(Yet) Another Macan 4S review

[TeslaHater]

All good. BTW - since you're living with Race-Tex going forward, you can safely clean the material with a cotton washcloth and a dish of warm but heavily diluted Dawn dishwashing detergent (just a few drops in a bowl of warm water). The shininess that a has accrued from hand oils comes right off, then pure warm water on a washcloth to finish off. It doesn't hurt it and it fluffs right back up when it dries. I typically do it every 12-14 months.

Every detailer I know does this - no need for special "Alcantara Cleaner" from detail shops. Dawn is gentle.

Thank you, appreciate the advice

Sponsored

 

[ColdCase]

I'm really curious about the colors that are not a nightmare to keep clean. Our white car is a mud magnet and our friend's forest green turbo always looks equally as dirty.

Our metallic gray/silver cars have been the best to look clean when dirty. Using a wax helps. A darker gray seems to be better than lighter.

Both my ice gray metalic Macan and a similar arctic gray metalic on my Mini don't show everyday dirts. But the Macan has tons of black nooks and crannies that love to catch dirt. So it may not mater as much about body color, the black styling touches and tail lights are going to look dirty.

 

[SteveInKirkland]

Our metallic gray/silver cars have been the best to look clean when dirty. Using a wax helps. A darker gray seems to be better than lighter.

Both my ice gray metalic Macan and a similar arctic gray metalic on my Mini don't show everyday dirts. But the Macan has tons of black nooks and crannies that love to catch dirt. So it may not mater as much about body color, the black styling touches and tail lights are going to look dirty.

I use ceramic coating and I have side panels painted in body color, but dirt seems to get lodged into the nooks around the side panels. It usually requires a detail brush to fully remove it. And our 22" sport wheels actually usually look pretty good, but they kick mud/dirt all over the body panel.

The front of all of these EV seems to be plastered with dead bugs, which also doesn't help the illusion that the car is clean.

 

[Zonie4S]

What the difference in equipment between 4 & 4s? Other than standard PASM and bigger brakes/red callipers?

It’s been a while since I ordered my 4S but my recollection agrees with the items you mentioned as well as stainless pedals. There may have been one other item but it escapes me. I was optioning all of these on a 4 so it saved me a bit. Regarding stainless pedals, o checked the configurator tonight and could not find it even as an option on the 4. Perhaps some options have changes since last September.

 

[Heavywun]

I'm curious about comments from owners in Trumpland and Blighty about ending up with alcantara unwillingly, or being "too late for Papaya". Is this because you don't want to wait for a personally spec'd car and are ordering cars off dealer's lots, or do you just not have the option to configure?

 

[TeslaHater]

I'm curious about comments from owners in Trumpland and Blighty about ending up with alcantara unwillingly, or being "too late for Papaya". Is this because you don't want to wait for a personally spec'd car and are ordering cars off dealer's lots, or do you just not have the option to configure?

Cheaper and faster to buy off dealer lots directly. In my case, I got a total of 17% off including the EV rebates off the MSRP. Some dealers are offering discounts on ordering too, but its lesser and there's too much uncertainty around tariffs.

 

[Wivenhoe]

In terms of the phone key - with Comfort Access you just get out and close the door and then the car shuts down and turns off CarPlay.

 

[Heavywun]

Cheaper and faster to buy off dealer lots directly. In my case, I got a total of 17% off including the EV rebates off the MSRP. Some dealers are offering discounts on ordering too, but its lesser and there's too much uncertainty around tariffs.

Wow - that's a significant chunk off.

Here in Aus, there's zero chance of a discount from Porsche. There'll be a bit off when they move their demo models on leter, but they don't seem to order and hold significant stock. My local dealer sold their turbo demonstrator the day after they were launched here.

 

[Garylaw]

It’s been a while since I ordered my 4S but my recollection agrees with the items you mentioned as well as stainless pedals. There may have been one other item but it escapes me. I was optioning all of these on a 4 so it saved me a bit. Regarding stainless pedals, o checked the configurator tonight and could not find it even as an option on the 4. Perhaps some options have changes since last September.

Yeh the total saving (if we can call it that) i can see here in the uk on equipment is around c£1100 (PASM & pedals) plus those brakes/calipers which cant be optioned on the 4 or RWD, if it was an option it might be £1500. So i think we are paying about £3000-£4000 to get a slight increase in power/acceleration but decrease in efficiency. The 4s also gives the option for adding PVT but again at extra cost.

 

[MatC21]

Agree on your verdict on sports sound, also my only regret. Should have specced rear seat heating instead.
But great car and great color, I have the same but with 21 inch wheels in summer (and yours in winter)

 

[castlg]

Just got our Macan 4S couple of weeks back, and after contemplating for a while if I should do a review, I thought why not - maybe it has some elements which interests others. Lets do a FAQ style review!

What's the config?
Pretty Basic for a 4S ($94.8K MSRP)

• Jet Black
• 20" Macan S Wheels
• Premium Package
• Hitch receiver
• Sports Sound (money down the drain)
• Sports Chrono

I wanted a 4S, but keep the cost low and this configuration worked for me. I would have loved HUD and interior leather package but that would have meant $10k more, so I compromised and got what worked for us. I would have loved a Papaya, but there were only 2 Papaya 4S in the US left, and both were above $100k. The wheels too are not my favorite (22" Macan Sport Wheels is what tugs my heart strings), but they look decent, don't cost money and provide great ride and range - its a win/win/win!

My Car Past:
This is my 6th car. I have had 2 Mazda 3's (the best car for its money), Merc C300, Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV, Tesla Model 3 LR. This purchase was going to replace Tesla.

Which other cars did I consider?
We have committed our household to EVs. We installed solar panels with the EV in mind, and are now sort of tied to buying an EV as it practically runs for free for us, so we only considered EVs. I test drove the Lucid Air, Polestar 3, 2024 Taycan 4 and BMW i4/i5/iX.

• Lucid's subreddit is filled with issues and I did not like the design. Its a very anonymous car, that just exists! It also is plagued by the same issue that Tesla had - its a car built by a software company. Once you get past the bells and whistles, it doesn't drive with a soul - and that was a requirement for me!
• Lets not talk about Polestar 3 - that car is not ready for prime time. The car had failure while on test drive and there are tons of unhappy owners who wish they hadn't bought it. Otherwise, it was pretty good - lots of space, had some character and great interiors!
• BMW has really upped its game and I had a hard time moving on from them. They have killer prices right now on their EVs and the IX has one of the best interiors I have ever experienced - it also drives really well! The major issue I had with iX was - you already know what issue I had ! Apart from the design, it also had more body roll, on course for SUV its size. The i5 was a no-go due to the range and its not really a sports sedan. The i4, while a great car, did not have the feel I was looking for - it was much better than a Tesla, but the steering was devoid of any feedback.
• I had a really hard time moving past Taycan CT - I loved, loved, LOVED it! There were 2 primary reasons why (I) we did not get it -
  • Wife liked Macan. (should I stop here or talk about other things?)
  • The reliability! There was this article an european magazine did where they took a Taycan and a Macan across Europe, and they had a major issue with Taycan where it wouldn't DC charge. They went in depth about the main issue with Taycan, which is that each of its component has its own version which makes software updates extra complicated - its like dealing with 500 different brains, while Macan has 1 single center for updates which controls its different parts. Also, with limited EV techs at Porsche SC's - once an issue happens, you are going to be away from your car for a long time - I don't like that!
  • We liked Macan's PCM and interiors better. The Taycan's interior was more luxurious but, the Macan's just felt better! We just liked those switches and the center console design better, and the PCM felt much faster on Macan.

Why I got the 4S and not the 4 or Turbo?
I would have loved a Turbo, but that's a lot of extra money. I did test drive it, but I could not tell a major difference compared to 4S - of course it was more powerful - but that is power that I am probably never going to use and its an eye popping $20k more (That gets you a new basic Mazda 3) which I couldn't justify - however, 4S is a significant step up from 4!
This car was going to be replacing my Tesla Model 3, and the 4 felt underpowered compared to the Tesla! It felt slow off the line and lacked the punch around corners, while 4S just felt more lively. On Sports Plus mode, 4S feels smaller and lower than what it is and drives like a dream! I did not find that in the 4 and so, decided to go for 4S - loving every bit of it!

Why I love the car?

• Going to sound weird, but the 1 thing I like the most is that it drives like a gas car! The acceleration curve, lack of regen, the steering weight, and road feel -its hard to tell that its an EV and after driving the soulless Tesla for a while, I just love this feeling! It still has that crazy EV acceleration when I want it, while still continuing to feel like a gas car. This feel is still lacking in a lot of abovementioned EVs I test drove - Porsche has perfected this and I am bought into the Porsche's EV philosophy!
• Its a looker! I mean look at that thing - its a beauty. The designers IMO nailed it and they couldn't have made it any more perfect. There's just enough character to differentiate it from the Gas Macan, and that rear end is one of the best fastback designs I have seen. The new SRL design really fits the front and those Porsche curves look gorgeous!
• Friend has a 911 that I get to drive some times - that Porsche character lives on! Its there in the corners - PASM works, you feel that confidence attacking corners, that joy does come through the steering, the smile does make its way. I constantly crave back roads and taking it out in the evening.
• Suspension is really good. Its an Air suspension, with right amount of firmness at Normal - you change it to Sport/ Sports Plus and you can see how the car turns stiff. At normal, I rarely feel potholes or minor bumps - I think this also has to do with the 20" wheels, but overall, very happy with the comfort.
• Its a great place to be - the seats are comfortable and has good bolstering, the infotainment is fast, the buttons for climate control etc. are satisfying to press, there's good amount of storage inside and you can really tailor the seating position that works for you!
• I have no complaints on the software. Yes, Tesla's software is miles ahead, but its a software first car. When I compare it to Volvo or BMW, I think Porsche's software is adequate. The infotainment is fast, car functions are easy to understand and accessible, I have had 0 issues using Android Auto and Car Play and the app has all the basic functions I need.
• I am getting the advertised driving range. I am seeing ~3mi/kWH on average which will give me the advertised range. Driving carefully, I have seen as high as 4.1 mi/kWH. This is something that other brand EVs struggle with, including BMW's who are overestimating their range.

What do I not like about it?

• I miss the phone key from Tesla. BMW has it too - Porsche should have made it work and I really miss it. I constantly forget to take the keys and wish they would have included it. With phone keys, once you have experienced it, its hard to go back!
• The model that I had test driven had an interior package which made the dash linings leather - I think that should have been made standard. I hate that the dash has soft plastics, same as my Mazda 3 had! If I want one thing to change, it would be to go back and buy a car that had this package.
• I bought car from an out of state dealer. What I didn't pay too much attention to at the time of buying was - the car had a Sports GT steering wheel in Race-Tex. I hate it! If you get into a situation where you are buying a car unseen and it has this alcantara steering wheel, I would highly recommend going to your local dealer and trying it out to see if you like it. I just don't like the feel of Alcantara and its super prone to getting dirty quickly.
  
  

I hope you found my writeup helpful (for future owners)/ reassuring (current owners). I would be happy to answer any questions!

This is an accurate description and review. I have had my 4S for 3 months and 4K miles and have had zero problems with it. It takes a while to understand the charging settings and the Porsche NAV could do with some Google updates, color schemes and features. Otherwise it is a great car and better than anything else particularly the Tesla.

 

[sor]

I'm curious about comments from owners in Trumpland and Blighty about ending up with alcantara unwillingly, or being "too late for Papaya". Is this because you don't want to wait for a personally spec'd car and are ordering cars off dealer's lots, or do you just not have the option to configure?

It’s been said a few times the past months that Papaya is no longer available for order, even if it can still be found on the configurator. Those were all from UK people I believe, I have no idea if it is actually gone for every market.

 

[Station]

I'm curious about comments from owners in Trumpland and Blighty about ending up with alcantara unwillingly, or being "too late for Papaya". Is this because you don't want to wait for a personally spec'd car and are ordering cars off dealer's lots, or do you just not have the option to configure?

USA here.

I think people just are urgent to get the car due to simple consumer-ness so they're buying existing inventory.

I have an order pending for a 4S loaded up to $110k with Slate Grey Neo and Burmester, black tail light strip and door handles, Sport Chrono, etc.

I'm very particular about my builds and always order. My dealer and I have a history/relationship so they don't charge me a deposit.

BUT! This time I told them that if my car arrives on Aug 14th (ETA) and tariffs are in place, I'll walk on the deal. I won't pay $5 USD towards a tariff. (a tax on consumers).

He's cool with that because it's a a good build and sellable. Nothing weird like deviated stitching in Pink.

 

[Wivenhoe]

Yeh the total saving (if we can call it that) i can see here in the uk on equipment is around c£1100 (PASM & pedals) plus those brakes/calipers which cant be optioned on the 4 or RWD, if it was an option it might be £1500. So i think we are paying about £3000-£4000 to get a slight increase in power/acceleration but decrease in efficiency. The 4s also gives the option for adding PVT but again at extra cost.

I switched my order for a 4 to a 4S as I could get the car much earlier (before a road tax hike here in the UK). What also swayed me was that the price difference wasn’t too much with the options I wanted - they included PASM & Air suspension and these were £ 3k on the 4 but only £ 1k on the 4S. As I was buying I also thought the 4S would have a higher residual and be easier to sell.

 

[Garylaw]

I switched my order for a 4 to a 4S as I could get the car much earlier (before a road tax hike here in the UK). What also swayed me was that the price difference wasn’t too much with the options I wanted - they included PASM & Air suspension and these were £ 3k on the 4 but only £ 1k on the 4S. As I was buying I also thought the 4S would have a higher residual and be easier to sell.

Yeh theres a £5700 price difference when ordering from the configurator, I suppose its up to dealers how they want to discount these cars and maybe theres more savings/deals to be had. Residuals look pretty the same for the 4 and 4s. All things considered as I said all in, i think its about £3000-£4000 extra cost for the 4s versus the 4, just for the extra 100 or so BHP.

Sponsored