AlBinVA

Hi all,

I recently sold my 2017 C2S 7M here on Rennlist. It was sold due to health issues with my wife primarily, with a little of the same from me. Ingress and egress being the major issues. I digress.

I am currently without a vehicle for 5 days now and need to find fun transportation. I have read/watched several online reviews which are all very high on the Macan GTS. I have not driven one yet but would like some feedback from the Macan crowd here. Does it scratch your itch for performance and handling in SUV form? I understand that it is not a 911, but I really need a substitute for the pleasure the 911 provided. Any comments on handling, performance, road manners, etc. are greatly appreciated.

Also, I am not familiar with pricing structure on these vehicles so need some help with that as well. I found a 2018 GTS with 11,100 miles and CPO through 9//2024. The salesman checked it out for me with my request for great detail and sent me a bunch of pics. It is extremely clean, sold and serviced through the same dealer and has a clean carfax (for what that is worth). The list price is $61K. I have attached a build sheet for reference. What say ye about the price point?

Regards,

Al

tgcrun

While I didn't have a GTS, I leased a new 2015 Turbo in the fall of 2014 and at the same time owned a 991.1 S. On days when I could choose between the 911 and the Macan, I often took the Macan. I liked it that much. At the end of the lease, I thought I would make a change and leased my current Audi A4 Allroad, and owned that and a 991.2 S. While the Allroad is a nice car, the only time I'd ever take it instead of the 911 was when the weather was extremely bad or I need the extra seats/cargo capacity. I just pretraded my 911 for a 2020 Macan S. I'd be surprised if you were disappointed moving from a 911 to a Macan.

smohr33

I came from a 981 GTS to a Macan GTS. Driven plenty of 991 variants.

Really not fair to compare an SUV to sports cars, but I understand what you are looking to know, and all you need to know is it’s 100% a Porsche, and a good one.

Everything about it from the steering feel, to the brakes, to the air suspension. It’s all Porsche caliber good.

AS is super comfy, and with 265/295s you have tons of grip. Cabin is super quiet compared to a 911. PSE is quieter than 911 and engine noise is very muted. Cabin is much larger obviously, but you sit in, not on it like most SUVs. It’s all very familiar inside. Adaptive sport seats are very comfy and supportive. PDK is Audi derived and is not as good as 981/991, but still better than all the competitors.

Here in NY with crappy roads, I’m not worried about potholes, steep inclines, etc. It just soaks up the bumps and grips. It’s pretty neutral and in sport or sport+ and will oversteer on exit.

I loved my 981, but this is honestly the best all around car I’ve ever owned. Does everything so well.

eonflux

A growing family forced me out of a 991.1 C2.

First tried a BMW X6M (F86), which provided enough room/utility including installing a hitch for a bike rack.
But I eventually felt it was too big/heavy.

Then switched to a BMW M3 (F80) because it was still decently practical, and I missed something smaller and more agile, and wanted a manual.
But driving that made me miss the 911 and I couldn't figure out a good bike hitch solution.

So I moved on to a Macan GTS, and so far, it's the "just right" vehicle.
OEM hitch for my bike.
Decent room for the family.
And a more coherent and satisfying driving experience than the BMWs. I was really disappointed with the M3 steering feel. The M3 handles better and carves curves better than the Macan, and it's much faster, but the Macan has a more cohesive driving experience which I've enjoyed more than expected.

Hard to know if the Macan will be "enough" for you in terms of driving satisfaction until you've lived with it for a while.
Will see how I feel after about a year. If I yearn for more, then will get a 992 manual, which would be the 5th vehicle in a 6 year time frame...

CaymanSinAR

I picked up my wife's 2020 Macan S a couple of weeks ago. I built it with all the performance goodies: PSE, Adaptive Air Suspension w/PASM, PTV+, and Sport Chrono.

My assessment would be the engine and PDK programming are not on the same level as the 911. So engine and transmission response are not on the same level as the 911. Makes sense, of course.

That being said, sling it through a twisty road and it is 100% Porsche.

I would liken the experience to driving a tall Carrera 4/4S. You chuck the Macan into a corner expecting the body to roll and understeer to take center stage. But it doesn't. It sets itself and pulls right through, just like you would expect from a Porsche.

A couple of things:

1. As I pointed out earlier, mine has all the performance goodies. That means when hitting the twisties I'm in Sport+, have the air suspension in its lowest setting, and have PTV+ to help rotate when necessary. So a Macan without those options might feel a bit different.
2. Note that an AWD 911 feels different than a non-AWD 911 when cornering. Some folks don't like the way AWD 911s feel. I like AWD and non-AWD variants. So if you've driven AWD 911 variants and not liked them keep that in mind, because of course Macans are AWD and it shows.

rasetsu

I have a 2018 GTS, Does it scratch the sports car itch? No, not completely. It's still a high riding CUV but probably the sportiest high riding CUV out there next the the Alfa Stelvio. It behaves much more like a hot hatch than an aggressive SUV like the the AMG GLCs. I had a slightly modified GTI and it handles pretty similarly but with a lot more comfort. How you option a Macan is key to how it behaves though. Each trim level behaves very differently from the other even in normal street driving which is unlike most of the sports cars where you have to hoon them a bit to really find the nuances. The GTS trim takes out most of the guess work as to what options you need for the sportiest experience. A Macan with the right options makes for the best compromise vehicle if you like fun handling but need some space and easier entry and exit.

So why doesn't it scratch the sports car itch? Because it's not designed to be one even though it tries to pretend and can be pretty close. If it has to be your only vehicle, I think you'll be pretty satisfied. I never have doubts about driving mine every day in all weather. It makes multi-hour road trips a breeze. I just took a 3.5 hour one this weekend and although the hotel bed made my back hurt, it felt better sitting in the 18 way seats after about an hour. But I still enjoy a true sports car so I added a Cayman S which gets used way less than the Macan.

ShahmoneyXL

I'm interested in getting your feedback on the F80 M3 v. The Macan GTS. I currently drive the F80, but I am heavily considering eventually making the switch.

CarGuyNVA

A lot of good advice/opinions here.

I'll add mine. I've owned a number of enthusiast high performance vehicles for roughly 40 years now. Is the Macan GTS in the same performance league as a 911 or Z06 Corvette? Well, no, of course not. That being said however, for a sports car-like SUV/CUV, there's probably none better available right now.

I had two Cayenne Turbos prior to the Macan GTS, and while those are pretty spectacular for their size and what they are, the driving dynamics are very different from the Macan. The Macan seems very 'tossable' by comparison.

I think you'll find the Macan (GTS in particular) to be about as close as one can get to a sports car-like true performance CUV with a decent dose of utility and luxury thrown in. It does not disappoint. The Porsche DNA is definitely baked in.

$61k for a CPO '18 GTS seems right in the ballpark pricewise. CPO is the way to go. Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

///Bruce

Al, although I am not a fan of the color combo (it's the exact combo on my wife's C63AMG coupe), you have a really good option list there. The 18-way seats are great for a bad back. I should know since mine is terrible shape. Ingress and egress is easy for me. You can get the 18's to adjust into a 14-way seat but not the other way around.

Enjoy, and let us know what you decide.

CaymanSinAR

I want to touch on this a bit.

The 18 ways have a much higher bolster than the 14 ways. For my wife and I, both short people, this makes the 18 ways a bit of a chore for ingress/egress. Because of that I wish I had chosen the 14 ways when we built our car. So with the seats adjusted how you like them, make sure you compare getting in and out of a Macan with 18 ways versus one with 14 ways.

I have the 18 ways in my Boxster and 14 ways in my 911. Both are great.

That being said, if buying pre-owned there is no way I'd let the 18 ways in a Macan sway me from a vehicle. But if we build and purchase another Macan it will be with 14 ways. Unless somehow in the future medical science can make me six inches taller (which would be awesome).

AlBinVA

Lots of good comments here, thanks all.

My plans have changed from the GTS in the original post. I was deep in conversation with the sales rep and asked him to provide me with his best price to include fees, etc. off the lot (minus sales tax). I get an email from him that the GTS was improperly priced by his dealer and that the new price was now $69.9K. I found the original price of $60,999 on car gurus, the official porsche cpo vehicle locator and the dealer's website. I gave them the opportunity to sell to me at $60.9K and they would not honor the "incorrectly" posted price. The search continues.

///Bruce

The first time I sat in a Macan it had 14’s. The salesman suggested I sit in a red GTS that had 18’s. I never thought of getting a Macan without them.

Have you programmed the seats way down for you and your wife? I do dislike not being to program the seats after I turn off the ignition and open the door. It goes so far back I can’t hit the key button and I think it’s stupid that I have to giddy with the seat buttons to get it where I want.

Liste-Renn

I will chime in as an owner of a 2018 Macan GTS with every option on your build sheet, except the tow hitch.
Sorry the listing was in error- you would have gotten a screaming deal, IMO, at $61K.

It is a Swiss Army knife of vehicles, i.e.. you can do things with it that a 911 cannot do.

OFF ROAD mode with the Air Suspension is ridiculously capable.
I rode shotgun in one on the engineered gelände course at the Leipzig factory/track. It is capable far beyond ANYTHING you might attempt to do in low traction or off road. (I thought we had destroyed it in the demo drive, but there were no pieces hanging off it afterwards!) It has a HILL mode that uses engine braking to hold speed on insane steep grades without using brakes.

SPORT and SPORT+ PDK modes are simply amazing for spirited street driving. The Air Suspension feature has 3 distinct ride heights, the suspension 3, as well. Mine has PTV+, which is icing on the cake as far as handling. The suspension settings, COMFORT (OFF), Firmer and Sport, work as described. No complaints with the transmission, engine or suspension. None.

The cabin is ergonomic, connectivity checks all of my boxes with Apple Car Play, and a recent update supports both WAZE and google Maps. Best cockpit I have ever sat in, period. (Aircraft or car) I like the tactile switches, rather than a touchscreen with cascading menus.The AS seats are the best I have ever sat in, as well. LWB may be more supportive for track or extreme twisties on steep grades, but the 18-way adjustments with upper and lower bolster modes, are simply perfect. (I am 6'4", 200 lbs) If you program a setting for exit, you can relax the boslters to almost flat for ingress and egress. Everythng is "customizable", just read the manual- which many skip, to their enjoyment detriment.

The pano roof and side curtains are features I use and appreciate often.

So, yeah, I could not be a bigger fan of the GTS. A 997 GTS 6MT is my other car, and it is not in that league- but it goes where my 997 cannot, with aplomb.

I have driven my Macan in Europe (3600 miles) across the southern US from ATL-LAX (9000 miles) and just finished an LAX-PDX (1000 miles) road trip last month on the coast highway (US1). It is an awesome vehicle. Buy one, especially with the depreciation your example provided (even at $70K it is a bargain for a $80+K MSRP). The original owner took a huge hit, in your favor. Mine was $92K MSRP, probably could not get more than $65-$70K for it with 13.5K miles, but I am not selling.

(No mechanical gripes so far, except a driver side front window motor that refused to go full closed once every 10 or 20 times. Replaced under warranty.)

tgcrun

Liste-Renn, I'm picking up my Macan S around Thanksgiving. We're planning on a similar trip to yours in January - Pennsylvania to LA via the southern US and then up to Portland. Then we'll turn around and head back home. Glad the Macan served you well.

eonflux

It'll help if I explain why I got the M3 (ZCP) and why I switched to the Macan.

Why I got the M3
- The X6M was an attempt to cover baby, biking, and boarding (snowboarding in Tahoe). But it was too much of a departure from the 911 (which couldn't do any of the 3 B's) in terms of size, weight, and agility--I missed driving something more nimble
- Wanted the best handling sedan available with a manual, so got the Competition Package M3 (didn't want an ATS-V). Overall, performance and handling are excellent.
- Thought I could install an aftermarket hitch for a bike rack
- Loved the Yas Marina Blue color and 666 ZCP wheels

What I didn't like about the M3
- Steering feel not great, and far less comes through the steering wheel than through the seat or through my feet. Like I was wearing really thick oven mitts. Steering was one of the best things I liked about the 911, like my hands were directly moving the front wheels. The M3 steering weighting (in any mode), progression, and return to center all feel really unnatural.
- This disconnect/iconsistency bothered me every time I drove the M3, made me miss the 911 in which everything is balanced--steering, engine, suspension, brakes, transmission.
- Steering wheel too thick.
- Manual gear box in the M3 is just OK. What was in a previous Audi RS4 (B7) and Boxster (987) were much more enjoyable to use. Of course, they all pale in comparison to an S2000.
- Suspension could be harsh, even in Comfort mode, especially on the awful streets of San Francisco
- M3, and especially the front end, is very low. If I'm going to sweat scraping parking blocks, with sharp transitions at intersections and for driveways, etc, then I want the driving satisfaction of a 911, and the M3 fell short.
- Could not install a hitch without cutting heat shields or bumper. And even if I did that, was worried about low clearance. So the M3 turned out to only cover 1 B.
- All the doors don't unlock when you come to a stop. And from the outside, only the front door handles can lock or unlock the M3. With a child, both of these were really annoying.
- Climate control doesn't sync left/right
- I had extended or full leather, but the interior quality felt cheap. Especially in the back. X6M was really nice inside, and if that was a Ritz, the M3 interior was like a Motel 6. 911 interior wasn't luxurious, but at least high quality.
- Not the best for trips to So Cal. Firm/harsh ride, lots of tire noise.

Why I got the Macan GTS
- Wanted to cover the 3 B's, and with an OEM hitch. OEM hitches tend to position the bike rack higher up and not as far back. Off road parking at trailheads for mountain biking can often be uneven, and after market hitches, like the Execuhitch I had on the X6M tend to hang low.
- I actually didn't consider a Macan previously. Thought the design is a bit droopy in the back. Before getting the X6M, had driven early base and S Macan's (only models available then) and preferred the X6M.
- A month before getting the Macan GTS, was struggling between getting another 911 or getting a Cayenne Turbo. I tried previously to make the 911 work for my family and couldn't and that didn't change, and it felt silly getting another 991 and the timeline on 992 manuals was unclear then. A Cayenne Turbo would be same size and weight as the F86 X6M.
- So on a whim, I test drove a Macan Turbo, and was really impressed with how it drove. Then also tried a GTS and preferred the lower stance and better handling of the GTS vs the additional power of the Turbo. Both fall way short of the M3 and X6M in terms of power, so I went for the better handling model. A Turbo with Performance Package is supposed to have all the chassis/suspension enhancements of the GTS with the Turbo engine, but I couldn't find one with the specs I wanted.

What I like about the GTS
- Overall, a much more consistent/cohesive experience than the M3. I also previously had a 987 Boxster, and the 911, Boxster, and Macan all have a similarly well-balanced, satisfying driving experience. The Macan is softer all around than the M3, but all the driving dynamic attributes are consistent and work together.
- What comes through the steering wheel is actually a tiny bit less than in the M3, but the on-center feel, off-center progression, and overall steering experience is much better.
- Love the Macan steering wheel, which is basically the same as what was in the 991 and the Boxster.
- The Macan doesn't carve the twisty roads around Nor Cal as well as the M3, but it's more than sufficiently fun.
- Nice to just have one Sport and one Sport Plus button. No need to figure out how to program the thing. Even Normal mode in the Macan is fine though the PDK shifts up too fast.
- PASM and air suspension work really well. Very comfortable ride (Macan Sport Plus more comfortable than Comfort in the M3), but the suspension doesn't lean or wallow too much.
- Interior quality very good throughout.
- Prefer the design of the Macan interior. M3 interior has lots of curves that run in strange directions.
- Great highway cruiser. Look forward to long trips.
- Sounds awesome, a bit better than the M3, though I actually like the way that sounded

What could be better in the GTS relative to the M3
- Wouldn't mind more power. It's sufficient, and I haven't needed more, but it would be fun to have more. In the X6M and M3, loved just slightly squeezing the throttle and getting a bit of a shove. I didn't think the Macan Turbo gave me enough to take precedence over the things I like about the GTS model. Handling > power for me.
- Interior space for passenger and cargo almost exactly the same. But M3 actually has more rear headroom. Trunk length and width almost identical but Macan trunk easier to access and you can remove the privacy shield for more flexibility. Wouldn't mind having a little more room vs the M3.
- Surround view in the GTS less useful than expected because the image on the screen is so distorted and the overlay graphics depicting distance to objects obscures the picture. M3 surround view a bit better, but didn't have a front camera, and scraping the front end was always a risk parking.
- Gas mileage worse in the Macan