Question for the group: I currently have a Macan as my DD with over 160k miles and I'm looking at possible replacements. Whenever I've driven a Cayenne in the past (primarily as loaners during service), I've been somewhat surprised at how much larger the Cayenne felt versus the Macan, and I've always been happy to get back in my Macan. That being said, I haven't driven the spicier versions of the Cayenne such as the GTS/Turbo, and I haven't driven a new generation Cayenne S.

My question for you guys: do the newer S/GTS/Turbo versions of the Cayenne feel less "truck like" these days?

 

I have regularly been given Macan loaners when my Cayenne was in for service. My opinion is that the Macan feels substantially more small and nimble than a Cayenne depending on equipment.

But the Cayenne has a reclining (SUV version only) backseat that is comfortable for full size adults. IMO, the Cayenne's interior comfort and ride quality compares favorably with that of the Lexus LS and Mercedes S-class sedans I've owned while being a far superior handling vehicle.

And there are numerous features available for the Cayenne that haven't been available for the ICE version of the Macan ... LED matrix headlights, InnoDrive with active lane centering, Night Vision Assist, rear axle steering, PDCC.

What version(s) of the Cayenne seemed "truck like" to you? What tires sizes, suspension types, engines, options, etc. did they have? Much depends on how a Cayenne is equipped just like it does on the Macan. One of the Macan loaners I had was a bare bones base model with nearly no options, skinny tires, base seats, regular roof, steel suspension. Another Macan loaner was extremely highly optioned ... widest tires, air suspension, 14-way seats, pano roof, etc. The sparsely equipped Macan seemed pretty bad. The highly equipped Macan seemed great. It's the same way on the Cayenne.

 

That's helpful, thank you. Yeah, the Cayenne is appealing for purposes of additional car seat/passenger room, which is why I'm thinking about it. If I'm honest, I have no idea what options the various Cayennes I've driven have had. I've driven prior/older Cayenne Ses, and more recent Cayenne bases, but no idea what options they had/didn't have.

 

Optional equipment really does make a huge difference. When the Cayenne 9Y0.1 was first introduced, Consumer Reports criticized its sloppy handling on its standard 19" wheels and skinny tires and steel suspension. Handling certainly isn't sloppy on mine with optional air suspension and 21 inch much wider wheels and tires. I'm continually amazed at how precisely I can place it when roaring around turns and corners which I often do after selecting a more performance oriented drive mode and low suspension height.

 

Cayenne is on the big side of medium-sized SUVs. Macan is on the small side of whatever size category you call the Macan. Small, not compact, SUV is what I would call the Macan.

You need to firstly decide your use case and requirements. A Cayenne will always be bigger, heavier, more truck-like and more expensive than a comparably optioned Macan. Cayenne has high fenders, high belt line and not good visibility to the rear/side via the D-pillars. I love the Cayenne.

No Cayenne feels less truck like than a Macan.

I have driven several base Macans as loaners. I would not own one. Anemic performance is putting it generously. And a tiny, cramped, unusable (for my use case) back seat. And minimal rear luggage/cargo space. But if it works for you, it works for you.

Cayenne base is 5.7s 0-60, starting at $89,900
Cayenne S is 4.7s 0-60, starting at $108,300
Macan base is 6.0s 0-60, starting at $65,400
Macan S is 4.6s 0-60, starting at $78,900

The size, price and performance comparison is clear. Do you want a bigger car or a smaller car?

 

That's helpful, sounds like I should try to find a recent Cayenne with air suspension to try.

That's why I'm asking the question. If I really want to go fast, I have a GT4RS. If we're going on a long road trip, there's always my wife's wagon. The nice thing about Porsche is that they will sell you a Macan GTS/Turbo if you want to go faster, or a Cayenne base if you're okay with "anemic" performance. I'm more curious whether the more recent Cayennes hide their weight as compared to a Macan, especially if you select the right options/etc.

 

yes and no - Cayenne is bigger car…and my TurboS eHybrid is plenty sporty for it's size but you can't fix physical size the Macan is a smaller car

have you tried a Macan EV - lower CG - instant acceleration and Porschde handling dynamics - not truck like at all…

post #20 from @Manifold is fairly effusive with his test drive experience…https://rennlist.com/forums/macan-ev...l#post20439148

I'm enjoying my Macan Turbo EV and some people on the Rennlist Macan EV forum simply love it vs. their ICE Macan's…better drive train and no transmission…

 

No, Cayennes don’t hide their weight.

Macan base is the anemic car in the Porsche brand. Slow.

Dp you want a big car or a small car?

 

The two cars felt very different for me. You need to test drive the Cayenne before making the decision.

I use the 2024 Cayenne base for road trips (mostly driven at highway speed); that works for me.

It's only OK for me for local trips (I prefer my Lexus RZ-450e EV for local trips).

There is the new Cayenne EV, so that's another consideration.

 

don’t get a cayenne. you’d feel the air suspension w rear wheel steering drives smaller. i have a coupe w std suspension - so rear steering isn’t available. it is big. if you like a zippy feeling car, you won’t be satisfied. my fiancé likes small cars. she likes to feel like she is going fast. she says the canyenne doesn’t feel fast until ur going about 90mph.

one example, in an urban environment there are situations where i cannot pull out w/o going over the curb unless i go so wide that i am in either the oncoming lane of the place i am pulling out from or into the oncoming lane of the road.

another example, urban parking. many spots are too small. there are places i just don’t go because there is no adequate parking. or i resign to spending 10 mins to find a spot.

 

When buying the Macan ICE, remember that it's a very old platform based on the first-generation Audi Q5. This is also why this model was withdrawn from sale in Europe, as it wasn't cost-effective to upgrade it to meet new European regulations. A successor to the Macan ICE is expected within two years. However, it will no longer be called the Macan.

 

Thomas, the Cayenne is a very small car by American standards.

 

Yeah, this is something that's giving me some pause as well. I tend to buy/hold cars for a long time (our Macan is coming up on 10 years). The Cayenne being significantly newer is tempting me, as I'm not sure I want to deal with an EV quite yet.

 

oh yes i am well aware. but it is still big compared to a golf r, 911, or gen 2 rx-7 turbo ii. all of those being small and low feel much faster. my neighbor has a tahoe. he sat in my cayenne and said he could never drive some so small ha

 

I had a ‘22 Macan GTS (basically the ‘21 Turbo as it was discontinued) as my DD and I loved it! It was one of my favorite DDs and I’ve had a many cars. It had ample power and acceleration but best of all, it handled nicely while providing a comfortable ride. It drove “small” and was very nimble for a SUV especially because it was a GTS. The only drawback is/was that the Macan is “old tech” as someone already mentioned. If you like the analog tachometer, then the Macan is for you. I recently drove a ‘25 Macan loaner and the cabin definitely felt dated. Being a glorified Q5, the rear leg room is just okay. I wouldn’t put any adults back there on road trips.
We own a ‘25 Cayenne GTS Coupe and it’s my wife’s DD. It feels slightly quicker than the Macan GTS and it handles/rides nicely but I can definitely feel the weight. Porsche did a good job of masking its weight and so, it’s one of the best handling SUVs on the market. Like the other Porsche models, the Cayenne GTS Coupe is the sweet spot of the Cayenne line up but I’m biased. Both are great vehicles and you can’t go wrong. First world problems!