JYT

Looking to order an S and have question around suspension “feels” with and without PASM.

How does S drive without PASM? I do not need comfort mode so I wouldn’t need PaSM for comfort. Any insight would be appreciated.

OliverK68

Like your T, PASM will have a firmer ride in Sport mode than Comfort, and an S sans PASM will be somewhere in between.

I had a 2020 S for a week as a loaner while my base was being serviced. Neither have PASM and the S had 18” rims whereas mine has 19”. I found almost no difference.

Are you looking to include air suspension?

JYT

Thanks a lot. Good question, I can’t come to a clear path on air suspension either. Some say floaty with air (which I don’t want), some say great. If non-PASM has firm enough footing, I’ll be ok but I can’t seem to gather clear feedback on PASM either for some reasons.

Not a budget killer to add PASM but as my third car, I want to minimize unnecessary options.

wwahl

Air suspension is not 'floaty' and is one of the most important add ons I find it amazingly functional.

Terry Adams

I have every performance option. Air suspension is the only one I would give up over my dead body.

My three 911 buds and one Jaguar F Type bud were impressed on our recent 1,300 mile road trip, how it cornered on rails, no body roll. Lots of canyon carving and sweepers. Not a 911, but....

My parents had a 1961 Citröen ID19 with AS, me a 1970 MB 300 SEL 6.3 with AS. Porsche stood on the shoulders of giants.

JYT

Thanks all. I think I have some test driving to do.

wwahl

Find a test car with air suspension and PSAM. Pop that car up into off road with the button. Grab those paddle shifters and move the shift points ahead. See what you can do with the new possibilities.

blepski

Here's my unpopular opinion: I have a 2021 Macan S w/ 20" wheels that I ordered specifically without PASM and am perfectly happy with the ride quality, performance and feel. You should know that I am NOT really an SUV/CUV guy and continue to be confused by this whole "performance/sports car SUV" craze that has taken over the industry. After much consideration I purchased our Macan mainly for my wife and to be used as our comfortable "family" car for road trips etc. My opinion is that the "base" suspension is a perfect combination of a sporty and taught yet comfortable ride. Or in other words, I couldn't think of a single situation where I would want or need to alter that. Adding either PASM or / Air as an option for me was just adding more complexity, buttons and drive modes that I couldn't care less about.

I had driven all 3 options: the "base" suspension , PASM, and Air w/ PASM and found the differences between them to be negligible for our purposes. I found that every Macan and suspension option I have driven, regardless of the suspension setting mode suffers from the same top heavy / body roll weakness inherent to any vehicle that carries over 2 tons of weight high above the road surface. For me it's most noticeable when taking higher speed sweeping highway on/off ramps. Having driven sports sedans and sports cars my whole life makes that feeling impossible to get used to but then again I didn't purchase this SUV to carve turns in. Remember that NONE of these "performance" SUV's are capable of defying physics with their obvious disadvantage of a high center of gravity no matter what the suspension option or marketing trickery...

Like others had suggested you really should try all 3 and decide what works best for your specific use case but I figured I'd throw out a counter against popular opinion for your consideration.

JYT

Thank you. Super helpful!

Perhaps confirmation bias but your take at every level hit home.

I initially wanted to get a stripped down S but you know how it gets once you start configuring. You’re right, my low cars can do the turns, so for my purpose (“some” utility, 4 seater, fit golf bag in the trunk, but don’t have option regret later), I’ve decided on adding PASM (in FOMO really). No air.

drcollie

Three Porsches in my garage, 992S, Cayenne GTS (with air) and Macan S (with air). All new in the last 9 months. When we went to the dealer I wanted to make SURE we got my wife the right one, so we drove three in a row. A white Turbo with Air Suspension, a Chalk S with Air Suspension and a Black, S without it. I didn't tell her how they were equipped and we did 14 miles in each one.

She said she didn't need the power or the white Turbo but liked it.
And she didn't like the Black S without air ride, said it was rough-riding.
The Chalk S is what came home with her.

So yes, Air on the suspension for us.