Porsche Macan Electric review

When the Porsche Macan Electric arrived in 2024 it was a huge deal. It wasn’t the first electric Porsche – that was the Taycan, of course – but the Taycan had no model legacy to live up to. Think of it like a bonus – something extra tacked on to the Porsche range, but not integral to it. That's a very different scenario to replacing an existing, well-loved, petrol-powered Porsche with an all-electric model. 

And let’s be clear: the petrol-powered Macan was, and is, very well loved. Maybe that’s why Porsche hedged its bets and kept it on sale in tandem with the Macan Electric? It turned out to be a wise decision. Proving just how popular the petrol Macan is, it’s continued to enjoy bumper sales every year since its electric brother arrived. And remember, the petrol Macan’s been on sale, basically unchanged, for more than a decade now, so it’s no spring chicken.

Porsche Macan Electric video review

Does the Macan Electric have the same mass appeal? Is it a chip off the old block when it comes to driving dynamics, interior quality, and all the other things that have made the Macan a must-have SUV for everyone from young professionals to seasoned boomers? 

And just as importantly, how does the Macan Electric compare with rival electric SUVs, including the closely related Audi Q6 e-tron, the BMW iX3 and the Lotus Eletre? And don't forget the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Tesla Model Y – models that might not match Porsche’s badge appeal, but offer serious performance for less money.

What’s new?

- October 2025: Macan GTS launched, with an electronically controlled rear differential and adaptive suspension

- August 2025: new assistance systems added to Macan, including self-parking

- December 2024: electric Macan achieves five-star rating from Euro NCAP

- July 2024: Porsche expands Macan range with new entry-level rear-drive Macan, and high-performance four-wheel-drive Macan S. Entry-level model has 335bhp and a range of 401 miles

- January 2024: Porsche reveals second-generation Macan SUV, with all-electric setup promising up to 630bhp and a range of up to 383 miles

How fast is it and which motor is best?

*with over-boost and launch control

The entry-level version is called, simply, Macan Electric. It has one electric motor driving the rear wheels and feels potent, with enough grunt to get to motorway speeds effortlessly. It’s quicker than the bulk of the Audi Q6 e-tron range and, in terms of straightline pace, on par with a Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive. But while it’s quick relative to many electric SUVs, if you’re after proper sports SUV performance, it might leave you wanting.

The Macan 4 Electric isn’t significantly quicker in a straight line than the rear-wheel-drive Macan – in fact, a BMW iX3 50 xDrive would out-drag it in a 0-62mph sprint – but the 4 is four-wheel drive. And the second motor driving the front wheels gives it more traction than the rear-wheel drive Macan, so it puts its power down more cleanly in slippery conditions.

For the Macan Electric to feel like a bone fide sports SUV, with serious pace, you need the 4S. Again, it’s four-wheel drive (like the models further up the range), but with significantly more power, it’s rapid.

The GTS is our pick, though. Another hike in power makes its acceleration ferocious – few SUVs are meaningfully quicker – but that’s only part of the reason it’s our favourite. It also comes with lots of mechanical upgrades that make it handle brilliantly, which we’ll tell you about in a bit.

The Turbo caps the lineup with well over 600bhp, so it’s quicker than a Tesla Model Y Performance. In fact, the organ-shifting onslaught that arrives when you pin the accelerator is, arguably, a bit unnecessary for a road car.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

This isn’t a simple question to answer, unfortunately, because of the myriad of specifications you can have, starting with the type of suspension. There are three grades of suspension available with the Macan Electric: steel springs and passive dampers (we’ll call this the ‘basic’ suspension), steel springs with adaptive dampers (Porsche calls this PASM), and air suspension. 

The basic suspension is standard on the entry-level Macan and 4, while the 4S comes with PASM as standard. We haven’t tried the basic suspension, but the PASM suspension is quite firm, even in its softest mode. It keeps body lean in check when you’re cornering hard, but makes the Macan quite unsettled on, say, an uneven country road, which zaps driver confidence. The Audi Q6 e-tron and Tesla Model Y are similar, but the BMW iX3 50 xDrive is more compliant and flows better on undulating roads. 

The iX3 steers better, too. The standard steering in the Macan feels relatively heavy, even at low speeds, and is also prone to corruption from cambers in the road – even on straight roads you sometimes feel the steering wheel being tugged lightly this way and that in your hands.

If that sounds damning, there is salvation for the Macan Electric, and it comes in two parts. Part one is the optional air suspension, which you can add to all the versions we’ve mentioned so far. It makes a huge difference to the car’s composure through bends and, in turn, your confidence behind the wheel. Even the stiffer Sport and Sport+ modes have enough ‘give’ for UK roads while adding more control. 

Part two is the optional rear-wheel steering. At slower speeds it makes the Macan turn in to corners more eagerly (and makes the turning circle much tighter in town). It adds more stability when you’re travelling faster and tames that trait we mentioned of following cambers in the road. Add both options to the 4S and you’ll have a car that’s both fast and fun to drive. 

While you’ll still need to pay extra for rear-wheel steering, the GTS comes with air suspension as standard, but the reason it’s our pick of the range is because of the extra elements that transform it into one of best-handling electric SUVs on sale. Really, it’s that good. 

The rear-motor is repositioned to balance the weight more evenly between the front and rear wheels. It also has Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, which varies the power going to each wheel individually, helping to prevent the nose running wide in bends. It also helps to maintain your line as you power out of corners, and the GTS’s limited-slip rear differential increases traction, so you can get the power down earlier and harder. It also makes the GTS more playful and fun; more like a rear-wheel-drive car. 

As we mentioned, we haven’t tried a Macan Electric with the basic suspension, but the PASM suspension should, in theory, be more comfortable. Which is worrying, because from our experience, the PASM suspension feels too firm and jittery. Again, the air suspension is transformative. With it, the Macan rides beautifully and is leagues more comfortable than an Q6 e-tron or Model Y.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

For all its sportiness, the Macan Electric can be supremely relaxing to drive. You hardly hear the motor, even under hard acceleration, although the GTS has a sound generator that adds fake engine noise if you fancy. If you don’t, you can switch it off. 

On motorways you hear a bit of wind noise but not much road noise – even with big 22in wheels fitted. There’s very little suspension noise on cars fitted with air suspension, but cars without it generate some boom from the rear over bumps.  

The Macan’s dead easy to drive smoothly. The power delivery is slick and the brakes are excellent – both in terms of stopping power and progression. That’s not always the case in electric cars (EVs). 

The reason is that EVs have regenerative brakes, to recoup energy as you slow down, working in tandem with the regular friction brakes, and getting the two systems to work together seamlessly has baffled some manufacturers. That’s why the brakes on the Alpine A390 and Ford Mustang Mach-E are grabby.

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

As you can see from the table at the top of this section, the entry-level rear-wheel-drive Macan Electric has the longest official battery range, at a smidge under 400 miles; that’s up there with electric SUVs such as the Model Y, but someway short of the iX3’s official 500-miles per charge. 

It makes sense that the rear-wheel-drive Macan has the best range, because it’s the lightest and most efficient version. Its average energy consumption is up to 3.7mi/kWh (WLTP). Both range and efficiency tumble gently downwards as the versions get more powerful, but even the mighty Turbo can, in theory, do up to 368 miles – about the same distance as the Audi SQ6 e-tron. 

Like any EV, though, you’re unlikely to match the official range in real-world conditions. We drove a Macan 4 Electric on a mix of roads – town, country and motorways – and it averaged around 2.9 miles per kWh, which puts its real-world range at around 300 miles.

Every Macan Electric comes with a large, 95kWh (usable) battery, and if you charge it at home from a 7kW wallbox, you’ll have to wait around 15hrs to get it from empty to full. But if you’re out and about and able to find a charger capable of uber-quick charging speeds, the Macan Electric’s 800-volt DC charging rate is potent: up to 270kW. That means a 10-80% charge could take as little as 20 minutes, which is very competitive. 

“The cheaper versions of the Porsche Macan Electric are decent to drive, but no better than any good premium SUV. The GTS is brilliant, though, thanks to loads of mechanical upgrades. It’s a proper sports SUV, and not because it’s fast – I loved its poise on a twisty mountain road” – John Howell, Deputy Reviews Editor

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

The Porsche Macan Electric’s interior marks a dramatic shift from the petrol Macan, drawing instead inspiration from the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera.

The result is fewer physical buttons and a lot more screens – up to three if you have the optional passenger infotainment screen, which we’ll tell you about later on.

While the design feels thoroughly modern and up to date, it takes a different approach to the minimalist feel of some electric SUVs, like the Tesla Model Y. The Macan Electric’s interior has more going on visually, and you also feel more ensconced within its high-set dashboard and floating centre console.

Build quality is excellent, with most parts feeling really sturdy and built to last. But there’s a choice mix of materials that add some tactility, too, with soft-touch finishes on much of the dashboard and door trims, and elsewhere, gloss black finishes to add a classy, premium note. GTS has a sportier theme, with lots of Race-Tex (faux suede), including the rim of its GT Sports steering wheel. 

And you can go to town putting your own stamp on the look and feel of the interior by selecting from the near-endless array of personalisation options – but be warned: get too absorbed in what’s on offer and you’ll spend a fortune.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

The Macan Electric’s driving position feels spot on, which is crucial in a sports SUV. You need to feel comfortable behind the wheel, and that comes naturally because the basics – the relationship between the driver’s seat, steering wheel and pedals – are bang on the money. 

There’s also loads of adjustment so you can fine-tune the driving position. Depending on the model, the steering column adjusts for rake and reach manually or electrically, but either way, the range of moment is extensive.

The ‘cheaper’ versions have eight-way electrically adjustable seats, but it’s a shame that you have to pay extra for adjustable lumbar support. That comes with the 14-way electrically operated Comfort seats. 18-way Adaptive sport seats are standard on GTS and Turbo. They feature extra controls, including for adjusting the seat squab and side bolsters to keep you more secure when you’re cornering quickly.

Being an SUV, you feel relatively high up compared with regular hatchbacks and saloons, and the view directly forwards is good. The front pillars are quite substantial, though; they get in your way when you’re looking diagonally in corners, or checking what’s approaching at certain junctions. The view out the back is also curtailed by the high rear window line and thick rear pillars.

The good news is all Macan Electric’s come with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. A front camera and surround-view camera system are optional; the latter introduces a feature called ‘Transparent Bonnet’. This produces a camera-generated image on the infotainment screen of the front wheels with all the bodywork stripped away; the idea is you can view the ground beneath the front of the car and spot obstacles, kerbs, or rough terrain not visible from the driver's seat.

Like many cars, you can also get the Macan Electric to steer into a parking bay automatically, but you can also train it to do often-repeated manoeuvres, like parking in your garage. You can even park the car remotely using an app on your smartphone. 

LED headlights are fitted to every version, but GTS and Turbo models have upgraded adaptive Matrix LED headlights. Adaptive headlights can stay on main beam, to light more of the road ahead, without dazzling drivers by creating shadows around any cars in front.  

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

As we pointed out earlier, the Macan Electric’s interior is dominated by screens. There’s a 12.6in digital driver's display, which shows all your key driving info, including speed and battery range, plus trip information and navigation directions. It’s high-up and easy to see, but you can supplement it with an optional head-up display. 

You get some physical buttons on the steering wheel and centre console, which is helpful; it means you can easily tweak the essentials, like the interior temperature or media volume. Most features, though, are operated from the 10.9in infotainment touchscreen. There’s a lot to get your head around with the various menus and sub-menus, and some of the icons are quite small. But, on the plus side, the screen is sharp, the graphics are good, and the software is snappy. 

There’s also an optional 10.9in passenger touchscreen. This has a filter that stops the driver from looking at it, which is sensible because the passenger can use it to do all sorts, including streaming videos and playing computer games.

In terms of standard kit, the Macan Electric includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat-nav, cooled wireless phone charger, and a 10-year subscription to Porsche Connect that allows you to connect to the internet and add apps. And you get a 10-speaker stereo, with the option of a Bose stereo (standard on GTS) with 14 speakers and 710 watts, or Burmester system with 21 speakers and 1,470 watts for all you true hi-fi geeks. 

“If you're expecting the Macan Electric’s interior to resemble the petrol version’s, think again. It’s more modern and features a lot more technology. I could even play video games on the screen, using my smartphone as a controller.” – John Howell, Deputy Reviews Editor

How much space does it have for people?

If you currently have a petrol Macan, you’ll notice the Porsche Macan Electric feels a bit roomier all round. There’s plenty of head and leg room in the front for taller folks, and it’s wide enough that you and your passenger can spread out without clanging elbows.

Storage options include two cupholders in front of the centre armrest, which has a cubby underneath sporting two USB-C sockets. The wireless charger is behind a flap beneath the central air vents, and there’s a decent glove box and door bins for the rest of your gubbins.

The Macan Electric's wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axles) is longer than the petrol version's, giving it noticeably more leg room. It’s no limo, though. Six-footers have enough leg room when the front seats are all the way back, but there’s not a huge amount of spare kneeroom. Head room is fine, but keep in mind the optional panoramic sunroof makes that a bit tighter for taller passengers. If you need something roomier, then check out the mega-spacious BMW iX3. 

Oh, and one other thing: the Macan Electric’s rear seats don’t recline, like they do in a Tesla Model Y. 

How much room does it have for luggage?

You’ll find 540 litres of luggage space in the rear boot, which is roughly the same as an Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW iX3; that’s enough for a couple of buggies. There’s extra space under the boot floor for the charging cables, too, unless you have the optional sound system fitted. And there’s another 84 litres of storage under the bonnet, so that’ll swallow a carry-on suitcase. However, there are even more practical electric SUVs, like the Lotus Eletre and Tesla Model Y, which have enormous boots.

It’s easy to load items in and out of the rear boot because there’s no load lip, and when you fold down the rear seats you’re left with a long, flat, extended load bay. And the rear seats split in a handy 40/20/40 arrangement, so you can fold down the central section to accommodate longer items and still leave room for two rear passengers.

“I’m glad to see it has two boots, and the rear boot is a good size and shape, but it’s a shame there aren’t more handy features: I like a divider to stop items sliding about, which they will if you’re having fun on a twisty road” – John Howell, Deputy Reviews Editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

If you’re a cash buyer, the entry-level Porsche Macan Electric is more expensive than the cheapest Tesla Model Y. It’s also a few thousand pounds more than the cheapest Audi Q6 e-tron, but the Macan offers more performance. That said, the Macan Electric range undercuts the Lotus Eletre and Mercedes EQE SUV.

If you’re thinking about going for the entry-level Macan Electric, Macan 4, or 4S, we do recommend budgeting to add air suspension for a smooth ride, and rear-wheel steering for sharper handling. 

Our pick is the GTS, though. Yes it’s expensive – tens of thousands more than a Model Y Performance – but it’s a much better sports SUV, offering searing pace and brilliant handling. And it’s basically the same price as similar rivals like the Audi SQ6 e-tron. 

The GTS’s performance is so electrifying that it’s really not worth splashing out for the range-topping Turbo, other than for bragging rights.

The high-end electric car market hasn’t seen great resale values, so if you are buying a Macan Electric privately, be prepared for the potential depreciation, but that’s true of any high-end electric SUV. 

Poor resale values affect PCP finance, too, but manufacturers often add incentives, such as zero-percent interest or a deposit contribution, so it’s worth comparing quotes to see what deals are available at the time. 

Of course, resale values aren’t an issue for those lucky enough to have a Macan Electric on their company car list. Electric cars attract fantastic BIK tax breaks right now, so it will set you back a relatively tiny amount in monthly salary sacrifices compared with combustion-engined sports SUVs in the same price bracket. 

Standard kit includes the features we’ve already mentioned throughout the review, including: Porsche Connect subscription, wireless phone charging, smartphone mirroring, sat nav, 10-speaker stereo, eight-way electrically adjustable seats, LED headlights, rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors. 

But you also get 20in alloy wheels, heated front seats, power-folding door mirrors, a powered tailgate, auto dimming mirrors, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, and keyless entry, which you can set up to operate from your smartphone. The 4S adds PASM adaptive suspension. 

Our pick, the GTS, adds important mechanical upgrades (see the handling and ride section), along with sportier styling inside and out, 21in alloys, a sporty engine noise synthesiser, Sports Chrono Package, Matrix LED adaptive headlights, heated steering wheel, 18-way electrically adjustable seats, and 14-speaker Bose sound system. 

The Turbo has slightly fewer trinkets than the GTS: for example, the alloys are 20in not 21in. 

Whatever version you choose, you’ll have to pay extra for other bits that often come as standard on rivals, such as privacy glass and adaptive cruise control.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

Porsche sits in the lower half of the table in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, coming 19th out of 30 manufacturers. That was better than Audi, but far behind BMW and Tesla. 

Porsche offers a three-year, unlimited-mile warranty, which is the same as BMW’s. Tesla’s warranty lasts for four years, but it’s capped at 60,000 miles. 

The Macan Electric’s high-voltage battery is guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 miles.

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The Macan Electric offers very good protection for adults and children in a crash, which contributed to its excellent five-star Euro NCAP overall rating. That puts it on a par with rivals including the Audi Q6 e-tron and Tesla Model Y. 

It has plenty of safety equipment fitted as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, speed-limit sign recognition, rear traffic collision assistance and exit monitoring – to warn if you’re about to open the door on a cyclist. Blind spot monitoring is optional. You also get Isofix mounts on the outer rear seats. 

All versions have an alarm and immobiliser, and anti-theft wheel nuts. 

“The Macan Electric isn’t cheap if you’re paying cash. Our pick, the GTS, is considerably pricier than the Tesla Model Y Performance. But it’s also a much better sports SUV, so I reckon the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ applies” John Howell, Deputy Reviews Editor 

Buy it if…

– You want a long range and fast charging

– You value a high-quality interior and a great driving position

– You want blistering performance and supreme handling (GTS)

Don’t buy it if…

– You want the cheapest sports SUV

– You need the best space and practicality available

– You don’t want to pay extra for must-have air suspension 

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