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I’ve now owned my Macan 4 for a month and driven nearly 1,000 miles. This isn’t a driving review, as those are well-covered elsewhere. Instead, I thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts on the options I chose. This is, of course, subjective, and my comparison is mostly based on my previous car, the Mercedes EQC. I also wanted to wait a month to allow time for any muscle memory from my old car to fade.
Macan 4
Having never owned a performance car before, I find the power of the Macan 4 more than adequate for my needs. Initially, I was a bit underwhelmed by the standing acceleration, particularly because it felt like there was a “kick down” point where acceleration only picked up after that. However, after around 150-200 miles, this issue disappeared, and the throttle became smooth and linear. I’m assuming this is related to the bedding-in process for the regenerative braking system. This is something to keep in mind if you’re test-driving a brand-new car.
When comparing it to the EQC, which has a similar 0-60 time, the EQC would dive forward at standstill, making the steering feel somewhat unruly. The Macan 4, on the other hand, feels very controlled and linear in its acceleration. If you’re a speed enthusiast, the 4S or Turbo versions would be more suited to your needs, but for my use, the Macan 4 offers more than enough power.
20" Base Wheels
This is the one option I occasionally second-guess. I would have preferred the 20" S wheels, but my order was frozen before the 4S model was announced. In hindsight, I don’t think the 20" or 21" wheel options are particularly special. The 22" wheels look stunning, but I couldn’t live with the tire noise, especially given that I frequently drive on a very coarse section of motorway. As such, the 20" base wheels were a reasonable compromise. Over time, I’ve grown to appreciate them—they’re decent, though not particularly sporty or eye-catching.
Adaptive Air Suspension
This option might not have been strictly necessary with the 20" wheels, and steel springs with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) would likely have been sufficient. I haven’t noticed a major difference in ride quality between the 20" and 22" wheels with air suspension. However, tire noise is another matter. The ride height seems to adjust with speed, and there’s definitely better body control on twisty roads with the air suspension. Overall, I’m happy with this choice.
Thermally Insulated and Acoustic Glass
For me, this is a must-have. I prefer a quiet cabin, and with the 20" wheels, the cabin is pleasantly quiet—comparable to my EQC and the EQS I test-drove. The cabin also heats up fairly quickly, which may help with efficiency by minimizing heat loss.
Rear-Wheel Steering
I find this feature to be fantastic. It makes maneuvering in tight spaces (common in the UK) a breeze, and it’s great on twisty roads as well. Initially, it takes a bit of time to calibrate your steering input, but once you get a feel for how the car behaves, it becomes second nature.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
The HUD is large and clear. It really comes alive when navigation is active. However, for everyday driving, it doesn’t add much value for me, and I might skip this option in the future.
Seat Massage Function
I absolutely love this feature—it’s excellent and adds a level of comfort I wasn’t expecting.
Innodrive with Active Lane Keeping
This system is very impressive. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is smooth, and active lane keeping is competent and seamless. It’s incredibly relaxing in stop-and-go traffic and on long drives. In my opinion, this should be standard in all modern cars.
Comfort Access
I don’t understand why this is an option. It simply works as advertised.
Bose: I like the Bose in my car very much. My EQC had Burmester and was worried Bose might not cut it. Turns out I have nothing to worry about.
360 surround view camera- does not have the greatest resolution but does the job. I have mapped it to the diamond button and have found this to be very handy. Haven't tried the park assist yet.
Observations
Macan 4
Having never owned a performance car before, I find the power of the Macan 4 more than adequate for my needs. Initially, I was a bit underwhelmed by the standing acceleration, particularly because it felt like there was a “kick down” point where acceleration only picked up after that. However, after around 150-200 miles, this issue disappeared, and the throttle became smooth and linear. I’m assuming this is related to the bedding-in process for the regenerative braking system. This is something to keep in mind if you’re test-driving a brand-new car.
When comparing it to the EQC, which has a similar 0-60 time, the EQC would dive forward at standstill, making the steering feel somewhat unruly. The Macan 4, on the other hand, feels very controlled and linear in its acceleration. If you’re a speed enthusiast, the 4S or Turbo versions would be more suited to your needs, but for my use, the Macan 4 offers more than enough power.
20" Base Wheels
This is the one option I occasionally second-guess. I would have preferred the 20" S wheels, but my order was frozen before the 4S model was announced. In hindsight, I don’t think the 20" or 21" wheel options are particularly special. The 22" wheels look stunning, but I couldn’t live with the tire noise, especially given that I frequently drive on a very coarse section of motorway. As such, the 20" base wheels were a reasonable compromise. Over time, I’ve grown to appreciate them—they’re decent, though not particularly sporty or eye-catching.
Adaptive Air Suspension
This option might not have been strictly necessary with the 20" wheels, and steel springs with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) would likely have been sufficient. I haven’t noticed a major difference in ride quality between the 20" and 22" wheels with air suspension. However, tire noise is another matter. The ride height seems to adjust with speed, and there’s definitely better body control on twisty roads with the air suspension. Overall, I’m happy with this choice.
Thermally Insulated and Acoustic Glass
For me, this is a must-have. I prefer a quiet cabin, and with the 20" wheels, the cabin is pleasantly quiet—comparable to my EQC and the EQS I test-drove. The cabin also heats up fairly quickly, which may help with efficiency by minimizing heat loss.
Rear-Wheel Steering
I find this feature to be fantastic. It makes maneuvering in tight spaces (common in the UK) a breeze, and it’s great on twisty roads as well. Initially, it takes a bit of time to calibrate your steering input, but once you get a feel for how the car behaves, it becomes second nature.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
The HUD is large and clear. It really comes alive when navigation is active. However, for everyday driving, it doesn’t add much value for me, and I might skip this option in the future.
Seat Massage Function
I absolutely love this feature—it’s excellent and adds a level of comfort I wasn’t expecting.
Innodrive with Active Lane Keeping
This system is very impressive. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is smooth, and active lane keeping is competent and seamless. It’s incredibly relaxing in stop-and-go traffic and on long drives. In my opinion, this should be standard in all modern cars.
Comfort Access
I don’t understand why this is an option. It simply works as advertised.
Bose: I like the Bose in my car very much. My EQC had Burmester and was worried Bose might not cut it. Turns out I have nothing to worry about.
360 surround view camera- does not have the greatest resolution but does the job. I have mapped it to the diamond button and have found this to be very handy. Haven't tried the park assist yet.
Observations
- Consumption: Over the 1,000 miles of mostly city and short motorway driving, I’ve averaged 2.7 miles per kWh. This includes winter temperatures ranging from -4°C to 10°C.
- Space: The space is adequate for my needs, but I can’t help but think that, given the Macan's dedicated EV platform, more of that space could have been better utilized.
- Child Lock Malfunction: I’ve had an error appear related to the child lock, which will require a replacement of the lock mechanism. Disappointing for a brand new car.
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