hinckley

I'm not sure if this is a stupid question, but it is sincere . . .

I'm guessing like many of us here, I've been a BMW and Porsche driver for many years (first BMW in the mid-80s, first Porsche in the late-90s). I'm now starting the process of thinking about replacing my winter car (an S4 6MT that I love). My current summer car is a new 911 GTS. I'd want the new winter vehicle by next September, and depending on the direction I go, I'll need to order in March/April.

I've never been an SUV guy, but I've fallen in love with the Macan. Beautiful execution and the perfect sized vehicle for me. I've specced out a very well optioned Macan Turbo at just over $107k. Not a small chunk of change. But I've just now realized that a similarly optioned X5 M stickers for just under $109k.

I know that the X5 competes with the Cayenne (a vehicle that I despise), and as I say, I do prefer the size of the Macan. But is it just stupid to buy a Macan Turbo over a similarly priced X5 M?

nh4

I've thought the exact same thing, and I come out in favor of the Macan every time. For a bit of history, I had an e46 (2003) M3 that I absolutely loved, and I have a co-worker that has an X5M... I will say there is certainly nothing wrong with the X5M, nothing at all really, the thing is a monster.

For me though, the smaller size and the design of the Macan is much more to my taste. I don't need or really want the extra size that comes with the BMW and I'm not a huge fan of the interior on the current generation of Beemers either.

For me the only other SUV that really interests me outside of the Macan is its slightly older cousin, the Audi SQ5.

I had been wondering though, since I'm also in New England, if the Macan S might make for the better daily driver... The turbo would be a heck of a lot of fun, but i'm pretty sure I could get myself into an ample amount of trouble blowing down 495 in the early morning with an 'S'!

-nh4.

jlee504

did you spec out the current X5M?

I really loved my previous gen X5M, and I've been a BMW guy since 1990 and have an all the M3s, i mean every generation.

but i loved into porsches last year and i have to tell you, Porsches just are better drivers cars, they are better built, and a better design. i test drove the new M4 and its a brute, i'm assuming the X5M will be a brute too. porsches are more precision cars.

My Macan drives like a sports sedan, my X5M drove like an SUV with a corvette or Hemi engine, just so different.

jeff

AMGsound

I also have the same questions regarding the Macan. I saw one on the street the other day and it was dirty and on winter rims. It looked really, really small. For my personnal use in the winter time (ski gear for 4 and/or hockey equipment for the boys), im not sure a Macan is the appropriate vehicule for us. Very personal. For the price of a Macan Turbo, X5M is a good option, RangeSport Supergarged is AWESOME. I test drove one last year and couldn't make the deal happen, but its an amazing machine for the size it has.

jlee504

ok i drove the range rover sport before i bought the turbo, and two totally different cars. personally i felt like i was driving a hummer or FJ cruiser with the range rover sport.

with the Macan you feel like your driving a panamera or 5 series.

Jeff

K-A

The X5M just makes no sense to me. Still a massive boat of a vehicle. It's gluttony at its finest, but the driving dynamics are still working with a big box on wheels.

The Macan is a precision tool compared to it, and still more special and unique, imo, as it's not of the increasingly ubiquitous BMW brand.

997rs4.0

My wife drives a x5m and loves it! To me these kind of cars make no sense. They are fast, but high and heavy. When I drive it, I put it in M mode and paddle shift and it still doesn't get my heart rate up! Buy a diesel and spend the rest of the money on a track car! 😉😉

Sven76

Do they sell the Macan Diesel S in North America? I have one on order and it will be delivered soon, testdrove it and fell in love. Will serve as family car. Diesel engine suits the Macan well, lots of torque and sufficient HP, high speed lower than the petrol S, but not a big topic in the real world. Fuel economy is good, with the large fuel tank you get 500-600 miles out of it. Colleague has the Turbo, that's a monster, but for spirited driving I have a Cayman R.

fincher

Diesel Macan coming to US as 2016 model. Yay!!!

hinckley

I think that you guys are all correct.

As I said in the OP, I've never really been an SUV guy and I think that the Macan is appealing to me because it is un-SUV-like. Moreover, looking at the X5M specs, I realize it's 1000 pounds heavier than the Macan. ONE THOUSAND POUNDS. I had an F10 M5 for just over a year and hated it because there was just no way getting around its 4400+ pound heft. I can't imagine what the X5M is like.

I now need to take the Macan on an extended test drive to get comfortable with driving a SUV for the first time in my life. Fingers crossed.

nh4

I had an M3 as a daily driver, and then I bought a house. Come to find out an M3 isn't ideal for runs to Home Depot to get, well, anything really! I didn't want a truck, and I wanted something I didn't really need to worry about. So I kept the M3 and bought a Toyota Rav4. For a few years this all worked out well. Then the M3 started to get needy and expensive, so I sold it.

Now I just have a Rav4, and it doesn't tick many of the fun boxes... It gets me from A to B just fine, and in many regards it is a wonderful thing, but from having now fully transitioned to a non-fun car I can say I truly miss having the engagement of the M3.

I don't really think the Macan would be a full fun-car replacement, but I think it is a wonderful compromise that gets you a little bit of everything, including a fair amount of fun and a place to put family, friends, or a bunch of stuff from Home Depot!

My plan for this year is to keep the Rav4 and look for another fun car. However, if I can't find something I like for a price I'm willing to pay, I could well trade the Rav4 in on a Macan and join the party as well.

-nh4.

K-A

I came from sedans and generally hate SUV's myself. The Macan really embarrasses most if not any modern "sport sedan" in engagement and dynamics. It makes the transition so smooth that it doesn't feel like the transition you thought it would. Just make sure to option it right to your needs and desires.

roule

Those accustomed to driving soft, floaty sedans would agree with this. However, from an absolutist standpoint, this statement is only true in North America. In the rest of the world, the Macan has real competition: the sport wagon. Some of these, like the Audi Avants, do give the Macan serious dynamic performance competition and then some -- the 560HP RS6 Avant will leave any Macan in the dust.

That said, most will agree that the Macan offers a better value. Porsche can offer a lower price (thanks to high volume production and platform sharing) that somewhat offsets its worse fuel economy and taller-vehicle driving dynamics. But again, its heft mass and tall-vehicle aerodynamic penalty cannot be overlooked. A proper sports sedan or wagon should keep up on all but the most slippery roads.

Personally, I think the Macan leaves room for a more sporting passenger vehicle in the Porsche lineup. Porsche seriously needs to get working on offering the Panamera in coupe and wagon body styles.

Turbo Cup

I relate to your concerns, as I've owned many BMW's and porsches since the mid 80's.
My new Macan Turbo is just delightful! It really is a porsche! can't quite figure out how all that is combined in a vehicle that sort of looks like an SUV. Tons of power, great handling, and reasonable economy. It's a thrill every time I get in it! Oh, yeah, and comfortable too!

pyramid

Cleary you know what you wanted .