Yorksjar
Member
- First Name
- Joe
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2024
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 32
- Location
- Yorkshire
- Vehicles
- Macan EV Turbo
- Thread starter
- #1
I have been referring to this forum most days for the past few months whilst i was building out the spec and waiting for the car to arrive so firstly I want to say thank you for all the posts, opinions and images. They helped me dial in the perfect spec for me and having never owned a Porsche before, were instrumental in getting it just right.
I want to return the favour and write up a little summary of my own. Sharing opinions is always divisive, especially on an expensive, electric vehicle. So, a bit of background on where my opinions/experiences come from. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to own some great cars - S3, M2, 335d and in the past 5 years i have racked up over 100,000 miles in Tesla's (M3P+MYLR). As above though...never a Porsche, so this was the realisation of a long term dream. Granted, a 964 Turbo was always the true dream but alas i haven't reached that degree of financial freedom just yet!
For those who are debating a decision on this car I would say firstly you need to split out your decision on ICE, hybrid or BEV. My opinions are shared predominantly from the perspective of that first decision been BEV. That decision is incredibly lifestyle specific. Personally the only time i will ever consider ICE again is if i can afford a second car and likely only when i can afford something truly special like a classic 911.
So, first thoughts...I have split into sections based on my experience and what's important to me:
Macan vs. Tesla...
Why Turbo and not 4 or 4S...
Other thoughts...
Summary
The Macan EV Turbo is hands down the best car i have ever owned. Yes, its the most expensive by quite some way so you'd expect that, but money doesn't always buy you thrills / experience - in this case though, it really does! It puts a smile on my face every time i get in it and the drive experience is second to none. I love the spec and if anyone has any questions or are deliberating i am happy to share thoughts/experience. I went for...
I want to return the favour and write up a little summary of my own. Sharing opinions is always divisive, especially on an expensive, electric vehicle. So, a bit of background on where my opinions/experiences come from. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to own some great cars - S3, M2, 335d and in the past 5 years i have racked up over 100,000 miles in Tesla's (M3P+MYLR). As above though...never a Porsche, so this was the realisation of a long term dream. Granted, a 964 Turbo was always the true dream but alas i haven't reached that degree of financial freedom just yet!
For those who are debating a decision on this car I would say firstly you need to split out your decision on ICE, hybrid or BEV. My opinions are shared predominantly from the perspective of that first decision been BEV. That decision is incredibly lifestyle specific. Personally the only time i will ever consider ICE again is if i can afford a second car and likely only when i can afford something truly special like a classic 911.
So, first thoughts...I have split into sections based on my experience and what's important to me:
Macan vs. Tesla...
- The drive experience is simply in a different league. Not everyone likes to 'drive', nor enjoys the feeling of driving but this is what sets the Porsche apart IMO. I have RWS and Air suspension on 22 RS's and even on those giant wheels its such a joy to drive. The car eats corners for breakfast but will also comfortably sits on the motorway - having just done a 10hr drive to north Scotland i can confirm it was infinitely smoother than in the MYLR.
- This is one of the most standout features of the Porsche, so if 'drive experience' isn't high up your list of wants from a car, then you might find it hard to justify the premium that comes with the Porsche vs Tesla and other BEVs.
- The tech UX is inferior to Tesla. I am an Apple user and the Tesla UX aligned with that. Android is definitely different. It's not a deal breaker IMO and I am more than happy using the system but if you're in a Tesla and the tech UX is important then i would recommend getting to the dealership and playing around with it for a few hours / test drive etc. My praise of the Tesla system is that the levels / layers of the software were so accessible with that giant screen but in the Porsche i feel i am forever clicking into multiple levels of settings - for the first few hours its fun working out where everything is but i think i will need at least another 6-12months before it becomes less of a labyrinth. Maybe this is one of those 'it's easy when you come from another Porsche' things.
- Fit and finish is superior in the Macan. Granted, i opted for full leather but just generally its a huge step up. It feels like a special place to be. Friends and family that sit in the car say wow!, they put their hands on the steering and push themselves into the seat - it's inviting. Anyone that sat in the Tesla said one of two things, often both - "that screen is massive" and/or "its very minimal'.
- Bose isn't as good as premium sound system in Tesla. If given the choice I still wouldn't speed the money on Burmester but I do like to listen to music in the car and its a much more immersive sound from the Tesla.
Why Turbo and not 4 or 4S...
- The Turbo is blistering quick and I won't pretend its more power than you need on the roads, or for sure the UK roads. You just don't need to go that fast unless you're on a track. It's a total thrill but for me, the MYLR was plenty fast enough. If you are hesitating over Turbo on speed / performance reasons only, then I can assure you it's more speed than you'd need.
- I am not ashamed to say i went Turbo purely for aesthetics. Yes, that was a choice I had the luxury of making but for me the painted black trim and more aggressive bumpers really created the look i wanted. The Tesla's styling isn't much better than the red/yellow Fisher Price car i had as a child so maybe i slightly over compensated, but i wanted something special and the Turbo really ticked that box. Will i regret that decision when in 3 years my front splitter is riddled with stone chips...yes I will...but for now, it looks great!
- The options list I wanted meant the Turbo made more sense and once everything was spec'd up it was only a stone's throw away to justify the Turbo so the painted trim pushed me over the line.
- The 4S is likely the real sweet spot for most buyers that want a quick car.
Other thoughts...
- Range is average. I knew the Turbo would be inferior compared to my MYLR. At about 1000 miles in I am 2.6mi/kwh, 30mph avg. and 36hrs driving. That will improve I think and the figures I am about to quote were averages over about 50,000 miles each so included summer driving too:
- M3P = 3.0mi/kwh
- MYLR = 3.7mi/kwh
- Charging is great and the Plug/Charge at Ionity is great. The infrastructure needs to catch up with the Supercharger Network (in the UK at least) but the speed of charging was fantastic. I was rushing my coffee and food each time we stopped as I had the charge I needed much quicker than i expected.
- I have read a lot about software bugs. Fortunately not had any yet, but i do expect them to come eventually. It's expected when there is this amount of tech in a car and lets be honest they will have rushed it to market and in reality things can only truly be perfected when they are 'live'. I don't mind becoming the guinea pig but for all those who are significantly effected and can't use their car I hope Porsche step up and offer suitable compensation. After all we are helping them fix their bugs!!
- The cameras are average at best. These days, on luxury cars like this, you should be getting a decent 360 view. Maybe it was the slightly hidden lens on the Tesla, but the Macan always seems to be covered in dirt. The wash function is great but i don't want to be pushing buttons when i am concentrating on reversing / parking. I would sacrifice all the lines on the screen and clever overhead views for decent hi res images, especially at night time.
- There should be a phone as key option. Keep the keys by all means, it's traditional and i think it would alienate many generations of Porsche customers without a physical key, but like it or not our mobile devices are central to most of our daily tasks and this would just add to a more simple experience.
- The rattling seat belt on passenger side is very rookie from Porsche. Surely they should offer some form of retrofit. I wouldn't even mind paying for it as perhaps some customers always have a passenger but at least give us the option. Yes, having to buckle the passenger belt on my Porsche each time i start my journey is close to the definition of a first world problem but it isn't what you'd expect from the car maker.
- Porsche give you options for just about most things but not the tyres! This is frustrating when really the tyre is one of the most fundamental connection points to the road and as part of your driving experience - especially in adverse climates!! By all means Porsche, charge us for the privilege but if someone had given me the choice to put Michelin all seasons on there I would have taken their right hand off. I now have Bridgestone Potenza's that will be useless in any form of adverse weather and are average at best when in normal conditions. This is just like all the other insane options Porsche give you, for a lot of people they might consider things a waste of money, but for those who care, its important.
- RWS can be a bit snatchy at very low speeds. The weather has been poor but i notice if i have a lot of steering lock on and start to accelerate there is a bit of an understeering feel on the back wheels.
Summary
The Macan EV Turbo is hands down the best car i have ever owned. Yes, its the most expensive by quite some way so you'd expect that, but money doesn't always buy you thrills / experience - in this case though, it really does! It puts a smile on my face every time i get in it and the drive experience is second to none. I love the spec and if anyone has any questions or are deliberating i am happy to share thoughts/experience. I went for...
- Black, black, everything black
- 22 RS in Satin Black
- Rear wheel steering
- Bose
- Black headlights
- Pan roof
- Roof rails
. Mean colour!!
like 2.6 mi per kWh …
