The Porsche Macan has been the automaker’s number one sales driver pretty much since the minute it went on sale, so the Germans are taking a bit of a risk by replacing their most important model with an electric vehicle. But that hasn’t stopped Porsche from leaning in and throwing everything they’ve learned from the Taycan super sedan and first-generation Macan at the new Macan 4 and Macan Turbo.
Porsche, like most other automakers, can see the writing on the wall when it comes to internal combustion engines, so in a way, it does make sense that the company would make this huge jump for the new car. However, I can’t think of any other automaker that is wholly replacing its most popular ICE vehicle with an electric car. It’s a gamble for sure, but after spending hours behind the wheel of the all-new and all-electric Macan, the smart money is that Porsche is going to pull this off.
Full Disclosure: Porsche flew me out to the French Riviera in first class, put me up in a five-star hotel and fed me food from a Michelin Star restaurant all so I could drive the all-new Macan lineup. It may be overkill, but it was nice living like the one percent for a few days.
This is about as big a change between model generations as I can remember. Basically, everything you knew about the old car (which is still on sale if you aren’t into the whole EV thing yet) has been kicked to the curb for the second-gen Macan. It’s the first Porsche to be built on the 800-volt Premium Platform Electric architecture, which was co-developed between Porsche and Audi — so get ready to see it a lot. No matter which electric Macan you go with, you get a dual motor setup (one on each axle) and a 100-kWh battery pack in the middle.
The only big difference between the Macan 4 and Macan Turbo is power. For $80,450 including destination, the base Macan 4 gets you 382 horsepower (or 402 hp using launch control) and 479 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to get the entry-level crossover from 0-to-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, and it will go on to a 136-mph top speed.
If you’re a wacky fella like me and need more power, the Turbo will answer the call. For a starting price of $106,950, you get 576 horsepower (630 using launch control) and an eye-watering 833 lb-ft of torque. That’ll scoot the 5,400-pound crossover to 60 in a nausea-inducing 3.1 seconds, and if you keep pushing it, you’ll hit its 161-mph top speed. Regardless of power trim, both Macans send power to the wheels via a one-speed automatic transmission – no Taycan-derived two-speed transmission here.
Don’t worry, though. More power isn’t the only thing you’re getting if you pay the $26,500 premium for the Turbo over the 4. You also get Porsche’s Torque Vectoring Plus system, LED Matrix headlights, a 360 camera, different trim pieces and exterior styling elements, a standard Bose audio system, 18-way sports seats, bigger front brakes, an extended leather package and a slightly different — and smaller — steering wheel.
When it comes to range, well, we don’t know yet. The EPA hasn’t released its numbers, but according to Porsche’s international site, the Macan 4 has between 321 and 381 miles of range on the optimistic WLTP cycle, while the Macan Turbo will make do with between 322 and 367 miles of range. Part of the Macan’s relatively impressive range is thanks to its solidly low 0.25 drag coefficient. For context, the outgoing car had a 0.35 drag coefficient, and the Tesla Model Y is able to achieve 0.23. With Porsche’s new architecture, it says the new Macan can be juiced up from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 21 minutes at up to 270 kW. Not too shabby, I’d say.
The 2025 Macan may be a big departure on paper from the crossover it replaces, but it still very much drives like a Porsche. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an electric vehicle, especially an electric crossover, that drives even half as well as both versions of the new Macan. Their dynamics fully live up to the badge on the steering wheel.
Straight-line speed isn’t really the name of the game here. Sure, it’s quick off the line, but most performance EVs are. Where the Macan really impresses is in the corners. The brakes are more than enough to haul in the crossover’s girth heading into a corner, and turn-in is super direct, aided by the optional $2,040 rear-steering system (a first for the Macan).
Once you’re in a corner, you can really feel just about everything through the wheel. I’ve driven a hell of a lot of EVs at this point in my career, and few are as communicative as the new Macan. Since there’s a nearly-perfect weight distribution, the car corners rather neutrally and undramatically. The one thing you cannot really escape is the weight. Sure, Porsche engineers did a great job masking a lot of it, but there’s only so much you can do to hide 5,400 pounds. Once in a while, you can really feel the front PASM air suspension load up under heavy braking. The Macan isn’t a perfect corner carver, but it’s damn near as good as it gets for an electric crossover.
On the small roads in the South of France, the Macan felt quite big, but it really isn’t when compared to everything else. The 2025 Macan is 188.4 inches long and 84.7 inches wide, which is only about two inches longer and two inches wider than the outgoing car. That means it’s also just 0.6 inches longer than the Audi Q6 E-Tron with which it shares a platform. You really aren’t going to notice the increased size anywhere but a tight French city street — what I’m saying is, us Americans will be fine.
One place the Macan really did grow is in wheelbase, which is now 113.9 inches. That’s about 3.5 inches longer than the old car, and much of that goes to rear legroom, something that was a bit of an issue with the outgoing Macan. It’s still not exactly spacious inside, but I can nearly fit comfortably behind myself at 6’1” tall. No matter what trim you go with, you’ll be treated to a rather lovely and well-built interior. If tech over-exposure is something keeping you out of an EV, this may be the one for you. That’s not to say the new Macan doesn’t have a lot to offer in the ways of technology, it’s just that it is more artfully blended into the background so as not to distract the driver.
If you’ve spent even a second inside a Porsche product, you’ll be immediately at home. Unlike the underpinnings of the Macan EV, the interior is more evolution rather than revolution. To go along with the three screens (or two if you don’t opt for the $1,570 10.9-inch passenger display), you get hard buttons for your HVAC control and a volume knob. Above the very configurable 12.6-inch curved digital gauge cluster, you can also opt for a $2,520 augmented-reality head-up display that’ll project arrows onto the windscreen like you’re in a video game. It’s very neat but very expensive.
You’ve also got three audio systems to choose from. A $990 Bose system is optional on the Macan 4 but comes standard on the Turbo, and with either car you can pay a few grand more to get a Burmester system. I’ll be honest, it’s not the greatest sound system in the world, but it’s also the only one I was able to sample, so I cannot say if the Bose system is any better or worse.
Like all Porsches, there are approximately 1,000,000,000 different options, color schemes, materials and trim pieces you can choose from to make the perfect Macan for yourself. Just know prices can quickly balloon the more you add on. Luckily for us Americans, we do get some features as standard that other countries (losers) do not get. All U.S. Macans come with a panoramic roof, standard PASM air suspension and a driver-assistance suite that includes traffic sign recognition, park assist, blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control. Thanks, Porsche!
The 2025 Macan 4 and Macan Turbo represent a big risk for Porsche. With the way things are going right now, it could be some time before the mass adoption of EVs really takes place, so it’s certainly a gamble to replace your most popular vehicle with an EV. Still, if any car was up to this rather monumental task, the new Macan is almost certainly that vehicle. Few cars on the road today — and even fewer EVs — are able to blend the power, handling and luxury that you get from Porsche’s latest crossover offering. Just be ready to pay for the privilege.
