Is Porsche Macan RWD Base a good option?

[Awaz]

All vehicles should be AWD at a minimum for added safety IMHO.

I don't think not having AWD is a safety issue as such.
I have driven BMWs all my life, always RWD, and my last i4 EV too was RWD. Never felt lack of safety issue.
I think all EV manufacturers are doing RWD variants, that many call long range. And why not?

Even Taycan has a RWD, and reading/watching many reviews, they like it, without missing any of the Porsche driving dynamic that it is known for. I bet some contributors here must have had a Taycan RWD.

Even Chinese manufacturers are offering all variants, including long range. Single electric motor always gives you more range with same battery size. Some even have 3 electric motors or 4 (if I'm not wrong reading it somewhere, recently).

More than one electric motor in EV is not necessarily for AWD purposes, they are also for the car shoot in a blink of a second or something, to compete with some of the super cars. That would be a good toy for some, but not necessarily ideal for day to day driving.

All-wheel drive is probably far more necessary for those taking their Macan off-road, but I bet many will never do
At the end of the day, it's good we all have different choices and preferences.

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[W1NGE]

I don't think not having AWD is a safety issue as such.
I have driven BMWs all my life, always RWD, and my last i4 EV too was RWD. Never felt lack of safety issue.
I think all EV manufacturers are doing RWD variants, that many call long range. And why not?

Even Taycan has a RWD, and reading/watching many reviews, they like it, without missing any of the Porsche driving dynamic that it is known for. I bet some contributors here must have had a Taycan RWD.

Even Chinese manufacturers are offering all variants, including long range. Single electric motor always gives you more range with same battery size. Some even have 3 electric motors or 4 (if I'm not wrong reading it somewhere, recently).

More than one electric motor in EV is not necessarily for AWD purposes, they are also for the car shoot in a blink of a second or something, to compete with some of the super cars. That would be a good toy for some, but not necessarily ideal for day to day driving.

All-wheel drive is probably far more necessary for those taking their Macan off-road, but I bet many will never do
At the end of the day, it's good we all have different choices and preferences.

Macan is by no means an off road vehicle nor is the Cayenne for that matter. Soft roaders at best.

All Porsche AWD variants are RWD biased where the power split is biased towards the rear.

The Taycan at launch was able to disable one motor when in Range drive mode but that was soon abandoned in favour of RWD bias and under power share the split more evenly.

I've noticed that in icy, snowy or wet conditions the drive is biased towards the front wheels - in my experience this has helped when traversing slushy or snow roads and gives quite some assurance when ascending or descending slopes - just let the car do its thing and in particular when braking in such conditions.

 

[jkjjpc]

I test drove a Macan EV RWD yesterday. I purposely drove it before driving a higher spec 4 (but, I coming from my Taycan 4S). I found the RWD to be surprisingly quick and responsive. I think most people coming from an ICE vehicle would find it perfectly adequate since they have not experienced the rapid acceleration from a Tesla Plaid or Performance or other high HP EV. The place where I noticed it was lacking in power was in highway acceleration, say flooring from 50 mph and also trying to accelerate rapidly from 30 mph going up a hill on a side road. Again, it was probably as good as most ICE vehicles, although without a kick down gear it did not feel as responsive. I found the 4 to be more responsive, probably on par with my Model Y Long Range (they have similar 0-60 times), though the Model Y is quicker from a start. I think I could be happy with an RWD if I had never experienced faster EV performance and the added range would be welcome on a road trip. I definitely could be fine with a 4 since it is similar to our Model Y. Note, in the Y there is a performance boost you can purchase for $2000 to take about 0.5 sec off the 0-60. I have not felt the need to make that purchase, thus my view that the 4 would be fine for my needs. But, alas, I have driven a Taycan 4S for 4 years, so if I order a Macan I will most likely opt for the 4S version since the price delta is only a few thousand dollars.

 

[MacanT]

I think the rear wheel drive option is great if you prioritise EV range and generally drive within the restricted speed limits in urban settings. There are cost savings on the initial purchase and ongoing charging costs.
However if you want perfomance and the ability to put power through all 4 wheels then AWD is the better option. I also like the improved handling and safety when the road is wet, snowy, icy and gravelly. AWD also performs better when taking corners, twists and turns. I have always noticed improved car handling with AWD vehicles, previously owing an Audi Quattro and i4 M50. I do like dynamic driving and sometimes taking the car up mountain paths and into the countryside. AWD makes sense for me. However, I do commend Porsche for having an option for all types of drivers.

 

[Awaz]

Base Macan review:

Porsche Macan Electric - Really 400 km long-distance motorway without recharging?

 

[Frankie]

Another review of a base model:

 

[rcomeau]

I don't think not having AWD is a safety issue as such.
I have driven BMWs all my life, always RWD, and my last i4 EV too was RWD. Never felt lack of safety issue.
I think all EV manufacturers are doing RWD variants, that many call long range. And why not?

Even Taycan has a RWD, and reading/watching many reviews, they like it, without missing any of the Porsche driving dynamic that it is known for. I bet some contributors here must have had a Taycan RWD.

Even Chinese manufacturers are offering all variants, including long range. Single electric motor always gives you more range with same battery size. Some even have 3 electric motors or 4 (if I'm not wrong reading it somewhere, recently).

More than one electric motor in EV is not necessarily for AWD purposes, they are also for the car shoot in a blink of a second or something, to compete with some of the super cars. That would be a good toy for some, but not necessarily ideal for day to day driving.

All-wheel drive is probably far more necessary for those taking their Macan off-road, but I bet many will never do
At the end of the day, it's good we all have different choices and preferences.

If you live where there is any snow, then AWD is a definite benefit. I've had to maneuver around many RWD cars when going up a snowy hill while watching them slide around with their rears going side to side. Sure, only happens a few times a year, but getting stuck half way up an incline in snow is not a pleasant experience.

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