Road test review: Porsche Macan GTS

Monday, 7 March 2022

PORSCHE MACAN GTS
Base price: $156,200
Powertrain and economy: 2.9-litre turbo-petrol V6, 324kW/550Nm, 7-speed dual clutch transmission, AWD, combined economy 10.7L/100km, CO2 243g/km (source: RightCar).

The gaping black maw of the Porsche Macan GTS certainly leaves you in no doubt of its intentions...

Vital statistics: 4726mm long, 1927mm wide, 2807mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 458 litres, 21-inch alloy wheels.
Safety: 5 stars (Source: EuroNCAP)

The GTS badge still represents the sweet spot in the Macan range.

We like: Seriously well-sorted and seriously quick, impressively comfortable.
We don't like: Still a lot of optional things that should be standard on a $150k car, unintuitive infotainment system.

The Macan GTS’s interior is more restrained, but is a beautifully made place.

Porsche has updated the Macan a few times since its 2014 debut, and the latest tweaks for 2022 sees the sweet spot in the medium SUV’s range – the GTS – get a new face and a healthy power boost. Is it still the pick of the range?

OUTSIDE

The 2.9-litre turbo V6 now packs more punch thanks to a power boost to 324kW.

That new face is easily the most controversial change to the GTS, and I’ll be honest: I love it, but I can totally see how someone would hate it.

Sporty SUVs don’t come any more well-sorted than the Macan GTS.

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Despite its excellent handling and thrilling performance, the GTS is still a family-friendly SUV for those times you aren’t on maximum attack.

When I first saw it, my mind immediately went to the Xenomorph from the Alien movie franchise – seriously, all it needs is another little Porsche face with teeth that extends out the front…

And to be completely honest, that instantly made me like it. Admittedly, that was after the initial “Oh Dear Lord, what the hell is that?” shock you get from the gaping black maw wore off.

Other models in the Macan range get body-coloured inserts to break up the black, which makes them look more conventionally palatable and arguably more attractive, but the GTS is definitely in the ‘love it or hate it’ arena.

INSIDE

Not much has changed inside the Macan, with a new operating system for the infotainment system and not much more.

That means it remains a comfortable place that is constructed from high-quality materials, with lots of buttons. Those buttons are actually a blessing, however, because despite the new operating system, the Macan’s infotainment system is still an unintuitive mess.

UNDER THE BONNET

Here is where the most meaningful changes have happened, with the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 packing an extra 44kW, bumping it up to 324kW with a healthy 550Nm of torque along for the ride.

And what a ride it is, because that power boost makes what was already one of the most satisfying sporty medium SUVs on the market even more fun and satisfying to drive – the power pours on like a tidal wave of twist when you push the throttle to the floor at any speed, and the GTS feels ready for anything at any time.

The 8-speed dual clutch PDK transmission is a lovely partner for the strong engine, being fantastically swift and sharp in Sport mode, while impressively like a conventional auto at lower speeds.

ON THE ROAD

Of course, here is where the Macan has always stood head and shoulders above its rivals, and the new model’s sharpened dynamics only make it even more impressive.

Porsche’s engineers have made the effort to further differentiate the drive modes in the new model, and the GTS gets a recalibrated Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system that is 10mm lower than the previous model even in its standard setting.

The GTS is a seriously quick car, and in Sport Plus mode the engine takes on a pleasingly hard note, while the exhaust crackles and roars satisfyingly. It tackles corners like a proper sports car too, with never a hint of understeer and some brilliantly accurate and feel-packed steering.

But possibly the most impressive part is when you drop it into Comfort mode, and it becomes everything you want from a family-oriented medium SUV – comfortable, quiet and easy to live with.

VERDICT

Is the GTS still the sweet spot in the Macan range? Absolutely, yes.

It somehow magically blends practicality and comfort with searing performance and seriously fun handling. Sure, that big grin may not appeal to some, but it will plaster one at least as big across the driver’s face after they have dropped the kids at school and have taken the long way home…