[Thoughts] - Macan 4 Loaner vs. Macan Turbo EV (owned)

[PrudentOcean]

Parts availability can be spotty if they are needed for a recall or other campaign.

I needed a replacement resistive heater due to some cutting oil residue from the manufacturing process causing smoke to enter the cabin from the vents (a known problem with an associated campaign). The heater was unavailable from Porsche with no ETA. Fortunately my service advisor was able to find one at another dealer and had it shipped to them.

My car is also due to have the cameras replaced as part of a safety tecall, though I haven’t had any issues. The service department has been waiting for the cameras since early December ’25.

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[Daniel]

Thanks for the detailed overview. I have a 4 with full leather and am very happy with it. Your review makes me feel good about my choice.

Hello voisin (i live in Gap) , after owning two ICE Macan, a Taycan and now 16 months with a Macan 4 , all with the "full" leather option ,i confirm that leather on top of the door , with continue stitching if possible , considerably enhances the feeling of luxury and quality of the car.

 

[Paris92]

Thanks for this great comparison review and information Dave!

Makes me feel really really good about my 4 build with 20" (chose for range/comfort). I like the looks of the 21 and 22 a lot better, but I made that choice.

Seems like I am not missing much power-wise for how I use the vehicle; it is enough for me. Plenty. No one has beat me yet off the line at a red light, when challenged, haha. That is about as much "racing" as I do.

I do have the rear wiper (for Tahoe runs in the winter, heavy rains, and general road trips...) and did notice the difference in the window size when test driving two different vehicles. On a downhill slope after cresting the top of a hill, you basically can not see anything behind you through that window because of the bump. The rear portal is VERY small. I thought about how often I have used the wiper in those types of conditions (and glad to have had it) on previous SUV's and decided we needed it.

RWS. I think you would know if this was optioned on the loaner. It is a game-changer as far as I am concerned; especially for city driving and parallel parking in tight confines, and especially for navigating tight U-turns given the size and bulk of this "small" SUV. I can definitely tell when navigating most turns.

I do regret not upgrading to the full leather package.

 

[daveo4EV]

first off: why the Macan 4 Loaner? Well my wife's and my 2021 Cayenne TurboS eHybrid is in the shop for some service - at my request they did a battery diagnostic and they found what I suspected - some of the battery cells are no longer giving us their full effort, and the car is remarkably down on power with in pure-EV-mode (eMode) - and I want this fixed while the car is still in warranty - so my lovely Cayenne is in for service while we wait for non-deterministic parts delivery schedule…I'm anticipating this will take a while - we'll see - details can be found here: https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-9y0-2019/1499616-status-update-2021-cayenne-turbos-ehybrid.html

following up on this…I'll be returning my lovely Macan 4 loaner - next week - much sooner than I would've guessed (but I'm glad it's getting taken care of)…

at 43,xxx miles (21, xxx miles of EV miles) on my 2021 Cayenne TurboS eHybrid - and about 4 years 9 months it turns out my entire HV hybrid battery had "deteriorated" (their words not mine) - so I'm effectively getting a whole new Cayenne hybrid battery!!!

I'll be anxious to try it out and see if it restores "full" power - 8 year/100,000 mile warranty FTW!

see the rennlist thread for the gory details.

Wife and I will miss the loaner but happy to have our lovely Cayenne back for our daily use!!

 

[ron_b]

@daveo4EV I think you will get a 2 yr unlimited mileage warranty. That is what I recall when in similar circumstances.

 

[fubar.droid]

I've never test driven a Turbo but I have a 4 and I find it has more power than I need but I do agree that the trim levels simply don't differentiate enough with the Macan EVs. It's both a good thing for everyone but a bad thing for Porsche's business model. The only short term solution is to heavily limit the options available on the lower trims but that probably will simply push buyers elsewhere as most don't want the highest trim.

 

[daveo4EV]

following up on this…I'll be returning my lovely Macan 4 loaner - next week - much sooner than I would've guessed (but I'm glad it's getting taken care of)…

at 43,xxx miles (21, xxx miles of EV miles) on my 2021 Cayenne TurboS eHybrid - and about 4 years 9 months it turns out my entire HV hybrid battery had "deteriorated" (their words not mine) - so I'm effectively getting a whole new Cayenne hybrid battery!!!

I'll be anxious to try it out and see if it restores "full" power - 8 year/100,000 mile warranty FTW!

see the rennlist thread for the gory details.

Wife and I will miss the loaner but happy to have our lovely Cayenne back for our daily use!!

2021 Cayenne TurboS eHybrid returned with new battery cells - full power restored!!! all covered under warranty - time in service less than 4 weeks - nothing to complain about…

vehicle can now climb the hill entering my neighborhood purely on EV power like it used to be able to do - new batteries have restored full performance!!

woot.

 

[daveo4EV]

I feel "seen" and "validated" 'by this review…

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/...c First Drive: More of the Same, More or Less

 

[craz8]

I feel "seen" and "validated" 'by this review…

Dave is on the other side of crazy....

This is an interesting bit of info

Porsche won’t publish this in its literature for liability reasons, but the new towing capacities are simply the result of running new tests on the same hardware. So, previous models can tow the same despite lower official ratings.

 

[Gkwan]

Hello all,

this post is to simply share some long term observations as I now have the opportunity to swap between a Macan 4 EV and Macan Turbo EV on a daily basis…the options are not quite the same but both cars are well optioned and equipped and I've noticed some concrete differences…which I'm sharing here

first off: why the Macan 4 Loaner? Well my wife's and my 2021 Cayenne TurboS eHybrid is in the shop for some service - at my request they did a battery diagnostic and they found what I suspected - some of the battery cells are no longer giving us their full effort, and the car is remarkably down on power with in pure-EV-mode (eMode) - and I want this fixed while the car is still in warranty - so my lovely Cayenne is in for service while we wait for non-deterministic parts delivery schedule…I'm anticipating this will take a while - we'll see - details can be found here: https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-9y0-2019/1499616-status-update-2021-cayenne-turbos-ehybrid.html

given this long duration service I was given some preferential treatment on my loaner selection from my local Porsche dealer - originally I was given a poorly optioned base 2025 Cayenne - and I request a Macan EV at their first opportunity - and about a week later I swapped the Cayenne base for the well equipped Macan 4 EV - I'm much happier…

the Macan 4 is well optioned but not "over the top": it has Innodrive, HUD, Bose, Passenger Display, Massage Seats, heated steering wheel, air suspension, comfort access, etc…

but does not have: Noise Insulated glass, full leather, headliner, rear window shades

22" wheels are on the car…with the nice silver rims.

Car is gentian blue (one of my favorite colors) with a black interior

I can't tell if it has RWS and I can not rule it in or out

this posting is a supplement to my original thoughts when I first had a Macan 4 - see this thread…https://www.macanevowners.com/forum/threads/turbo-service-and-macan-4-loaner.22167/

when I had the previous Macan 4 I was not switching back/forth between the 4 and my Turbo because the Turbo was in for service.

Since it's my cayenne in service - I am now in/out of both the 4 and the turbo sometimes multiple times in the same day - this has afforded a rare "A/B" test of trim and "power level" and options…as I sometimes get out the 4 and right in the Turbo and I can immediately "see/feel" some differences…

TLDR; the 4 has impressed me - and many would do well with it - options matter more than power as the 4 is simply excellent - but it's no turbo.

so let's get to it - here are my A vs. B thoughts in no particular order

• Let's start with the elephant in the room - the 4 is "down on power' vs. the Turbo - and before I had driven a 4 I would have _NEVER_ considered it. After living with it for a couple of weeks. The power level is "acceptable" and "sufficient" and no one will suffer in this car - especially coming from virtual any other mid-sized gas powered SUV…
  • from a dead stop the 4 lacks greatness - but it's way way better than most ICE SUV's and probably better than most trim levels of a gas Macan
    • I continue to believe even "lesser" EV's are simply better cars for most people the drive vs. the crappy ICE motors and transmissions most people are actually driving
  • once the car is "moving/rolling" the acceleration differences are less pronounced for accelerating/passing etc…the car is quite spunky
  • the car's power level and responsiveness is quite good and again marked improvement vs. most gas powered SUV's
  • for me personally this would given me confidence to forgo the Turbo level in a future Macan EV and live with a 4S or GTS - I personally want a smidge more greatness from a dead stop (but that's a personal failing/weakness) because again once the car is rolling it has more than enough power for any normal driving situation
• the loaner lacks Thermal/Insulated glass - but I have it on my Turbo - when ever I get out the Turbo and then drive the loaner 4 - I feel ike the windows are not quite closed - and I instinctively reach for the power window buttons to 'close' the windows - feeling they are open just a bit letting noise in - alas the windows _ARE_ closed and that's just the increased noise level due to the lack of sound insulation. It's not a bother, but it is an increased elevation in normal road/wind noise - such that at 60 mph or greater it just "feels" like the windows are 'leaking' wind noise
  • having now experienced the difference first hand - noise/thermal windows will remain on my "must have" personal options list - the car is quieter or more comfortable with these windows than it is with out them
  • it's been too cold to experience any difference in thermal situation - so I have no comparison
• Surprise - loaner has the rear wiper - because of this there is less visibility out the back due to a "hump" for the wiper motor/mechanism - it's not critical or annoying - I simply note it - but having now had a Macan EV with the wiper but no Noise-glasss - I'll take the glass thank you very much and a gain a slightly bigger rear window "portal"…
• 22" wheels - the car is a bit more bouncy and ride quality suffers on the more sporty 22" wheels vs my 20" standard wheels on my Turbo - the wife notes this in the 4 "unprompted" - such that she thought it lacked the air suspension - but no it's the 22" tires which are less compliant vs. the taller side wall 20" tires
  • no controlled or meaningful differences in range for the type of driving I'm doing and I don't expect to be able to provide meaningful feedback in this space during my loaner's tenure with me.
• I'm missing the full leather interior - it's just nicer - and less plastic - the loaner does not suck - but it's not a nice and there are more hard plastics
• I'm missing the nicer headliner - loaner has a the standard slightly rougher to the feel cloth headliner vs. the nicer alcanterra headliner in my Turbo
• I miss the rear window shades because it affords greater privacy for the rear area when parked and leaving things in the back seat - you simply can barely see into the back seat with the window shades "up" and I like the lack of visibility "into" the vehicle when parked
• Handling is virtually identical between the two models - this is not surprising
• Loaner has sports chromo - my Turbo has "compass" so I'm lacking sports plus as a setting - so far I'm not seeing anything with the sports plus that I'm missing in my Turbo (which does not have it because of the compass option)
• I like my upgraded rubber floor mats - especially in the wet weather winter we're having
• the loaner has chrome and aluminum trims vs. my Turbo has black roof bars/window trim - my wife and both prefer the black/darker colors vs. the silvers/grey/chrome - personal bias/choice…
• I haven't compared the headlights, nor do I even know if there are differences
• both cars have the HUD - I consider this a stand out feature/option - get it if you even remotely think you'll like having a HUD…

those are the specific differences I've noted so far…

and this brings me to my final point - unlike Porsche's ICE cars - the difference between trim levels on their EV's boil down to simple power difference, no character differences - I would have virtually no complaints between the 4 and my Turbo if the options were identical - the _ONLY_ difference would be the power level - which is more than acceptable …. this renders Porsche's business model "less powerful" and explain much of their problems attempting to compete the EV world - they charge too much for options and there is almost no reason to pick a higher trim level - you gain very very little when I can simply option a lower trim level to be nearly identical … this is not true with say a base 911 vs. a 911 TurboS - it's more than just options…{sigh}

those are my personal observations about my loaner 4 vs. my personal Turbo Macan EV - having access to the 4 vs. my Turbo - I'm glad for the options/wheels I chose - and I'm missing some of my options on the 4 loaner when I drive it…the noise glass and 22" wheel differences are the biggest "surprise" for me personally so there is that - take it for what you will…

I'll share more if I think about it - I think I'll have the 4 with me until at least the end of Feb. unless Porsche surprises me with new battery parts for my Cayenne…

quesitons/comments are welcome.

Thank you for the detailed report !
Hailing from a MY20 Taycan Turbo here
I'm having the same thought with the way Porsche is segmenting the new Cayenne EV, the only "must have" option for me is PAR, and they force you to take the Cayenne S minimum to get it (because of the 4WD). My target being maximum comfort I'd want PAR + 20" inch wheels maximum (I'd even get 19 if it was possible and not so horrible), it's bugging me to be compelled to take more than I need/want.

 

[Gkwan]

the 22" inch wheel difference are are a big surprise for both my wife and myself - as this is a long term loaner - we've now had it for over 2 weeks- and because it's now integrated into our daily lives - we're driving all the normal surface streets and highways we normally drive ever day - you know the ones where you know _EVERY_ bump/pot-hole, curb entrance, undulation in the road because you drive that section of road multiple times a day and go over the same exact pavement 100's of times a month…

well I can say without a doubt the 22" wheels + air suspension is pretty good - but if smooth and supple is your goal the 20" + air suspension is simply a less dramatic ride - it's less bumpy and simply absorbs more of the road than the 22" wheels…the Macan 4 with air suspension and 22" inch wheels is just more bouncy and less tolerant of road surface quality issues…my Turbo with 20" wheels simple rides softer and less of the road makes itself known to the passengers.

the difference is real, and it's noticeable - but I wouldn't rule out the 22' wheels because of this - but you are compromising ride quality a bit.

thanks, same problem in the Taycan : the 21" MissionE wheels are so cool that I had a crush and bought it, but if I had known I'd sacrifice significant confort / ride quality, I would have taken a 19" (not possible on Turbo), or 20'' max.

 

[Gkwan]

Since it's now my assertion that it's the options that matter more than the trim level I went to the North American Porsche site and built 3 "identical" cars - each car "matches" my current 2024 Turbo build (as close as is possible for current MY 2026)

I build a 4S, GTS, and Turbo

• 2026 Macan 4S EV - $127,760 - https://porsche-code.com/PTZ2U2G0
• 2026 Macan GTS EV - $131,810 - https://porsche-code.com/PTZBCPB0
• 2026 Macan Turbo EV - $135,780 - https://porsche-code.com/PT4986H1

$8,020 spread between the 4S and Turbo

I'm of two minds about this - you don't "need" the Turbo - but for $8020 I don't know what you're holding back on - in for a penny in for a pound…

==> Turbo, or you'll regret it lol...
only problem is maybe you can't downsize the wheels to maximize comfort if that's a "must" for you

 

[Gkwan]

pressures are 43 psi front - 45 psi rears - door sticker wants 48 psi - I'm considering if I'm going to take any pressure out…it's a heavy car.

strange thing, my current understanding was that, on e.g. a 21" which is a rough ride, if you inflate your tire by ~200grams (sorry, not using PSI in France) then you compensate a portion of the gum you're missing vs a 20'' hence improving the ride quality ?
And if you inflate it too much (e.g 400/500 grams) then you get over the edge, more bumpy ride, less handling, less safe etc... ?
While reducing the pressure means a more flat tire = even more rough ride.

=> I'm lost !

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