Help me decide...Macan Base vs Mazda CX 5 Turbo
12-19-2018, 01:52 AM
#16
This vid from MotoManTV just dropped and it has a lot of tech info from Mazda engineer Dave Coleman who happens to own a Cayman among his fleet. And it looks like MotoMan got himself a GT3 Touring at the end of the vid. He makes a comparison to the Macan around the 9:30 mark.
12-19-2018, 01:53 AM
#17
Pro
Others over at the macanforum.com site have written that they like the base better than the S model. They wrote that the little guy handled better. What are your thoughts about this?
12-19-2018, 10:35 AM
#18
Instructor
My honest opinion as a Macan (Turbo) owner - go with the Mazda over base 4-cyl Macan.
This will no doubt get me a grilling here, and absolutely no disrespect to base Macan owners, but I found it borderline despicable Porsche would release an offering like that. I got a 4-cyl as a loaner for nearly a week when my car was in for routine service, and was shocked less so by the delta between that and the T (understandable), but overall how this in no way felt like a Porsche product. The cheap rental-feel interior I can perhaps overlook, but from a handling and performance perspective it was the biggest let down. Yes it is a base car, but even a base Cayenne/Cayman has some of that unmistakable Porsche 'feel' to it that would stir your emotions. Emotions stirred here were that reminiscent of a funeral...that something was terribly lost...
This will no doubt get me a grilling here, and absolutely no disrespect to base Macan owners, but I found it borderline despicable Porsche would release an offering like that. I got a 4-cyl as a loaner for nearly a week when my car was in for routine service, and was shocked less so by the delta between that and the T (understandable), but overall how this in no way felt like a Porsche product. The cheap rental-feel interior I can perhaps overlook, but from a handling and performance perspective it was the biggest let down. Yes it is a base car, but even a base Cayenne/Cayman has some of that unmistakable Porsche 'feel' to it that would stir your emotions. Emotions stirred here were that reminiscent of a funeral...that something was terribly lost...
The only complaint that I have, if you want to even call it a complaint, is the size. Its perfect for errands and daily trips. However it is not a great family car in terms of size. Fortunately we have full sized SUV for family fun.
12-19-2018, 12:15 PM
#19
The Macan base loaners I’ve driven came accross as more luxury oriented than performance oriented. I like them but would chose an S or higher because Porsche does add more of what is expected in a performance version. They have to convince me to buy the more expensive model and they do a good job by differentiating the “feel” between the Macan models in my opinion. So it comes down to expectations and individual taste.
12-19-2018, 12:38 PM
#20
Rennlist Member
One thing to consider if you live in a winter climate Mazda’s have a bad tendency to rust. I won’t buy one simply for this reason. Every premium European car I have owned (BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche) have been very rust resistant.
12-19-2018, 01:19 PM
#21
Drive both and compare for yourself. It's always nice to have a Porsche but there is no shame in Mazda. We had a 2016 Mazda 6 that my wife loved more than her 2012 E-Class Mercedes. As an alternative you might want to consider a CPO Macan S for a big performance increase for about the same price.
12-19-2018, 04:56 PM
#22
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks to all the Renn List community who responded to my question on Macan vs Mazda CX 5.
I really appreciate the links to the recent reviews and the real world input fro Macan owners....all very helpful.
I have driven both, and do appreciate the differences between them, but like them both for what they are.
For my use as a daily driver, dog passenger, motorcycle towing, and LONG SNOWY winters, I am going for the CX 5. If I did not have a sweet 991.1 Carerra in the garage, I would have stepped up to a Macan Base or S in a heartbeat!
BTW, on the Mazda rust comment, that has not been my experience with several (Japanese built) Mazdas. The Ford era is, of course, another story!.
Thanks again, and Happy Holidays!
I really appreciate the links to the recent reviews and the real world input fro Macan owners....all very helpful.
I have driven both, and do appreciate the differences between them, but like them both for what they are.
For my use as a daily driver, dog passenger, motorcycle towing, and LONG SNOWY winters, I am going for the CX 5. If I did not have a sweet 991.1 Carerra in the garage, I would have stepped up to a Macan Base or S in a heartbeat!
BTW, on the Mazda rust comment, that has not been my experience with several (Japanese built) Mazdas. The Ford era is, of course, another story!.
Thanks again, and Happy Holidays!
12-19-2018, 05:01 PM
#23
Thanks to all the Renn List community who responded to my question on Macan vs Mazda CX 5.
I really appreciate the links to the recent reviews and the real world input fro Macan owners....all very helpful.
I have driven both, and do appreciate the differences between them, but like them both for what they are.
For my use as a daily driver, dog passenger, motorcycle towing, and LONG SNOWY winters, I am going for the CX 5. If I did not have a sweet 991.1 Carerra in the garage, I would have stepped up to a Macan Base or S in a heartbeat!
BTW, on the Mazda rust comment, that has not been my experience with several (Japanese built) Mazdas. The Ford era is, of course, another story!.
Thanks again, and Happy Holidays!
I really appreciate the links to the recent reviews and the real world input fro Macan owners....all very helpful.
I have driven both, and do appreciate the differences between them, but like them both for what they are.
For my use as a daily driver, dog passenger, motorcycle towing, and LONG SNOWY winters, I am going for the CX 5. If I did not have a sweet 991.1 Carerra in the garage, I would have stepped up to a Macan Base or S in a heartbeat!
BTW, on the Mazda rust comment, that has not been my experience with several (Japanese built) Mazdas. The Ford era is, of course, another story!.
Thanks again, and Happy Holidays!
12-20-2018, 10:18 PM
#24
Drifting
Whenever I read discussions here about the “base” (4 cylinder) Macan, I rarely see mention of the ‘Sport Edition’ which is essentially a base vehicle with many performance oriented and some convenience options combined at a reasonable cost (compared to what these same options would cost ala-carte). Some I think argue at that price point you might as well get the S model, but looking on the dealer lots in my area a typically optioned S is still considerably higher.
So for those shopping the 4 cylinders but wanting one perhaps a bit more performance oriented, I recommend checking out the Sport Edition. Most dealers have a number of those in stock too, just as they do the “base” model, and discounts abound.
So for those shopping the 4 cylinders but wanting one perhaps a bit more performance oriented, I recommend checking out the Sport Edition. Most dealers have a number of those in stock too, just as they do the “base” model, and discounts abound.
Last edited by CarGuyNVA; 12-20-2018 at 11:30 PM.
12-20-2018, 10:50 PM
#25
For those of you interested, some cool turbo tech going on:
https://motoiq.com/2019-mazda-cx-5-t...d-tech-dive/3/
https://motoiq.com/2019-mazda-cx-5-t...d-tech-dive/3/
