[Thoughts] - Macan 4 Loaner vs. Macan Turbo EV (owned)

[joeev]

What were the tire pressures for the 22's? Dealer usually will set at Full Load (44 psi) but setting the pressures at Partial Load (39 psi) greatly improves overall ride.

Adding to CraigW1's comment, 39psi is the partial load value for summer tires. For all seasons, unfortunately the recommendation is 44psi partial, 48psi full load

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[daveo4EV]

What were the tire pressures for the 22's? Dealer usually will set at Full Load (44 psi) but setting the pressures at Partial Load (39 psi) greatly improves overall ride.

pressures are 43 psi front - 45 psi rears - door sticker wants 48 psi - I'm considering if I'm going to take any pressure out…it's a heavy car.

 

[bbmertz]

• once the car is "moving/rolling" the acceleration differences are less pronounced for accelerating/passing etc…the car is quite spunky

I completely agree with this observation. I missed the off-the-line acceleration in the Macan 4 relative to my previous Teslas which is why I bought the 4S instead.

 

[Yves]

What about consumption and range? Really curious on that front …

 

[TomekGnomek]

Handling is virtually identical between the two models - this is not surprising

This is my observation as well and for me it was surprising.

There is another thread where I compared it to Taycan and some comments suggested Turbo is a must have for fun driving. I disagree, one you option air suspension, put optional PTV and rear-axe there is no difference to me other that straight line acceleration.

There should be some difference due to mounting of the read motors in 4S and Turbo but this is not something I can feel or notice.

 

[AlanH]

Hello all,

this post is to simply share some long term observations as I now have the opportunity to swap between a Macan 4 EV and Macan Turbo EV on a daily basis…the options are not quite the same but both cars are well optioned and equipped and I've noticed some concrete differences…which I'm sharing here

first off: why the Macan 4 Loaner? Well my wife's and my 2021 Cayenne TurboS eHybrid is in the shop for some service - at my request they did a battery diagnostic and they found what I suspected - some of the battery cells are no longer giving us their full effort, and the car is remarkably down on power with in pure-EV-mode (eMode) - and I want this fixed while the car is still in warranty - so my lovely Cayenne is in for service while we wait for non-deterministic parts delivery schedule…I'm anticipating this will take a while - we'll see - details can be found here: https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-9y0-2019/1499616-status-update-2021-cayenne-turbos-ehybrid.html

given this long duration service I was given some preferential treatment on my loaner selection from my local Porsche dealer - originally I was given a poorly optioned base 2025 Cayenne - and I request a Macan EV at their first opportunity - and about a week later I swapped the Cayenne base for the well equipped Macan 4 EV - I'm much happier…

the Macan 4 is well optioned but not "over the top": it has Innodrive, HUD, Bose, Passenger Display, Massage Seats, heated steering wheel, air suspension, comfort access, etc…

but does not have: Noise Insulated glass, full leather, headliner, rear window shades

22" wheels are on the car…with the nice silver rims.

Car is gentian blue (one of my favorite colors) with a black interior

I can't tell if it has RWS and I can not rule it in or out

this posting is a supplement to my original thoughts when I first had a Macan 4 - see this thread…https://www.macanevowners.com/forum/threads/turbo-service-and-macan-4-loaner.22167/

when I had the previous Macan 4 I was not switching back/forth between the 4 and my Turbo because the Turbo was in for service.

Since it's my cayenne in service - I am now in/out of both the 4 and the turbo sometimes multiple times in the same day - this has afforded a rare "A/B" test of trim and "power level" and options…as I sometimes get out the 4 and right in the Turbo and I can immediately "see/feel" some differences…

TLDR; the 4 has impressed me - and many would do well with it - options matter more than power as the 4 is simply excellent - but it's no turbo.

so let's get to it - here are my A vs. B thoughts in no particular order

• Let's start with the elephant in the room - the 4 is "down on power' vs. the Turbo - and before I had driven a 4 I would have _NEVER_ considered it. After living with it for a couple of weeks. The power level is "acceptable" and "sufficient" and no one will suffer in this car - especially coming from virtual any other mid-sized gas powered SUV…
  • from a dead stop the 4 lacks greatness - but it's way way better than most ICE SUV's and probably better than most trim levels of a gas Macan
    • I continue to believe even "lesser" EV's are simply better cars for most people the drive vs. the crappy ICE motors and transmissions most people are actually driving
  • once the car is "moving/rolling" the acceleration differences are less pronounced for accelerating/passing etc…the car is quite spunky
  • the car's power level and responsiveness is quite good and again marked improvement vs. most gas powered SUV's
  • for me personally this would given me confidence to forgo the Turbo level in a future Macan EV and live with a 4S or GTS - I personally want a smidge more greatness from a dead stop (but that's a personal failing/weakness) because again once the car is rolling it has more than enough power for any normal driving situation
• the loaner lacks Thermal/Insulated glass - but I have it on my Turbo - when ever I get out the Turbo and then drive the loaner 4 - I feel ike the windows are not quite closed - and I instinctively reach for the power window buttons to 'close' the windows - feeling they are open just a bit letting noise in - alas the windows _ARE_ closed and that's just the increased noise level due to the lack of sound insulation. It's not a bother, but it is an increased elevation in normal road/wind noise - such that at 60 mph or greater it just "feels" like the windows are 'leaking' wind noise
  • having now experienced the difference first hand - noise/thermal windows will remain on my "must have" personal options list - the car is quieter or more comfortable with these windows than it is with out them
  • it's been too cold to experience any difference in thermal situation - so I have no comparison
• Surprise - loaner has the rear wiper - because of this there is less visibility out the back due to a "hump" for the wiper motor/mechanism - it's not critical or annoying - I simply note it - but having now had a Macan EV with the wiper but no Noise-glasss - I'll take the glass thank you very much and a gain a slightly bigger rear window "portal"…
• 22" wheels - the car is a bit more bouncy and ride quality suffers on the more sporty 22" wheels vs my 20" standard wheels on my Turbo - the wife notes this in the 4 "unprompted" - such that she thought it lacked the air suspension - but no it's the 22" tires which are less compliant vs. the taller side wall 20" tires
  • no controlled or meaningful differences in range for the type of driving I'm doing and I don't expect to be able to provide meaningful feedback in this space during my loaner's tenure with me.
• I'm missing the full leather interior - it's just nicer - and less plastic - the loaner does not suck - but it's not a nice and there are more hard plastics
• I'm missing the nicer headliner - loaner has a the standard slightly rougher to the feel cloth headliner vs. the nicer alcanterra headliner in my Turbo
• I miss the rear window shades because it affords greater privacy for the rear area when parked and leaving things in the back seat - you simply can barely see into the back seat with the window shades "up" and I like the lack of visibility "into" the vehicle when parked
• Handling is virtually identical between the two models - this is not surprising
• Loaner has sports chromo - my Turbo has "compass" so I'm lacking sports plus as a setting - so far I'm not seeing anything with the sports plus that I'm missing in my Turbo (which does not have it because of the compass option)
• I like my upgraded rubber floor mats - especially in the wet weather winter we're having
• the loaner has chrome and aluminum trims vs. my Turbo has black roof bars/window trim - my wife and both prefer the black/darker colors vs. the silvers/grey/chrome - personal bias/choice…
• I haven't compared the headlights, nor do I even know if there are differences
• both cars have the HUD - I consider this a stand out feature/option - get it if you even remotely think you'll like having a HUD…

those are the specific differences I've noted so far…

and this brings me to my final point - unlike Porsche's ICE cars - the difference between trim levels on their EV's boil down to simple power difference, no character differences - I would have virtually no complaints between the 4 and my Turbo if the options were identical - the _ONLY_ difference would be the power level - which is more than acceptable …. this renders Porsche's business model "less powerful" and explain much of their problems attempting to compete the EV world - they charge too much for options and there is almost no reason to pick a higher trim level - you gain very very little when I can simply option a lower trim level to be nearly identical … this is not true with say a base 911 vs. a 911 TurboS - it's more than just options…{sigh}

those are my personal observations about my loaner 4 vs. my personal Turbo Macan EV - having access to the 4 vs. my Turbo - I'm glad for the options/wheels I chose - and I'm missing some of my options on the 4 loaner when I drive it…the noise glass and 22" wheel differences are the biggest "surprise" for me personally so there is that - take it for what you will…

I'll share more if I think about it - I think I'll have the 4 with me until at least the end of Feb. unless Porsche surprises me with new battery parts for my Cayenne…

quesitons/comments are welcome.

Thanks for the detailed overview. I have a 4 with full leather and am very happy with it. Your review makes me feel good about my choice.

 

[gianteli]

I've unfortunately spent more time in dealer loaner 4's than in my Turbo. While I agree with a lot of OPs sentiment, the Turbo is an entirely different animal when pushed. I came from a Taycan 4S and the Turbo felt like a step down in dynamics, but a manageable one taking into account one is a sports car and the other an SUV. My first loaner 4 was a disappointment.

I've encountered every software and hardware "bug", but the biggest annoyance is the random creaks and nosies that have me sleuthing around looking for loose bits. The latest was a new one for me... The rear seat latches have two positions (news to me!). The catch can swing up into an extended position that leaves the rear seats nearly vertical. When in the "normal" reclined position, I was getting a very annoying clunky noise that turned out to be the rear seat shifting 5mm or so on starts/stops, so there was metal on metal. The vertical position makes it so the noise goes away but leaves a very uncomfortable seating position.

 

[Pingechoreply]

Thanks for the level-headed review. Our 4 with the 20' tires has great handling (it is a Porsche...), but the ride is great- not even comparable to the Tesla Y we left behind. Yes, it is less oomph, but I will agree that it is plenty to get the job done (in the southwest, this is passing trucks on 2 lane state highways that undulate, allowing oncoming traffic to pop up in exciting ways). 20" tires and air suspension allow for a comfortable ride, even on the absolutely crap roads of AZ.

We bought a well priced, pre-optioned car a year ago wanting to get in before the tax increases made an already expensive vehicle "a bridge too far", so are missing a few options we would have liked: Insulated glass and the top end seats. However we do have the thigh support adjustment (mid-range seats), so road trips are pretty darn nice.

Your run-down has made me feel even better about our first Porsche.

 

[daveo4EV]

following up on some specific comments:

• for the type of day to day driving both cars are doing right now I'm not in a position to comment on range differences - I'm using less than 10-20% battery on a daily basis -and the types of driving does not lend itself to comparison since the variables are all over the map
  • this is further made difficult by the two car's configurations
    • the 4 has 22" wheels (expect lower range)
    • my turbo has 20" wheels (expect higher range)
    • but the 4 is supposed to have more range than the turbo
  • for me personally to share any "range" insights I'd only do it if there was a road trip with a couple of charging stops - and then I'd have to do it for both cars - same route similar conditions
    • I do not foresee this happening during the time I'll have access to both cars
• also it's the colder part of seasons here in california and I'm making liberal use of keeping the two cars warm and pre-conditioning - this also skews any consumption stats
• I also have moved from Taycan to Macan EV - and there is no question in my mind the Macan is not nearly the driver's car that the Taycan is - the Taycan is simply the best sports sedan (EV or otherwise) on the market today and it's handling and dynamics are worlds better than Macan EV
  • however as a daily driver I and my wife both value the easier ingress/egress of the macan EV and the higher seating positions and greater volume cabin space
  • if I desire a driving experience with stunning driving dynamics I will grab the key fob for either my wife's 911 TurboS Cab (992.1) or my track ready 911 GT3 (992.1) - few if any cars excel when compared to either of those two vehicles…
• As to if my Macan Turbo is better than a Macan 4 when pushed - I would imagine it could be better, but I will not be in a position to really really test that - I'd only be comfortable pushing both cars on a track and I do't anticipate taking both cars to the track for comparison for a number of reasons - pushing the 4 or the Turbo hard enough to find differences on normal roads exposes one to the risk of local law enforcement's dim view of spirited driving…
  • this furthers my view that the "4" is "enough" in that with normal road legal driving and situations any "benefits" to the Turbo's greater abilities (real or imagined) are simply out of the realm of road legal behavior and to pursue those differences is reckless…
  • for any road legal driving scenarios both cars are equal in terms of dynamics
  • I don't track cars I can't write a check for - and I have no need/desire to track someone elses vehicle
  • I don't want track wear/tear on my Turbo
  • the logistics of running any EV at a track event are complex - running two EV's at a track event and gaining enough seat time to meaningful compare them is beyond my resources and logistics
  • I'm confident both cars dynamic capabilities are beyond most people's abilities and or needs - and myself with 14+ years track driving experience might be able to tease some difference's out of the turbo but I doubt anyone would take my word/perception as a meaningful piece of feedback…

 

[daveo4EV]

the Macan 4 loaner continues to be surprisingly sufficient - properly optioned I would easily tolerate it vs. my Turbo…

I still prefer my Turbo however but I think it's the options more than the performance…

my opinion continues to be 4S or GTS is the sweet spot if you want the performance edge the 4 lacks…

my $0.02 YMMV

 

[USMA81]

I agree with the OP on his observations. I have two Macan 4’s, both pretty highly optioned. I spec’ed and ordered one, liked it, and bought a second CPO for my wife (original owner wanted a different color and buys a new car every few months). My two 4’s have slightly different options:

- 20 vs 22 wheels. I prefer the 20’s because roads suck in the Western US. Just saw an article that the US National Highway Fund is running out of money for maintenance, and so this won’t be getting better. 22’s are a much firmer ride.
- Noise/insulated glass. The CPO only has tint on side windows, but there is a good amount of heat coming in the front window from the sun (I live in the desert). My 4 has the noise/thermal glass and rear shades. The glass option is a must IMO if you want a quieter vehicle or live in a hot environment. Shades do increase privacy in back, but I don’t think they reduce the heat load much if you also spec the glass option. I need to ask the dealer if they can put some UV film on the front window of the CPO.
- Massage seats. I have them and like them. My wife doesn’t and doesn’t miss them.
- Off road package. The CPO has this option. I didn’t order it on my vehicle, and now wish I had. It gives a bit more ground clearance for the front splitter and it looks much better. I’d buy it just for the appearance.

Both have RWS, full leather, HUD, Innodrive, Bose. So I can’t compare with/without these. Both have trailer hitches, which I use for a bike rack.

The S wasn’t available when I ordered (bummer). I bought 4’s not to save money, but because weirdly I feel like I should use the full performance of a vehicle if I paid for it. The Turbo would tempt me greatly to explore its full potential. This has been an issue with my driving for decades (not many tickets, but I have scared the bejesus out of myself at times). When I ordered the 4, I noted that its 0-60 time is essentially equal to my previous 2016 Cayenne GTS and my 2011 Cayman S. Neither of those were super fast, but more than adequate for daily, even occasional sporty-ish, driving. In the mostly ICE world of today, the 4 is adequately fast for a daily driver IMO.

 

[pdealessandrini1930]

Regarding the comment about character differences, I've heard initial rumors that the GTS does actually have a different driving character. I'm looking forward to more in depth reviews when they start coming out.

I originally wanted insulated glass on my turbo, I decided to pull the trigger on a car without it. While I do hear some wind noise at highway speeds, it's still quieter than both of my ICE Mercedes (GLE and E class). So it's still a win. "Unbearable" is a bit of hyperbole in my opinion.

Hi to All

Super helpful and very informative reviews about Porsche Macan EV models.

thank you all!

some thoughts from the peanut gallery (aka me ):

when ordering my 2024 Macan 4 EV to built in the 1st week of commercial production, my dealer principal told me that Porsche Hybrids had their share of issues with recalls for electrical issues as much as pure EV models (early gen Taycans) hence I opted for a pure EV.

coming from many 911 variants ( 12 plus 1 Panamera) since 1987, I was naively thinking that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the edge of a Turbo absent getting arrested for excessive speed.

I agree with those who found the Macan 4 spritely off the mark and surely enjoyable when hitting the “gas peddle” for over taking.

most importantly, I fully agree with all comments about importance of selecting our options that make our driving and overall pleasure the more satisfying!

Two personal notes:

1. Wheel sizes : many lovely 20” rims, but I prefer the 21” and 22” variants. Driving roads in NY state full of broken surfaces and potholes, I’ve blown22” rims in my 911s, and have had to be flat bedded to dealerships. Never again. I’ve opted for 21”. Just personal taste as noted in the thread herein.
2. Options: absolutely agree we should spend on options we appreciate and enjoy. I would have requested thermal glass, BUT noting parts availability and some coming from Germany, I have had my share of front windshields cracked from trucks throwing off Rocks to know that not having to wait weeks for a windshield is more important than the minor decibel noise diff; I tweak up my stereo a tad more. And, North East US weather isn’t as nice as California or so many other US and EU climates…. Hence, my rear wiper has become an absolute heavenly assistant when maneuvering in tight spaces. The Panamera taught me that .

when I order the upcoming Cayenne EV (non Turbo due my drivers license concerns) I’ll be ticking the🫶 options boxes , and hope to win lottery ‍🫨soon to pay for the excessive sticker shock.

best wishes to all.

 

[USMA81]

My one-year-old Macan is going in for the second windshield (thermal/acoustic glass) replacement in that year. First time was last spring and I was surprised that the replacement was available in just a few days on such a new model with optional glass. Second time, less than a week between the damage occurring and the shop appointment for replacement. I count this as a huge, hidden benefit of owning a Porsche: good supply chain planning for fast parts availability.

 

[daveo4EV]

i’ve never had any undo delay getting a porsches windshield since 2008

my $0.02 YMMV

 

[pdealessandrini1930]

i’ve never had any undo delay getting a porsches windshield since 2008

my $0.02 YMMV

Great insights. Am relieved to learn.

Never had problems with Porsche spare parts prior to recent times.

I guess I was a bit too cautious on spare parts availability for parts that a smaller % of total vehicles sold would carry like thermal glass.

Less than a week works for me.

Thanks for sharing.

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