Air Suspension Dilemma! What's your setting?

[oceancatch]

In the PCM page to set up each mode, when you’re NOT looking at Normal, a small check mark appears at the top right of those menu options to save the setting. The background is busy, so it’s hard to see and not as obvious as it could be

Here's a previous post with a picture of the checkbox https://www.macanevowners.com/forum/threads/save-your-preferred-drive-mode.19694/#post-300240

Thank you! yes I found that. Honestly it's not a smart way to do this on Porsche side. Basically there's not a way to create an Individual Mode with Normal Engine/Throttle/Steering with Lowered or Sport suspension setting (because you can't save any change to Normal Mode)? I'm pretty sure this is doable in the current Taycan which I thought Macan is sharing the same system with. I wish there's a way to provide this feedback to Porsche. It sounds like something can be done thru a software update.

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[Sideline]

I think you also need to consider which wheels size you are using. There is just not much larger wheel tire sidewall to absorb road defects. I think the three chamber air bags do a better job in this area than the single chamber ones that I read they put in the Macan.

With my 20 inch, normal is a comfortable ride on just about any surface. But it allows some body roll when pushing it. Sport is more planted, firm but comfortable ride, no noticeable body roll in street driving. I use sport all the time. .

My new friend's 22 inch doesn't seem to have a good factory compromise. Normal is a nice enough ride but potholes can knock your fillings out and the roll is just as noticeable. The well planted sport is brutal on all but the smoothest pavement. The lower profile tires will perhaps provide quicker steering response and more driving satisfaction on smooth roads, however.

He says he's played a bit with customizing sport mode but hasn't found a good compromise yet. You would think by now Porsche would have developed a suspension that reads road surfaces and adjusts in anticipation.

The optional tires have more tread width than the factory 20s. At one time I was pondering a 20 inch wheel/tire package that provided the 22 inch tread width but I didn't like the cost/benefit ratio.

While everyone will have a different view of what is considered a harsh ride, I have the 22 inch Sport wheels on my Turbo and I think they ride quality is excellent. Of course there is some harshness over broken pavement and potholes but nothing worse than what I feel with my Mercedes E450 wagon which is set up for a much softer ride. Road noise is minimal (Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4) maybe in part helped by the Noise Insulated Glass option.

Admittedly, when spec'ing my Turbo, I was nervous about how the 22 inch wheels would feel on our potholed, frost heaved Toronto roads. But I have been more than happy at how well they manage bad road surfaces. And while the aspect ratio is low, the tire sidewall height is still 4 inches (slightly more in the rear). Couple that with a wide tire to help deal with the heft of the vehicle and you have a fairly compliant ride. I ran the 21 inch Turbo wheels through the winter and they were a little smoother but not dramatically so.

I generally run Normal chassis/ride height in the city, and drop to Sport chassis and lowered ride height once off the city roads or on the highway. I have no regrets spec'ing 22 inch wheels. Good ride quality on poor roads and fantastic on smoother pavement.

 

[raybey]

In the PCM page to set up each mode, when you’re NOT looking at Normal, a small check mark appears at the top right of those menu options to save the setting. The background is busy, so it’s hard to see and not as obvious as it could be

Here's a previous post with a picture of the checkbox https://www.macanevowners.com/forum/threads/save-your-preferred-drive-mode.19694/#post-300240

You legend. This is exactly what I've been missing since I received it 6months ago!

 

[jm1883]

I leave mine in low, purely for aesthetics, especially when it’s parked up.

I can’t tell any real difference in ride quality on ride height alone and, as others have said, the car lowers itself at any sort of speed anyway.

The ride height is also the one thing the car retains, so even in normal if you set it to low and then park up, it’ll stay in low on the next journey.

 

[taycanstuff]

Sport plus and level low for those twisty roads

 

[seabird]

Thank you! yes I found that. Honestly it's not a smart way to do this on Porsche side. Basically there's not a way to create an Individual Mode with Normal Engine/Throttle/Steering with Lowered or Sport suspension setting (because you can't save any change to Normal Mode)?

Sure there is. Choose sport mode and then set whatever you want to normal and tap the check mark to save that configuration. That's now your individual mode.

The only thing you can't do is save a drive mode to your profile. The car always starts in normal, which is admittedly a little annoying.

I'm pretty sure this is doable in the current Taycan which I thought Macan is sharing the same system with.

No, not the same software. The Taycan does not (yet) run Android Automotive. Maybe in 2026.

 

[oceancatch]

Sure there is. Choose sport mode and then set whatever you want to normal and tap the check mark to save that configuration. That's now your individual mode.

I mean that would also set Engine/Throttle/Steering to "SPORT" mode right? There's not a way to save any chassis/suspension preference if I just want Engine/Throttle/Steering to stay under NORMAL.

 

[oceancatch]

The ride height is also the one thing the car retains, so even in normal if you set it to low and then park up, it’ll stay in low on the next journey.

I think this is what confused me the most! I would say about 40% of time I notice the level stays from the prior setting. But more often than not, it went back to NORMAL after restarting the car. I just couldn't figure out why. Maybe some settings wasn't right but I checked everything I believe.

 

[tolsen]

I think this is what confused me the most! I would say about 40% of time I notice the level stays from the prior setting. But more often than not, it went back to NORMAL after restarting the car. I just couldn't figure out why. Maybe some settings wasn't right but I checked everything I believe.

for me the height stays at the previous trip height when you initially start your next drive but within a short period of time or a short distance traveled the height goes back to normal… unless… you switch back to your preferred mode before this occurs…​

 

[jm1883]

I think this is what confused me the most! I would say about 40% of time I notice the level stays from the prior setting. But more often than not, it went back to NORMAL after restarting the car. I just couldn't figure out why. Maybe some settings wasn't right but I checked everything I believe.

Mine retains everytime! Weird

 

[oceancatch]

for me the height stays at the previous trip height when you initially start your next drive but within a short period of time or a short distance traveled the height goes back to normal… unless… you switch back to your preferred mode before this occurs…​

Yes I noticed this at least a couple times as well. When I drove out of parking lot/neighborhood, it went back to Normal. I feel this is speed depended.

 

[tolsen]

Mine retains everytime! Weird

country dependent?

 

[tolsen]

I mean that would also set Engine/Throttle/Steering to "SPORT" mode right? There's not a way to save any chassis/suspension preference if I just want Engine/Throttle/Steering to stay under NORMAL.

all you’re setting/choosing in the various “drive modes” is chassis, level and spoiler position. so you can go into “sport mode”, change the chassis to whatever you’d like normal/sport/sport plus/etc. go into level, set to normal/low/lower/etc. press the check mark and you’re set. when you start your next drive select “sport mode” and the car will be set up to your specifications.

 

[AndrewH]

all you’re setting/choosing in the various “drive modes” is chassis, level and spoiler position. so you can go into “sport mode”, change the chassis to whatever you’d like normal/sport/sport plus/etc. go into level, set to normal/low/lower/etc. press the check mark and you’re set. when you start your next drive select “sport mode” and the car will be set up to your specifications.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think I remember reading on this forum somewhere that normal mode generally only runs the rear motor (more efficient) where sport and sport plus run both

 

[tolsen]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think I remember reading on this forum somewhere that normal mode generally only runs the rear motor (more efficient) where sport and sport plus run both

based on this google ai search your understanding would be correct. i am no longer sure my previous response will accomplish what oceancatch was trying to do.

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