Looking to buy... Cayenne or Macan?

[isysman]

Hi guys,

I'm in the middle of trying to find an SUV and of course I've looked at Porsche. I am not sure however if I should get a Cayenne or a Macan.

I have driven a Macan Diesel and I have to say it was brilliant. I can only imagine how capable the turbo is. And I drove a Cayenne which had the 3.6 litre engine from the Macan turbo and whilst it was obviously not slow, I didn't come away form it being as impressed.

Now I need the car for a practical car so how exciting it is to drive is secondary. However it looks like I'll be spending some time soon in either Italy or Germany in a shipyard doing a big refit so I'm planning on taking the car with me.

So anyone who has/had either car chime in and tell me why I should go with each.

Also I'm not sure which model to get. The sensible person in me says get the diesel V8 but the car guy in me says get a turbo. I suppose it will come down to which car is available in the correct spec when I go to buy. But any info in why I should get a particular model would be good also.

I was eying up a V8 Diesel Cayenne but it just sold. Now on my short list are a Cayennne turbo but it has a grey/brown interior and a Macan turbo. I've also seen a couple of high spec diesel 3.0 cars (Cayenne).

Couple of cars I'm currently looking at

 

[T8]

I had a Macan as a loaner for 2 weeks and drove it at every opportunity as it was so much fun, clocking up about 700 miles.

I had to swap it for a Cayenne which, after driving it home, sat on my drive for 2 weeks bar one trip to the shops. :yuk:

IMO one's a racehorse, one's a carthorse.

 

[isysman]

I had a Macan as a loaner for 2 weeks and drove it at every opportunity as it was so much fun, clocking up about 700 miles.

I had to swap it for a Cayenne which, after driving it home, sat on my drive for 2 weeks bar one trip to the shops. :yuk:

IMO one's a racehorse, one's a carthorse.

Yeah that was my feeling as well. But I have to consider that it has to be practical as well, so I don't want to dismiss one just because one is great to drive. I have two great driving cars already so if the mood takes me I can drive those.

Of course when I'm abroad I won't have that option!

 

[Counter Of Beans]

I had a 4.2 V8 diesel Cayenne as a loan car. It's very nicely built, OK to drive and, erm, big. However I found the performance on tap - which is considerable - to be pointless. It was such a big heavy car that you could feel it struggling to brake and corner. Plus the gearbox was sluggish, if smooth; yes I did try all the driving modes.

Test drove a Macan; ah now that's more like it. Reminded me of a Golf GTI on stilts and was genuinely a fun drive. However it felt small, especially in the back.

So in my humble opinion:
Cayenne = big, practical, too big and heavy for fun. Best for families?
Macan = bit small for a family vehicle, but fun to drive. Best for couples?

 

[ehcsrop]

Went through this same choice 3yrs ago.
The Cayenne is a lot more spacious and airy.
Found the Macan's PDK more responsive than the Cayenne's tip.
For me the Macan's overall design appeared more pleasing.
Got another Stuttgart ride with 7 seats so space not being mandatory, went for the Macan and never looked back.
It still seats 4 comfortably.
Apart from 2 services and a set of tyres, its not cost me anything until now, at 38k its making a noise when accelerating out of a corner. No problems on the straight. Transfer case or steering rack ?
Still drives like a 911 on stilts.

 

[911UK]

It comes down to size as the Macan is a good 4 seater, a smaller boot but lower running costs.

I run a 2015 958.2 3.0 Diesel (Euro6) which has a very high spec, was quite hard to find as IMHO air suspension is a must and about £10k of options as a minimum. The 4.2 V8 Diesel mostly comes with a complete spec and if you can accept the lower MPG figures then it's a good option.

 

[Allan E]

Many reviews have been published over the years but until you have owned a car for a while can you assess it fully. We have a 2016 Macan Diesel S PDK very well specced and we love it. The torque of the turbo diesel is fantastic. Having said that I have not driven any Cayenne so a direct comparison is impossible but the Macan is an all round lovely handsome vehicle, super build quality, plenty of room inside unless all the family are 6'6" giants, very adequate boot space and for its size and weight excellent economy if that is a factor. Drive it in the sports mode and it makes it very easy to go over the speed limit. The only minor complaint I have is the fitting option of 21" wheels with very low profile tyres sometimes uncomfortable in town driving (potholes etc). Go for the Macan, with 19" or 20" wheels, a diesel preferably if you can find a good low miler.

 

[Norfolk & Idea]

Had a Macan GTS for just over 3 years. Absolutely cracking car. Remarkable handling for a big bus. Downside? Thirsty fekkers. Low 20's mpg. And less when you boot it.

 

[isysman]

Thanks for the replies so far.

It's clear the Macan has it on the fun/sport side. I agree with my limited experience.

I should be home next week so I'll do some test driving.

 

[911UK]

Thanks for the replies so far.

It's clear the Macan has it on the fun/sport side. I agree with my limited experience.

I should be home next week so I'll do some test driving.

Macan Turbo will have everything

 

[Disco]

Surely a lot of the answer is going to be related to the importance of the practicality angle?

I can't really comment on the driving side with SUVs (frankly I lack any inclination to acquire one), but from the basis of prodding about them while loitering in the OPC while they service the 911 (they get to see it every other year, though anything else is generally dealt with by independents) there are a couple of comments to make. First of all, it is somewhat alarming that the actual physical external size of the Macan and Cayenne is far closer than I would notionally expect, however the size of the interior (cabin and boot) seems to be profoundly larger in the Cayenne.

It was also mildly amusing that VAG part numbers and logos are clearly visible (completely undisguised) under the bonnet of the Macan (nothing fundamentally bad about that, but the days of Porsche hiding such things have clearly ended). Something about the interior of the current Cayenne feels more expensive than the Macan too (though I'd have to add that the Macan does still feel a fair bit nicer than the equivalent Audi, which does have some surprisingly cheap feeling surfaces in it).

The final point - is it just me of is the rearward (especially to the quarters) visibility out of the Macan abysmal? If ever there was an option that absolutely ought to be mandatory on those things then surely it is the surround view... :?:

 

[MaxA]

Out of the two, I'd take a Macan, but it would have to be a pretty swift version to replace the Commander's remapped GTI; although she might like it, AWD etc.

That being said, for actual SUV duties, retrieving and towing boats, broken 911s and the like, I'd need to retain the old Land Rover Discovery3 with its 3500kg towing capacity. Swift it is not, but you can only drive a Disco like a gentleman, i.e. sedately.

 

[Pops]

My 2013 Cayenne 4.2S Diesel with air suspension handles very well and of course you can tighten things up even more in Sport mode.

I had mine remapped shortly after I purchased it (why you may ask?). It really transforms the car and gives it mind boggling overtaking ability, whilst still returning reasonable mpg on a sedate run.

It is practical, very well built and in the two years I have owned it has been extremely reliable (touch wood)!