asia or at least what I experienced in Subaru's - was a certifiable subie fanboi in a previous life.. I'm a recovering AWD addict. I ended up ditching my 2018 Forester XT turbo after a year of ownership, it just wasn't a fun car to drive, wife hated it and prefered her previous Audi Q5 2.0T which felt planted on the road and was more comfortable that the Forester. Not saying the Forester was bad but we just didn't enjoy it and felt it lacked a soul. Fast forward we are now looking at options to replace the Forester. I'm leaning towards the all new X3 M because it's reviews have been great and the reliability so far stellar! and it would be great to add another 'M' to the fleet. A friend recently raved to me about the Porsche Macan S and how it's such an all rounder for the price, luxury, comfort speed and handling. Looks wise its sharp (to me) but not as handsome as the X3 M IMHO.

I'm hoping to get an honest impressions on livability of both for those who have been fortunate enough to experience them. I expect to lease for 3.5 years so no long term ownership considerations for my part. I want to beat on the car as a daily and cut it loose at the end of the lease. We have a dog (Enzo) he prefers Italian cars but that's out of my budget for now

Thanks in advance!!

The lower trim Macan's use VW sourced engines, not Audi or Porsche like the Cayenne. The Macan optioned is really expensive.

Last year, we looked at the Macan, X3 and Tesla Y for my wife. I think if she drove the X4 M40i she might have picked it since it a good mix of sporty and comfort. We ended up with the Tesla Y Performance.

Personally, value for money I'd take the higher trim levels of the X3/X4 over the Macan. The Macan prices I recall once we had the options was X5 territory. We were looking at the Macan S and GTS and they were in the 80K range.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by FCX5

The lower trim Macan's use VW sourced engines, not Audi or Porsche like the Cayenne. The Macan optioned is really expensive.

OP is inquiring about the Macan S. To my knowledge, it does not use a VW-sourced engine like the base model does.

[jonahk]

2018 Macan base owner here. It's a great 2nd vehicle. It's the 4cyl turbo so it doesn't have much grunt but it's very enjoyable to drive. The interior is very Porsche, with buttons for everything (which I prefer). Ours is Sapphire Blue and it gets a LOT of looks based on the color alone. Absolute beast in the winter with snow tires.

I will say the rear door opening is a bit narrower than the X3M but that will only likely matter to you if you are dealing with a car seat or large adults on the regular. I also believe (would need to check, I was only using a stroller for scale) that the x3M has slightly more cargo room in the rear because it doesn't have the rear slope of the Macan.

These are minor. My MAJOR complaint about the Macan is Porsche maintenance is significantly more expensive than BMW's have been in my experience. We've paid over $2K for just planned stuff and there are only 30K miles on our 2018.

Agree with the above post that you really have to compare the Macan Turbo to the X3M, and also as mentioned above the Macan gets VERY expensive once you start to option it beyond just the base configuration (the Porsche tax).

They're both great platforms though. Hard to go wrong and if I were to do it all over again I'd probably still lean Porsche because I love seeing it next to the G80 every time I open the garage door :0

[FCX5]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

OP is inquiring about the Macan S. To my knowledge, it does not use a VW-sourced engine like the base model does.

Ah yes. Sorry.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

OP is inquiring about the Macan S. To my knowledge, it does not use a VW-sourced engine like the base model does.

Correct. It's the same twin-scroll 3L V6 found in the S4/5/SQ5. Only the base Macan uses the 4 cyl turbo.

[stein_325i]

If you're leasing then BMW is the better buy as they lease much better, although probably a bit more expensive than before due to current market shortages. I think an X3 M40i would be a better choice. I personally find the ride of the X3M harsh. Wife and I had it for an overnight test drive (used with some miles and good tires) and it caused our dog to get sick and was rough when in the city, which goes against the point of an SUV. Coming from a Subaru, the M40i trim will provide enough thrills, as well as more low down power (compared to X3 M) and a cheaper lease.

As for the Macan, its a sweetheart in S, GTS, or Turbo trims. Feels like a hot hatch, very fun and composed, and high quality. The seats are also much more comfortable. That being said cabin tech is a bit older/less intuitive (although Apple CarPlay solves that) and the interior space is much smaller, more so equivalent to X1 in size inside, and lease rates will be much more expensive. The Macan is a better car to finance since its resale value is best in class.

I'd also take a look at the new Genesis GV70, GLC43, and SQ5, all decent choices.

Good luck!

[Transfer]

If power and speed are a priority, even Turbo trim (now GTS for 2022) is slower than X3M. Combine this with poor interior and cargo space plus higher price in Macan and many will be happier in X3M. What the Macan will take from X3M is comfort, steering, and to a small degree transmission (dual clutch).

I would consider the new GTS with the high output TT2.9 but for cost and decrease in cargo room, it's not worth it IMO.

Edit: just saw your comment about Italian cars. Stelvio QV is always a stunner when I see one and should be a little more comfy than X3M with main compromise interior quality and risk of reliability. Price is only slightly above X3M and certainly less than new Macan

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by stein_325i

If you're leasing then BMW is the better buy as they lease much better, although probably a bit more expensive than before due to current market shortages. I think an X3 M40i would be a better choice. I personally find the ride of the X3M harsh. Wife and I had it for an overnight test drive (used with some miles and good tires) and it caused our dog to get sick and was rough when in the city, which goes against the point of an SUV. Coming from a Subaru, the M40i trim will provide enough thrills, as well as more low down power (compared to X3 M) and a cheaper lease.

As for the Macan, its a sweetheart in S, GTS, or Turbo trims. Feels like a hot hatch, very fun and composed, and high quality. The seats are also much more comfortable. That being said cabin tech is a bit older/less intuitive (although Apple CarPlay solves that) and the interior space is much smaller, more so equivalent to X1 in size inside, and lease rates will be much more expensive. The Macan is a better car to finance since its resale value is best in class.

I'd also take a look at the new Genesis GV70, GLC43, and SQ5, all decent choices.

Good luck!

The OP is in Canada so BMW lease rates and residuals are not as attractive compared to what you guys get in the US. It sucks.

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

The OP is in Canada so BMW lease rates and residuals are not as attractive compared to what you guys get in the US. It sucks.

Well then, my vote goes for the Macan, although I'd finance a GTS. Most S models when properly equipped are on par with the GTS in price which features most of the S' equipment as standard.

[e61it]

I had a 16 Macan S prior to my 2021 X5 45e. The X5 is a great drive but nowhere close to the Macan in terms of handling and ride quality. The 2 chamber air suspension on the Macan was much better than the 3 chamber is on the X5. The new Macans also now have a 3 chamber air suspension which reportedly improves upon the prior setup. I drove the 2016 hot version of the X3 and it was rough compared to the Macan. All that said, both are great rides and you have to pick the one that works for you.

[justm3f80]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

If you are going to be looking at a 2021 you would have to get the Macan Turbo for a performance comparison to the X3M. The refresh 2022 that will land in the US/Canada early next year (orders open now) they rejigged the lineup, so the GTS now gets the Turbo engine, and the S gets last years GTS engine (both Audi derived engines 2.9L V6tt as damnitBobby mentioned), The 2021 GTS engine is just a detuned version of the 2021 Turbo engine, which is a detuned version of the Audi RS5 engine.

Makes me wonder if an APR tune would unlock the trapped horses in the GTS. I'll go do some more reading on Rennlist. Thanks for the info!

[justm3f80]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

My father daily drives a 2019 Macan S. In my experience the Porsche wins in the handling/steering dept, easily. This thing is basically a hot hatch that's been jacked up whereas to me the X3M feels like it's on stilts. But the X3M is far more powerful, spacious, and it's tech is a generation ahead. Since it's his personal car and not the family car, the rear seats really don't matter. They are definitely tighter than the X3M.

I think color/options matter a lot. There are a lot of black/white Macan S' rolling around but my dad found the one car on the west coast in Miami Blue with black Sport classic wheels. It's a total show stopper and people love it. Of course, those options make the price quite a bit higher. X3M is better bang for your buck as far as horsepower goes.

in my build sheet for the Macan I selected those wheels My goodness the make the car look sharp! I'm curious, how does you dad find the livability of the car? I mean a bit of fun here and there.. gapping a few ///Ms or Mercs or whatever comes his way ( just kidding, only grown ups here none of that hoobash here ) but is it a car with a soul, can I hear the engine sing how's the power delivery? There are few cars that just leave you with an impression. is this one of them?

[justm3f80]

Originally Posted by jonahk

2018 Macan base owner here. It's a great 2nd vehicle. It's the 4cyl turbo so it doesn't have much grunt but it's very enjoyable to drive. The interior is very Porsche, with buttons for everything (which I prefer). Ours is Sapphire Blue and it gets a LOT of looks based on the color alone. Absolute beast in the winter with snow tires.

I will say the rear door opening is a bit narrower than the X3M but that will only likely matter to you if you are dealing with a car seat or large adults on the regular. I also believe (would need to check, I was only using a stroller for scale) that the x3M has slightly more cargo room in the rear because it doesn't have the rear slope of the Macan.

These are minor. My MAJOR complaint about the Macan is Porsche maintenance is significantly more expensive than BMW's have been in my experience. We've paid over $2K for just planned stuff and there are only 30K miles on our 2018.

Agree with the above post that you really have to compare the Macan Turbo to the X3M, and also as mentioned above the Macan gets VERY expensive once you start to option it beyond just the base configuration (the Porsche tax).

They're both great platforms though. Hard to go wrong and if I were to do it all over again I'd probably still lean Porsche because I love seeing it next to the G80 every time I open the garage door :0

Appreciate the information and the comparison. I've always been a sucker for quirky cars. ilI blame my dad for having a Mazda 1200 back when I was a kid when everywhere I could see were Ford's and Peugeot's. Definitely looking into maintenance as a consideration, I didn't expect to have to fork out anything other than fuel for the 3.5 year lease. This I will bring up with the stealership when I'm bargaining. last question does it feel like more of an expansive Audi or does it have its own character and styling that feels distinctly Porsche? only asking since it shares a tonne of parts with its German siblings. thanks!

[jonahk]

Originally Posted by justm3f80

Appreciate the information and the comparison. I've always been a sucker for quirky cars. ilI blame my dad for having a Mazda 1200 back when I was a kid when everywhere I could see were Ford's and Peugeot's. Definitely looking into maintenance as a consideration, I didn't expect to have to fork out anything other than fuel for the 3.5 year lease. This I will bring up with the stealership when I'm bargaining. last question does it feel like more of an expansive Audi or does it have its own character and styling that feels distinctly Porsche? only asking since it shares a tonne of parts with its German siblings. thanks!

It's definitely Porsche on the inside. Audi's infotainment system is better (so is bmw's for that matter) but when you're in the drivers seat it's all Porsche from the wheel to the cluster to the switchgear, etc.

We cross shopped the q5 since it's technically the same platform and my wife preferred the Macan because the dash was lower and gave better visibility

And for a lease Im not sure on any maintenance (we purchased ours)

[Fritzer]

If it was my money I would probably go with a fully optioned X3M over a base Macan Turbo, GTS. Certainly would choose the X3M over a base Macan or Macan S.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by justm3f80

in my build sheet for the Macan I selected those wheels My goodness the make the car look sharp! I'm curious, how does you dad find the livability of the car? I mean a bit of fun here and there.. gapping a few ///Ms or Mercs or whatever comes his way ( just kidding, only grown ups here none of that hoobash here ) but is it a car with a soul, can I hear the engine sing how's the power delivery? There are few cars that just leave you with an impression. is this one of them?

Frankly speaking, we both drive it like total a-holes. It's fun to drive at any speed, the steering is so tight even when pulling out of the driveway. Very naturally-weighted and has very natural road feedback. It makes you not even miss hydraulic steering. Gearing is long but shifts are reasonably quick and make a nice noise. The car does not have sport exhaust yet when driving with the windows open it sounds very much like it does. My mother hates that and thinks it's obnoxious lol.

It's a very special and soulful car. In fact it reminds me a lot of my old E90 in ways, and there have been other E90 guys online who feel similarly. Handling is out of this world not just for a CUV but for any car.

Now it is an S and not a GTS or Turbo. So it's quick and has more than enough power for public roads but not a full blown weapon.

[romemmy]

Originally Posted by justm3f80

in my build sheet for the Macan I selected those wheels My goodness the make the car look sharp! I'm curious, how does you dad find the livability of the car? I mean a bit of fun here and there.. gapping a few ///Ms or Mercs or whatever comes his way ( just kidding, only grown ups here none of that hoobash here ) but is it a car with a soul, can I hear the engine sing how's the power delivery? There are few cars that just leave you with an impression. is this one of them?

Not sure if you’ve already made your purchase as it’s been a few months, but we have a 2018 Macan Turbo Performance Package with PDK, Sports Chrono, etc. It’s freaking amazing is all I can say. First ever “larger” car we’ve bought as I always vowed to never get an SUV (this is a crossover so maybe I maintain my record!), but it drives like a sports car. Sub-4 second 0-60, sounds aggressive, lots of popping and burbles on deceleration, corners on rails, stops on a dime, and sounds like a 911 GT3 when you floor it. I’ve even taken it out for a few laps at Buttonwillow. It’s still a heavy-ish car with high CofG, but it still felt pretty amazing for the type of car it is.

Personally I thought it had way more soul than an X3M, or any other SUV/CUV we saw. We looked at the Urus and it was way too heavy and had a standard automatic transmission (not dual clutch). Same with the Bentayga, which was fast but even heavier. The DBX was terrible. The Cayenne wasn’t nimble enough. Range Rover’s were too boring.

Ultimately the Macan Turbo PP was the best option by far. I assume the S or GTS would be still pretty cool, though I haven’t tried them so can’t be 100%.

HTH - and if you’ve already made your selection, curious as to what you chose!

Thanks!

S.