Yahoo Autos Performance and Driving Impressions
Performance and Driving Impressions Rating:
While a few competitors might beat the Macan Turbo’s performance in individual tests-a skidpad figure here, a braking distance there-on the whole the Porsche is dominant. Not only is it the quickest and among the stickiest here, it’s also the most satisfying to drive at any speed.
What’s New for 2018?
Why fix what isn’t broken? Porsche didn’t alter any of the Macan Turbo’s dynamic abilities for 2018 and that’s fine by us-it’s still one of our favorite performance vehicles despite its crossover shape.
2017 Porsche Macan Turbo
Any car that cracks the four-second barrier from zero to 60 mph is bonkers. Porsche sprinkles extra crazy over that benchmark by accomplishing it with a compact luxury crossover. Armed with its available Performance package, the Macan Turbo makes 440 horsepower and zips past 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Without that kit, the 400-hp Turbo is still plenty quick, reaching the same mark in 4.2 seconds. (The 340-hp Macan S and 360-hp Macan GTS, covered separately, aren’t far behind.) Not only do those figures eviscerate everything else in this class (although we haven’t yet tested Mercedes-AMG’s new 449-hp GLC63), they’re in the same league as versions of Porsche’s own 911 sports car. Standard all-wheel drive makes no-holds-barred acceleration runs incredibly simple point-and-squirt exercises, especially when aided by a launch-control function that comes with the $1310 Sport Chrono package. Hold the brake and the accelerator down simultaneously, build engine revs, and release the brake; the Macan squats hard and just goes.
Test Results: Acceleration
Ride, Handling, and Steering
The Turbo’s standard suspension mixes steel coil springs with electronically adjustable dampers with Comfort and Sport modes. An additional $1385 buys a height-adjustable air suspension, and it’s included in the Performance package. Either way, the Macan’s ride is supple and well controlled in Comfort mode and firm in each suspension’s Sport mode. Cars equipped with the Sport Chrono package (it is standard with the Performance package) add an even more aggressive Sport Plus setting. Beyond the drive modes, however, wheel size is the biggest factor in the Macan’s ride equation. The standard 19-inch and optional 20-inch rims are plenty handsome, but if vanity dictates that you choose the available 21-inchers, know that you’ll get a flintier ride in return. Every Macan Turbo handles exceptionally well, with little body roll and tons of grip. In fact, most of the vehicles in this group turn in skidpad numbers that would have done the best sports sedans proud not that many years ago. The Turbo’s steering isn’t quite as communicative as in Porsche’s sports cars-which is about as good as steering gets- but it is quick and very accurate.
Test Results: Maximum Cornering Capability
Braking
All of the Macan’s primary controls would be praiseworthy if installed in a sports car, let alone a crossover. That applies to the brakes, which respond to even slight brake-pedal applications with a satisfying immediacy. Our test numbers were gathered on a Performance package model that lacked Porsche’s optional $8150 carbon-ceramic brakes. Those binders should only be purchased by the zany few who plan to take their Macan to racetracks, as most of their benefit comes from their resistance to fade-heat-induced performance degradation that brakes can suffer after repeated hard stops.
Test Results: Maximum Braking Capability
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