Is the Macan as good as it gets for my use case?

So I'm looking for a car that ticks a very specific set of boxes for my next daily driver. And as much as I don't want to spend Porsche money... I think I see a P car in my future. I'm hoping you can all sway me, whether that be full-speed ahead into a Macan or in the opposite direction. Here's what I'm looking for in a car: 

1. Cargo space to carry a mountain bike and skis inside. Not necessarily at the same time. 

2. AWD or 4WD. I live on a mountain. It snows a lot. This is a must. 

3. Good transmission. I really prefer manual. I've recently warmed up to DCT's. If the car was perfect in every other way I would do a good auto. 

4. Fun to drive. That means good controls, good handling, somewhat sporting feeling. Does not need to be fast through a skidpad or quarter mile strip. 

Currently looking at used Macan S's in the $30k range. That's about as much as I'd like to spend. The competitors in the CSUV class all seem a little less sporty and a little more utility/luxury, and none has as good of a transmission. The only thing I've really been considering over the Macan is a Golf R but I haven't driven one yet. On the budget end I was looking for AWD + 5 spd Honda Elements for a while but I gave up trying to find a clean one that has life left in it. A used Subaru Crosstrek works on paper but I'm kind of lukewarm on Subarus, the modern ones I've driven are all terrible and the fact that people still want 75% of the new price for a 100k mile car bugs me. The B8 generation Audi S4 seems like a really good contender but the cargo space is difficult to make work. 

Are there any other contenders I'm not thinking of? Is the Macan the answer?

In reply to toconn :

I haven't personally driven them, but I've heard that Mazda's SUVs can be pretty fun to drive.

Have you considered the VW alternatives? I'm not sure I'd call them "sporty" but they're not not fun to drive. And about the same quality interior but cheaper and don't hold their value as well. If that's too far to the utility side of the sporty-utility scale for you, then yeah, the macan is probably about it. I'm guessing you're aware, but one of the things that always turned me off of the macans is that they all at least claim to require 93 octane, which gets expensive fast in a normal use vehicle.

Macan rear seat room is very small.  Not sure if you plan on having people back there or not.  If you like that style and performance, check out an SQ5.  

I think something from the Audi Avant line would meet many of your requirements, most of the others will lack one of those things...

The Mercedes E400 wagon we have ticks all of those boxes without being an SUV. The auto is excellent as the drive modes really make a difference in tuning of the whole car between comfort and sport plus.  AWD, 330hp twin turbo V6, and it has been totally reliable.  Look for a 2017+.  

Macan is just small.  Small back seat, small cargo area.  You're not carrying a bike inside it without folding down the back seats and removing the front wheel from the bike.  You can't get a manual in it.  If I were you, I'd look at a small wagon instead, like a BMW 3 series wagon, Audi A4 or A6 allroad, VW sport wagon etc.

FYI - The Macan is literally just a Q5. They are built on the same assembly line and share chassis, drivetrains (including transmissions and differentials), and everything not cosmetic. The Q5 (but not the Sportback) has larger cargo volume since it is wider and more square in the back compared to the Macan. The Macan S equivalent is the SQ5. I would look at the SQ5 with the air suspension for your use case. 

I haven't personally driven them, but I've heard that Mazda's SUVs can be pretty fun to drive.

Yea the new CX-50 especially is tempting, but I keep coming back to slushbox auto only. And I don't need huge power but 190hp on a 4000lb suv is pushing into painfully slow territory. 

Have you considered the VW alternatives? I'm not sure I'd call them "sporty" but they're not not fun to drive. And about the same quality interior but cheaper and don't hold their value as well. If that's too far to the utility side of the sporty-utility scale for you, then yeah, the macan is probably about it. I'm guessing you're aware, but one of the things that always turned me off of the macans is that they all at least claim to require 93 octane, which gets expensive fast in a normal use vehicle.

I have looked at them but yea, they seem to be too far off the sport side of the scale for my preference. The Audi Q5 gives up the PDK tranny and sports suspension tuning for a torque convertor auto and softer suspension. Whatever magic makes the Macan feel special seems to be gone. At that point I'd honestly probably steer towards a Mazda instead. I have considered something like the S4 though. I've driven one of those with a DCT and I like it better than my E90 BMW. 

Macan rear seat room is very small.  Not sure if you plan on having people back there or not.  If you like that style and performance, check out an SQ5.  

I don't have more than 1 passenger very often so not a massive priority, I mostly just want to be able to leave a bike in the back and have it secure while I'm at work. SQ5 I'm assuming would have similar room in the back since it's the same chassis. The Macan is basically an even sportier model of the SQ5 so that's what draws me to it.  

I think something from the Audi Avant line would meet many of your requirements, most of the others will lack one of those things...

Is that just the RS6 or are there other Avants? I would love one of those but a little outside of my budget haha. I recently learned that the A6 Allroad could be had with the supercharged V6 and a DCT. Those seem like they might give the Macan a run for its money but they're also pretty pricey right now.  

The Mercedes E400 wagon we have ticks all of those boxes without being an SUV. The auto is excellent as the drive modes really make a difference in tuning of the whole car between comfort and sport plus.  AWD, 330hp twin turbo V6, and it has been totally reliable.  Look for a 2017+

The slushbox auto kind of kills it for me, but otherwise it does check a lot of the boxes. Not sure I'd spend similar money to get one of these over a Macan. 

Macan is just small.  Small back seat, small cargo area.  You're not carrying a bike inside it without folding down the back seats and removing the front wheel from the bike.  You can't get a manual in it.  If I were you, I'd look at a small wagon instead, like a BMW 3 series wagon, Audi A4 or A6 allroad, VW sport wagon etc.

All of that is true. I turo'd a Macan S for a weekend and it does need back seats down and front tire off to fit my mountain bike in it, but that said I'm not sure a fun-to-drive car that can fit an intact mountain bike inside exists. It seems by the point you don't need to pull the tire you're at cadillac escalade proportions. The rest of the cargo space situation doesn't bother me, I'm mostly just using it as a commuter or for doing day trips with 1 other person. The lack of manual sucks, but nothing else in the class offers a manual either and the PDK seems like a close second.

In terms of wagon options I would love one and it honestly seems a better fit to me than a CSUV but I'm not sure what exists anymore that's sporty and AWD. AWD 3 series wagons have been auto only for a while unless I'm mistaken? The Audi allroads are likewise auto-only and while they have the same DCT as the Macan, I'm imagining they don't handle as well as the Macan (there is some logic there, I've driven an S4 and assuming the allroad versions aren't up to that standard). VW sportwagon I didn't realize existed, I've got to research more about it now but thanks for pointing that one out. It's a lot cheaper than a Macan and can actually be had AWD & manual. 

Javelin said:

FYI - The Macan is literally just a Q5. They are built on the same assembly line and share chassis, drivetrains (including transmissions and differentials), and everything not cosmetic. The Q5 (but not the Sportback) has larger cargo volume since it is wider and more square in the back compared to the Macan. The Macan S equivalent is the SQ5. I would look at the SQ5 with the air suspension for your use case. 

It's the same chassis as the old first gen Q5 (2nd gen Q5 moved to a new platform in 2018) but a lot different otherwise. Engine and transmissions are totally different. DCT's, transfer cases, and panamera engines in the Macan. Torque convertor autos, center diffs, and audi engines in the Q. Macan also has much sportier suspension than even the SQ5. The Audi is a good car but gives up on the key point that puts the Macan ahead of the competition (the DCT tranny). 

Try some of the non DCT autos before you totally rule them out.  I also hate hate the old style slush box autos.  The newer generation 8+ speeds are totally different in how they feel.   Even the one in my Escalade, they really are so much better.  

In reply to Sonic :

I haven't driven a ZF 8-speed but I've driven a new-ish Toyota 6 speed and whatever Volvo puts in the S60 these days. They're OK. Definitely not as bad as the old ones but still leave me with a disconnected feeling. 

toconn said:

Javelin said:

FYI - The Macan is literally just a Q5. They are built on the same assembly line and share chassis, drivetrains (including transmissions and differentials), and everything not cosmetic. The Q5 (but not the Sportback) has larger cargo volume since it is wider and more square in the back compared to the Macan. The Macan S equivalent is the SQ5. I would look at the SQ5 with the air suspension for your use case. 

It's the same chassis as the old first gen Q5 (2nd gen Q5 moved to a new platform in 2018) but a lot different otherwise. Engine and transmissions are totally different. DCT's, transfer cases, and panamera engines in the Macan. Torque convertor autos, center diffs, and audi engines in the Q. Macan also has much sportier suspension than even the SQ5. The Audi is a good car but gives up on the key point that puts the Macan ahead of the competition (the DCT tranny). 

Considering I had to replace the dual mass flywheel in my 2020 Q5e with a DCT... you might want to check your sources. The 4 cylinder Q5s (including our 365 hp e-tron) are all DCT still.  The current Macan still very much uses the Audi engines. 

But yes, you want B8 generation SQ5 (supercharged 3.0 like my D4) to get DCT. The current B9 is the turbocharged 3.0 (unrelated engine, hot V) with a very very good ZF auto (same used in the RS6).

I have  nothing to add except that the Macan Turbo can be tuned to nearly double the HP.  Motor is stout, but the trans is  the limiting factor

I have a 2018 Q5. It has same 4cyl and dct as Macan. I also have a 911 and enjoy driving Q5 almost as much. Bought it new and a lot less than the Macan. 

I've owned both a MK6 and MK7 Golf R in the past, great daily (both of them, with the MK7 being a substantial step forward), I loved them. Not the sharpest cars I've ever owned, but they'll outhandle the vast majority of the cars on the road. Good power, solid brakes, good fuel economy, great in the snow (with a set of snow tires), very comfortable and easy to drive daily. Both of mine were manuals and the clutch was very smooth and easy to use, even in heavy traffic. 

Unfortunately, the MK7 specifically has hardly depreciated. I couldn't justify the prices they're going for these days. 

With that said, before VW made the SportWagen, for a few years they made the Golf Alltrack. I can't remember if the Alltrack came with a DSG (I thought it did?), but I know you could get it with a manual. It's not a powerhouse in stock form, but most of the tunes for them seem to pick up ~60-70hp or so (bumping them up to 230-240hp), which would make for a fun little daily that should suit all your needs (it's considerably bigger than a Golf R, being a wagon and such). 

If I was cross-shopping cars like the Honda Element and Subaru anything non-turbo, I would pick up an Alltrack. I'm sure the Element would be more reliable, but if you're cross shopping a Porshce Macan and a Subaru, I didn't think you were too concerned with reliability haha. 

My two cents and we are looking for an suv for my wife around that price range.

We went to big name used car lot and compared the macan to the cayenne. Macan is surprisingly very small. As mentioned, rear seat space is tiny, and so is the trunk. Cayenne wasn't as big as it looks in pictures, and would be my choice of the two for trunk space.

I worked for a rental car company 1.5 years ago, and got to drive all the new 2021/22 suvs. Mazda was slow, and I can't get over the no touchscreen thing. Volume control is its own special tiny knob....it's ridiculous to use. Also, had a little circular dial thing to switch radio menus - hard pass.

Ford Edge/Explorer we're nice if you got the big touchscreen. Maybe not as exciting to drive as a Porsche, but it got the job done well.

Audi Q5 and Q3 - similar to Porsche in size. Fun to drive, but spent too much time in the shop due to check engine light. Had to be taken to dealership for windshield as safelite couldn't do it with the fancy electronics.

Cadillac xt4/5 we're fancy on the inside. Plush, drive nice, annoying safety features. Would need to turn those features down if I bought one.

Rav4 was solid. I would Option one out a little bit over base model, but it's a simple and reliable car. Good trunk space with seats down for your needs. Easy to disable any safety assists you may not like. Not the fastest or sportiest, but it will do what you need and last forever. 
 

Chevy/GMC terrain/Acadia or equivalent...dumb pnrd buttons if newer. Didn't feel too nice inside, but definitely the trunk space you need. On par with the rav4, but rav4 had significantly less engine issues.

Vw Tiguan/atlas......gas guzzlers! Nice interior, rode well, plush interiors, but every customer that rented one had the same complaint about how much gas the used, and it was true compared to the others.

Also, dad has a 2015 Subaru forester xt, that thing is fast but has weird issues. AC compressors have been replaced 5 times with one shipped from Subaru japan. He also had a transmission issue, can't remember exactly but it was a hassle to get warranty to cover replacing it. They had to remove the engine and transmission, and took a while to replace. But did mention it was fast? I was able to keep up on curvy mountain roads with a hellcat in the Subaru.

calteg said:

I have  nothing to add except that the Macan Turbo can be tuned to nearly double the HP.  Motor is stout, but the trans is  the limiting factor

So can both the supercharged and turbocharged SQ5, and both have a trans that will survive it.

Just for the record, your bike probably will fit in the macan whole, but it's enough effort and annoyance that it's easier to just pull the wheel. That's how it is with my Tiguan, which I remember being very similar in trunk length and width to the macan. I was hoping to be able to put the whole bike in but I've come to terms with having to pull the wheel.

In reply to Javelin :

Considering I had to replace the dual mass flywheel in my 2020 Q5e with a DCT... you might want to check your sources. The 4 cylinder Q5s (including our 365 hp e-tron) are all DCT still.  The current Macan still very much uses the Audi engines. 

But yes, you want B8 generation SQ5 (supercharged 3.0 like my D4) to get DCT. The current B9 is the turbocharged 3.0 (unrelated engine, hot V) with a very very good ZF auto (same used in the RS6).

Awesome, I hadn't looked at the 4 cylinder Q5 models so good to know for my search that they're running the DCT. But I guess my question remains - is there a selling point for the 4 cyl Q5 with a DCT over the V6 Macans? The recent Porsche's that switched over to Audi V6's in the last few years are still north of $50k so yea, they are now running Audi motors but the ones in my price range are all the early models with Porsche motors. 

Did the SQ5 ever actually come with a DCT? Everything I've read suggests they only ever came with the 8 speed auto. But I'd defintely be interested in a DCT SQ5. 

Hoppps said:

My two cents and we are looking for an suv for my wife around that price range.

We went to big name used car lot and compared the macan to the cayenne. Macan is surprisingly very small. As mentioned, rear seat space is tiny, and so is the trunk. Cayenne wasn't as big as it looks in pictures, and would be my choice of the two for trunk space.

I worked for a rental car company 1.5 years ago, and got to drive all the new 2021/22 suvs. Mazda was slow, and I can't get over the no touchscreen thing. Volume control is its own special tiny knob....it's ridiculous to use. Also, had a little circular dial thing to switch radio menus - hard pass.

Ford Edge/Explorer we're nice if you got the big touchscreen. Maybe not as exciting to drive as a Porsche, but it got the job done well.

Audi Q5 and Q3 - similar to Porsche in size. Fun to drive, but spent too much time in the shop due to check engine light. Had to be taken to dealership for windshield as safelite couldn't do it with the fancy electronics.

Cadillac xt4/5 we're fancy on the inside. Plush, drive nice, annoying safety features. Would need to turn those features down if I bought one.

Rav4 was solid. I would Option one out a little bit over base model, but it's a simple and reliable car. Good trunk space with seats down for your needs. Easy to disable any safety assists you may not like. Not the fastest or sportiest, but it will do what you need and last forever. 
 

Chevy/GMC terrain/Acadia or equivalent...dumb pnrd buttons if newer. Didn't feel too nice inside, but definitely the trunk space you need. On par with the rav4, but rav4 had significantly less engine issues.

Vw Tiguan/atlas......gas guzzlers! Nice interior, rode well, plush interiors, but every customer that rented one had the same complaint about how much gas the used, and it was true compared to the others.

Awesome writeup, thanks! The compact sizing of the Macan is actually a bit of a selling point for me, I'm cross-shopping against smaller vehicles like hatchbacks so the size isn't a big concern. I mostly just want to be able to fit a bike inside and aside from that the extra size is a waste so I'll trade it for nimble handling.  

Interesting take on the Mazda infotainment. My parents have a 2020 Mazda 6 and the rotary knob felt natural to me coming from an early 2000's i-drive BMW. I suppose if I was used to the recent touchscreen systems I'd probably find it oudated too.  

Rav-4 & equivalents I've considered. Feels like the boring choice but perhaps the "adult" one. I've been driving so-called fun cars for 20 years, maybe it's time to add something mundane and reliable to the stable. Holding off  for now, or as as long as there's no one whispering to do it in my ear.

The larger SUV's mostly feel like vehicles for people who dislike driving to me. They ones I've driven are such a dull and isolated driving experience, just saps all the fun out of the commute. I get that ones like the Cayenne would prove that statement wrong but the smaller SUV classes seem like they have more "drivers" cars. 

Do you know what the problems were on the Audi's that kept that in the shop? Or what engines they had?

My Q5 has 40k on it. It's the 2.0T with 7speed DCT and has been trouble free. I did buy it new though. 

toconn said:

In reply to Javelin :

Considering I had to replace the dual mass flywheel in my 2020 Q5e with a DCT... you might want to check your sources. The 4 cylinder Q5s (including our 365 hp e-tron) are all DCT still.  The current Macan still very much uses the Audi engines. 

But yes, you want B8 generation SQ5 (supercharged 3.0 like my D4) to get DCT. The current B9 is the turbocharged 3.0 (unrelated engine, hot V) with a very very good ZF auto (same used in the RS6).

Awesome, I hadn't looked at the 4 cylinder Q5 models so good to know for my search that they're running the DCT. But I guess my question remains - is there a selling point for the 4 cyl Q5 with a DCT over the V6 Macans? The recent Porsche's that switched over to Audi V6's in the last few years are still north of $50k so yea, they are now running Audi motors but the ones in my price range are all the early models with Porsche motors. 

 

Did the SQ5 ever actually come with a DCT? Everything I've read suggests they only ever came with the 8 speed auto. But I'd defintely be interested in a DCT SQ5. 

The only 4 cylinder Q5 that compares to a Macan V6 is the Q5 e-tron like mine, it's a 365 HP PHEV. It's not as sporty, but it also gets way better mileage (we are averaging 45 mpg over the 25K miles we've owned it, and have had a Macan S loaner that got 14). It also has the excellent 7 speed DSG gearbox. The 4 cylinder Macan uses the same EA888 Gen 3 as the Q5 and Q5e. If you're shopping 4 to 4, they will be very close.  On the 6 Macan, you'd want to cross shop the Q5e or the SQ5.

I was mistaken on the SQ5, the S4 is based on has the 7 speed DSG, but they used the 8 speed ZF auto in the SQ5. It's an excellent transmission for a torque convertor. 

Had a 22 Alpha Stelvio as a rental for a week last year, it was pretty entertaining. I was surprised how it would let you brake boost and launch, also handled well. We actually carried 3 of us in it with a coworkers bike, wheel off. It did it but we were packed in. Interior was just meh and then you also have alpha stuff to worry about. Just throwing that out there in case you haven't considered one.