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- New Jersey, USA
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- 2025 Macan Turbo Electric
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- #1
Yesterday my Ice Grey Turbo was picked up by the dealership to update the car (WSD0 - Install Upgrade to the Software Network VR28.11 recall).
I didn't have any issue with my cameras but might as well get it taken care of.
They brought a loaner and to my surprise, they brought a heavily specced Ice Grey RWD - with essentially all the options I debated about but didn't pick in the end.
That was the perfect opportunity to test them and here are my thoughts.
RWD vs Turbo
I was expecting the RWD, the first trim in the Macan H2 line, to be disappointing but boy was I wrong. While it doesn't punch you in the face when you launch the car, it's plenty zippy and fun to drive in the city and in traffic. Once going, the acceleration isn't as brutal/fun but more than sufficient in most cases, and the car handles beautifully. Color me impressed Porsche, I expected it not to be as good as it is.
21" Turbo vs 20" S wheels
I was considering getting the 21" Macan Design wheels but didn't want to pay for them... and I was worried 20" would look too small on the Macan.
Well the 20" Macan S wheels (that are unavailable on the Turbo but can be optioned in all the lower trims) are both esthetically pleasing to me *and* the size down makes it a little more comfortable too. When my tires will be dead, I will consider going a size down... if only for when I go autoXing.
But then again, the grip of the 21" is an asset too. TEMPTED!
18-way vs 14-way seats
I had only sat in the 14-way seats at a dealership but now got to drive around in them. If I absolutely wanted the massage option, I may accept to go with the 14-way seats... but for my body shape/size, I find the cocoon of the 18-way seats much more comfortable, plus I feel more secure when driving fast. As I don't care (yet?) for the massage option, the 18-way are the way to go for me. KEEP!
Rear-Axle Steering
Some members here will repeat that RAS makes no impact on "such a small car" - even though its wheelbase is essentially the same as a Taycan or Cayenne. Well I do miss my RAS when driving the loaner, mostly in the city. It's not as agile as my Turbo, I do feel the difference. I am yet to take the loaner on a very spirited drive but I'd spec the RAS option 10 times out of 10. KEEP!
Porsche Electric Sport Sound
Alright, this one is fun. But it also gets annoying quick. I turned it on several times but after a few minutes, I would turn it off because I missed the quietness of the EV. I know it's "only" half a grand but honestly, I would not spend any money on that. I have actually been looking into getting access to PIWIS to see if I can code it but after trying it on several drives, my motivation for this hack dwindled. SKIP!
Augmented Reality Head-Up Display
That was *the* option I debated for a long while, I was afraid it would be too limited for my liking and didn't splurge on it. Well... after a few hours of using it, I don't regret my decision. The AR component is not too shabby but I find it distracting, and this coming from someone who plays video games more than my fair share.
I tried with and without and in the end, I prefer with the AR piece disabled. Now having the speed and directions in the lower part of the windshield are very nice and highly readable, I quite like it.
But would I pay over $2k for an AR HUD only to use the basic HUD version? Nope... if there was a non AR HUD option at a lower price, that's what I would probably get. As it stands, SKIP!
Power Sunblind for Read Windows
Having a baby in the back, that was something I felt could be useful - and it's pretty neat too: with the window closed, just press up on the button and it deploys the blind. Now the downside is it doesn't seem you can adjust its height: it's either fully deployed or fully closed. And the motor is a little noisy. The windows being already tinted in the back, I don't think it brings a ton of value in my case, and that's one less thing that can break. SKIP!
Puddle Light Projectors
This is such a little gadget... I thought I would like it but... eh. I know it's there's a fairly cheap way to get this done on AliExpress, several members here shared the results. But just having PORSCHE shown on the ground, not for me. I liked it on my previous Mach-e, but it displayed the Mustang pony. Maybe if something else was projected, I would consider it but... SKIP!
Passenger Display
Alright, this one is interesting... the second screen looks really good. And I enjoy seeing a high res cover of the music that is playing.
But so far at least, the numbers of actions that can be done on it are limited. Plus the dashboard has a different shape whether there is a screen or not.
In my case, I actually find the dash without a screen more elegant. So until the day they unleash the full power of the screen (if it ever happens), I'll save $1.5k and SKIP!
Power Charge Port Cover
I admit, it's pretty cool. And it actually worked everything I tried to open it, very smooth. If I didn't read about the horror stories about it getting stuck, I may consider it... but realistically, the manual version totally works fine and it's $600 better spent elsewhere (towards RAS, anyone?). MAYBE BUT LIKELY SKIP!
The only 2 option this loaner didn't have that I am curious about are the Thermally & Noise Insulated Glass and Burmester High-End Surround Sound System (the loaner has the Bose system, like my Turbo). But for the latter, I wouldn't spend the asking price on it, really just plain curiosity.
What this experience has shown me however is that I specced my car with all the options that I ultimately love and see value in - and managed to skip all the shiny ones that I probably would have regretted. Part of it is dumb luck and part extensive research (online and at dealerships)... especially at a time when the car wasn't even released yet.
Now I'm eager to get my Turbo back next week, but will enjoy driving the RWD around for a few more days, seeing what kind of trouble I can get it into.
I didn't have any issue with my cameras but might as well get it taken care of.
They brought a loaner and to my surprise, they brought a heavily specced Ice Grey RWD - with essentially all the options I debated about but didn't pick in the end.
| Ice Grey Turbo (mine) | Ice Grey RWD (loaner) | |
|---|---|---|
| Base MSRP | $105,300 | $75,300 |
| Options | $5,890 (5.6%) | $16,530 (21.9%) |
| Wheels | 21" Macan Turbo | 20" Macan S |
| Interior | Leather Package in Black with Turbonite Accents | Leather Package in Black |
| Seats | Adaptive Sports Seats (18-way) | Comfort Seats (14-way) |
| Performance Rear Axle Steering | Y | N |
| Performance Sport Chrono Package | Y | Y |
| Performance Porsche Electric Sport Sound | N | Y |
| Assistance Systems AR Head-Up Display | N | Y |
| Interior Comfort Power Sunblind for Rear Windows | N | Y |
| Lights and Vision Puddle Light Projectors | N | Y |
| Audio and Communication Passenger Display | N | Y |
| E-mobility Power Charge Port Cover | N | Y |
That was the perfect opportunity to test them and here are my thoughts.
RWD vs Turbo
I was expecting the RWD, the first trim in the Macan H2 line, to be disappointing but boy was I wrong. While it doesn't punch you in the face when you launch the car, it's plenty zippy and fun to drive in the city and in traffic. Once going, the acceleration isn't as brutal/fun but more than sufficient in most cases, and the car handles beautifully. Color me impressed Porsche, I expected it not to be as good as it is.
21" Turbo vs 20" S wheels
I was considering getting the 21" Macan Design wheels but didn't want to pay for them... and I was worried 20" would look too small on the Macan.
Well the 20" Macan S wheels (that are unavailable on the Turbo but can be optioned in all the lower trims) are both esthetically pleasing to me *and* the size down makes it a little more comfortable too. When my tires will be dead, I will consider going a size down... if only for when I go autoXing.
But then again, the grip of the 21" is an asset too. TEMPTED!18-way vs 14-way seats
I had only sat in the 14-way seats at a dealership but now got to drive around in them. If I absolutely wanted the massage option, I may accept to go with the 14-way seats... but for my body shape/size, I find the cocoon of the 18-way seats much more comfortable, plus I feel more secure when driving fast. As I don't care (yet?) for the massage option, the 18-way are the way to go for me. KEEP!
Rear-Axle Steering
Some members here will repeat that RAS makes no impact on "such a small car" - even though its wheelbase is essentially the same as a Taycan or Cayenne. Well I do miss my RAS when driving the loaner, mostly in the city. It's not as agile as my Turbo, I do feel the difference. I am yet to take the loaner on a very spirited drive but I'd spec the RAS option 10 times out of 10. KEEP!
Porsche Electric Sport Sound
Alright, this one is fun. But it also gets annoying quick. I turned it on several times but after a few minutes, I would turn it off because I missed the quietness of the EV. I know it's "only" half a grand but honestly, I would not spend any money on that. I have actually been looking into getting access to PIWIS to see if I can code it but after trying it on several drives, my motivation for this hack dwindled. SKIP!
Augmented Reality Head-Up Display
That was *the* option I debated for a long while, I was afraid it would be too limited for my liking and didn't splurge on it. Well... after a few hours of using it, I don't regret my decision. The AR component is not too shabby but I find it distracting, and this coming from someone who plays video games more than my fair share.
I tried with and without and in the end, I prefer with the AR piece disabled. Now having the speed and directions in the lower part of the windshield are very nice and highly readable, I quite like it.
But would I pay over $2k for an AR HUD only to use the basic HUD version? Nope... if there was a non AR HUD option at a lower price, that's what I would probably get. As it stands, SKIP!
Power Sunblind for Read Windows
Having a baby in the back, that was something I felt could be useful - and it's pretty neat too: with the window closed, just press up on the button and it deploys the blind. Now the downside is it doesn't seem you can adjust its height: it's either fully deployed or fully closed. And the motor is a little noisy. The windows being already tinted in the back, I don't think it brings a ton of value in my case, and that's one less thing that can break. SKIP!
Puddle Light Projectors
This is such a little gadget... I thought I would like it but... eh. I know it's there's a fairly cheap way to get this done on AliExpress, several members here shared the results. But just having PORSCHE shown on the ground, not for me. I liked it on my previous Mach-e, but it displayed the Mustang pony. Maybe if something else was projected, I would consider it but... SKIP!
Passenger Display
Alright, this one is interesting... the second screen looks really good. And I enjoy seeing a high res cover of the music that is playing.
But so far at least, the numbers of actions that can be done on it are limited. Plus the dashboard has a different shape whether there is a screen or not.
In my case, I actually find the dash without a screen more elegant. So until the day they unleash the full power of the screen (if it ever happens), I'll save $1.5k and SKIP!
Power Charge Port Cover
I admit, it's pretty cool. And it actually worked everything I tried to open it, very smooth. If I didn't read about the horror stories about it getting stuck, I may consider it... but realistically, the manual version totally works fine and it's $600 better spent elsewhere (towards RAS, anyone?). MAYBE BUT LIKELY SKIP!
The only 2 option this loaner didn't have that I am curious about are the Thermally & Noise Insulated Glass and Burmester High-End Surround Sound System (the loaner has the Bose system, like my Turbo). But for the latter, I wouldn't spend the asking price on it, really just plain curiosity.
What this experience has shown me however is that I specced my car with all the options that I ultimately love and see value in - and managed to skip all the shiny ones that I probably would have regretted. Part of it is dumb luck and part extensive research (online and at dealerships)... especially at a time when the car wasn't even released yet.
Now I'm eager to get my Turbo back next week, but will enjoy driving the RWD around for a few more days, seeing what kind of trouble I can get it into.
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