Used 2016 Porsche Macan

More agile sports car than terrain-tackling SUV, the 2016 Macan SUV from Porsche is everything you’d expect from the storied car manufacturer, and a few things you might not expect. Derived from the Audi Q5 platform, Porsche’s take on the SUV concept starts with a distinctive exterior, standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and a trio of ridiculously powerful twin-turbocharged V6 engine choices, including a 400-horsepower beast in the Turbo trim. A PDK 7-speed automatic transmission is the only transmission choice. Combining luxury, power and performance, the Macan is more a hyper-sports wagon than an off-road-ready SUV, making its primary competition the Audi SQ5, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and BMW X3, all of which cost considerably less than the pricey Macan.

The 2016 Porsche Macan’s seductive styling is matched to one of three turbocharged V6 engines: a 340-horsepower 3.0-liter (S), 360-horsepower 3.0-liter (2017 GTS) and 400-horsepower 3.6-liter (Turbo). Porsche’s brilliant 7-speed PDK automatic gets gear-changing duty, an assignment it handles with ease. The PDK’s Sport button ups the fun, adding quicker shift points, more growl at the exhaust tips and a higher redline. Power is distributed to all four wheels, a good thing considering the Macan’s 4,000-plus-pound weight. On the track, the available Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) tightens an already great suspension and electric power-steering settings to create an SUV that can sweep through high-speed corners like no other, even shaming some sports cars. In everyday driving, the athletic Macan takes on a more demure side, with a quiet cabin and civilized ride. An Off-Road button on the center console optimizes traction by varying torque distribution and throttle response.

From the base S’s piano-black trim and suede-like Alcantara seat inserts to the Turbo’s leather-and-brushed-aluminum, every Macan interior pampers. The front seats engulf you. Big gauges tell the scores. The multifunction steering wheel – a nod to Porsche’s 918 Spyder supercar – feels sports-car ready. The view out is IMAX wide, and it’s easy to see rearward traffic as well. Second-row legroom is stingy, however. Beneath the wide-mouthed rear hatch, the flat, 17.7-cubic-foot cargo floor expands to 53 cubic feet by dropping the 40/20/40-split/folding 2nd-row seatbacks. That cargo space compares poorly to SUV competitors like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5.

Profiled down to look a bit like a 3/4-scale Cayenne, Porsche’s 2016 Macan SUV’s smaller proportions take on a more hatchback character than a compact SUV. It’s not snap-recognizable as a Porsche, either. Macan spotters will note that the round fog lights and a single row of character lights below the daylight-bright bi-xenon headlights signal the approach of a Macan S and GTS, while the Macan Turbo sports integrated fog lights and two strong horizontal blades integrated into the air intakes below the headlights. GTS models have matte-black finish on the side blades and a more dynamic color scheme.

80-PERCENT 911, 20-PERCENT CAYENNE, 100-PERCENT PORSCHE
Porsche’s Style VP Michael Mauer bristles at the suggestion that the 2016 Macan is a baby Cayenne. He sees it more as “a big brother to the Porsche 911.” One lap around an enclosed track proves Mr. Mauer is not prone to hyperbole.

7-SPEED PDK AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
While many tout their car’s horsepower and torque, performance potential is a moot point if the transmission can’t effectively manage the output. Porsche’s 7-speed dual-clutch automatic has no such issue, using the first clutch to hold the selected gear while the second clutch stands at the ready to instantaneously engage the next in line.

Every 2016 Porsche Macan SUV comes out of the box looking for trouble with a twin-turbo V6, 7-speed PDK automatic transmission, 19-inch aluminum wheels, and dual twin tailpipes. Bi-xenon headlights give daylight-quality illumination, and a multifunction steering wheel with shift paddles ensures hands-on-the-wheel control. Also standard: tri-zone climate control and an automatic rear hatch. The Macan S features 8-way power-adjustable seats with Alcantara seat centers and piano-black interior trim, while the Macan Turbo includes 18-way-adjustable leather sport seats, 14-speaker Bose audio, an Alcantara roof liner, brushed-aluminum interior trim, and the added handling precision of Porsche Active Suspension Management.

Many of the more desirable Macan Turbo features are available as options. The absolute best of these includes a 16-speaker Burmester High-End Surround Sound audio system, a panoramic roof, adaptive cruise control, the 360-degree Surround View camera system – shows your Macan’s position in space (or in a parking spot) from a bird’s-eye view – and a full set of safety-tech options (blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, etc.). For the hot-shoe Macan owner, Porsche offers cross-drilled ceramic-composite brakes, 21-inch wheels, the electronic cornering optimization of Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, and the integrated stopwatch and g-force display of the Sport Chrono Package.