drcollie

....which we bought it a week ago, and I haven't driven it. I decided to take it out and run it out a few miles to see how much PORSCHE is really in this thing while she was on a walk and not in the other seat telling me to slow down...lol. I'm on my 5th 911 in forty years, so I'm a pretty hard-core Porsche guy. Time to see if this is just SUV marketing hype or indeed worthy of the brand! She came out of a 2014 SQ5 which is no slouch, but the Audi is pretty numb to drive and really doesn't encourage you to flog it. It's the SUV you buy to get across the intersection quickly, but not one to carve corners with and it kind of bangs around on the suspension with plenty of head toss and some pogo-ing. It's been a good vehicle...very solid and very reliable, but showing its age.

I dialed into Sport Plus mode immediately and set off on my favorite set of twisties. I was actually pretty stunned. The PDK hits the shifts impossibly quick (I have always had 3-pedal 911s) and with the air ride PASM suspension on the S it's totally locked down without and bump steer or transfer from one wheel to another on bumps. Impressive! The steering is nicely weighted, with some feedback that is similar to a modern 911. The Macan S scoots right along and it's considerably more sports car than the SQ5 and very refined at the same time. It's hard to believe these two vehicles are built on the same VW Corporate platform, as they don't drive alike at all.

I like it much better than the Cayennes I have driven, or any Range Rover as well. It's fun, it's quick, it's tossable - and it feels like a real Porsche.

Pavegeno928

2019 Macan S with SC, Torque Vectoring, and Air Suspension. Freaking amazing. Feels more like a car. Not trying to say it is comparable to a 911 or Cayman, but it handles phenomenally. Almost 20K miles in 13 months. Great purchase for sure.

CarGuyNVA

Good summary. I had considered an SQ5 for a bit in the past when deciding it was time to trade my Cayenne Turbo, before deciding on the Macan GTS.

So from your experience, how’s the power delivery of the Audi’s supercharged 3.0 versus the Porsche’s turbo configuration? You really didn’t mention that aspect.

drcollie

The 2014 SQ5 has a supercharged, which they no longer offer except in the Q7, newer SQ5's are turbocharged. Power delivery on a supercharged engine will always beat any turbo out there, but there is parasitic drag due to the belt drive so in order to get the CAFE mileage improved, Audi switched to turbocharging in the SQ5 in the 2016 model year. For a stoplight launch, the SQ5 is spectacular because its instant-on, its quicker than my 991 S off the line.

The Macan S has a single turbo nestled in the "V" between the engines while your GTS has two turbos. I was expecting to feel some lag in the "S" but really did not, though I'm sure there are certain conditions where you can trip up the computer and get some lag such as a kick-down pass at 50 mph in normal settings, that sort of thing. My daily driver is an Audi E-Tron, and I love electric cars, but sure do like the handling on the wife;s Macan. When the all-electic Macan comes on board in two more years, I might have a go at that one.

CarGuyNVA

Thanks. I was aware of the different powertrain configurations of the SQ5 vs the Macan models for the various years.

Knowing that your ‘14 SQ5 was the previous supercharged engine versus your new Macan S with the ‘hot-V’ single turbo setup, I was just curious about a summary of how the two perform/behave on the street when compared to one another.

chuckbdc

dr, you capture well what distinguishes the Macan from the competition. I think you know Summit Point. My intro to Macan was there at a Porsche World marketing event on the Shenandoah circuit. I had been looking at an S on a Thursday, was on the fence, and the SA invited me up to the event on Saturday. I followed a leading Porsche Track Experience driver around Shenandoah through the right hander (Bus Stop) leading to the downhill going to the Karussal. I had been there before in my Boxster S RS-60 and my 991C2S. He led the way in at over 90, with no brake lights and didn't lift, totally smooth, I followed and tracked right through without drama at a ridiculous speed.

I arranged the purchase of the Macan S I was considering when I got out of the car in the pits. It never disappointed, (including a trip out and back to Rennsport). Then a test drive of a Turbo, with its air suspension (height adjustable), big brakes the 3.6 and whatever else it has just magnifies how good the platform is. It is ridiculous to say, but it is as much fun as the 991!

drcollie

HA! Yes, I have done a few laps at Summit Point over the years. I think its great when a car maker lets you test drive their wares on a race track, it shows a high degree of confidence in their product line and a willingness to tolerate one balled up now and then. It also sells vehicles!

rasetsu

After extensive test drives of both a 2014 and a 2018 SQ5, I came away with the same impressions. I contributed most of the difference in feel to the choice of a torque converter automatic in the SQ5 and a dual clutch in the Macan along with the differences in suspension tuning. Those factors made the Macan worth the significant price increase to me.