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What's the difference?
For Porsche, T is much more than the 20th letter of the alphabet. In Weissach-world it stands for Touring, and has been applied to special 911 variants for over half a century.
More recently it’s been attached to the 718 Boxster and Cayman, and now the mid-size Macan SUV.
Porsche says T means “precise tuning, exclusive equipment and efficient engines”, and this most recent example adds another option in the Macan line-up, one rung above the entry-level model.
We spent a week with this recently introduced 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, AWD machine to see how far it expands the Porsche Macan performance and practicality envelope.
Look, personally I found it amusingly weird when German car companies started sloping the roofs on sedans and calling them “coupes”, despite the fact that they had four doors. Their ability to imagine segments, and find buyers in them, that have no reason to exist is almost something to admire.
But turning SUVs, like the already very capable X3, into coupes? Frankly, it’s like turning an ass into an elbow. Lower the roof to reduce headroom and shrink the boot? Why? Because it will look so sexy people won’t be able to resist it. That’s BMW’s approach with the X4 and, somehow, it seems to work.
And, to be fair, sporty SUVs are not a BMW thing: the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 Sportback, and Mercedes-AMG’s range of GLC Coupé models have all taken off, each contributing toward an unlikely trend that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.
Competent and comfortable, the Macan T delivers that amazing Porsche double act of crisp dynamic response without compromising refinement. It’s well equipped for the price, neatly packaged, and entertaining to drive. But there are holes in its armour. Active safety comes up well short and a three-year warranty now stands out like a sore thumb. It’s good, but could be better.
Okay, so the BMW X4 xDrive30i is neither an ass nor an elbow, to be fair, it's more of a bulky shoulder muscle, or two.
I can't say I'll ever love the X4, the idea of it is a bit too weird for me, but I can't help admiring the way it looks and the way it drives.
It's a bit like a sedan on steroids - or an SUV on a diet, depending on your perspective - but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s fun to drive, comfortable and retains just enough coolness, and just enough practicality, to make it worthwhile.
Michael Mauer has been Porsche’s chief of design for close to 20 years, overseeing the look and feel of every product the brand has produced in that time. And he’s been successful in massaging particular forms and signature elements to work across the line-up.
For example, you can see more than a hint of 911 in the Macan T (and other models, for that matter), from the elongated four point headlights, to the gentle curve at the rear of the roofline, as well the distinctive tail-light treatment.
Since launching internationally in 2012, the Macan has been tweaked in 2016, before a full-blown refresh in 2021. Mauer and his team have somehow transplanted a Porsche sports car’s stance and personality to this mid-size SUV, which incidentally boasts a drag-coefficient of 0.35 (not bad, but still a fair way off the 911’s 0.29).
For car-spotters keen to tick the Macan T off their list, the thing to look out for is exterior elements finished in ‘Agate Grey Metallic’. Specifically, the middle section of the front apron, the side ‘blades’ running across the lower section of the doors, the roof spoiler, and the exterior mirrors (including their V-shaped bases).
Then it’s all about high-gloss black on the side window trims, exhaust outlets and parts of the rear diffuser. But the biggest giveaway is the Porsche logo and model designation finished in, you guessed it… Agate Grey Metallic.
In looking at the Macan T’s interior design it’s important to call out our test car’s optional leather trim package ($3280) and carbon interior trim package ($1600), combining to dial up the cabin’s racy, premium feel.
A relatively simple dash design incorporates Porsche’s iconic three-dial instrument layout housed in a compact, curved binnacle. On the right-hand side a 4.8-inch configurable info display takes the place of what would have traditionally been an analogue gauge.
The wide centre stack houses a 10.9-inch media display above (big tick) physical ventilation controls. A sloping centre console is filled with touch controls under a piano black finish. Looks good in the showroom, but fingerprints are its enemy.
The front sports seats feel as good as they look, and overall the design is premium, functional and focused.
So here's the thing. Obviously I have a personal beef with the existence of vehicles like this, but my eyes cannot deny the facts - the X4 looks fantastic. It's muscular, imposing and smooth all at once. Unlike the X6, a bigger and less visually successful attempt to play the same styling tricks with an X5, it doesn't have a ridiculous rear view that looks like it shoulders and buttocks have been fused (although it's hard to miss just how small the rear window is).
Even more impressively, there's no denying it looks better than the X3 that gave birth to it, so I can easily see why someone in a BMW showroom could be drawn to it. At least until they sit inside.
If the exterior style and eye-catching Sophisto Grey metallic paint don’t make an immediate impression then your eyes will surely widen at the interior, resplendent with bold Tacora Red seats, Aluminium Rhombicle trim finisher and the kind of sleek, classy styling that BMW excels in.
Both the adjustable ambient lighting on the doors (we were partial to lilac) and door projectors that shot out what looked like robot wings onto the ground every time we hopped out of the X4 at night walked a fine line between futuristic cool and “parked out the front of a nightclub entrance” chintz, but over time the scales tipped more to the former.
The big differentiator between the X4 and X3, of course, is the sloped coupé roof, a design feature that may make the X4 look a little cooler, but at the expense of cabin space, but more of that in a moment.
At just over 4.7m long, around 1.9m wide, and a fraction more than 1.6m tall the Macan is a large medium-size SUV, but inside it feels more like the former than the latter.
Plenty of breathing space for the driver and front passenger, with a broad centre console dividing the space. Storage is good, too.
The glove box is a handy size, there’s a decent lidded box between the seats (that doubles as a centre armrest), as well as two large cupholders in front of it, and a handy oddments tray just behind the gearshift. Big door bins with space for large bottles are also a welcome inclusion.
Swapping to the back seat, sitting behind the driver’s seat, set to my 183cm position, I had heaps of leg and headroom. There’s even enough room for three full-size adults on short to medium journeys, although the full road trip experience would be too close for long-distance comfort. A trio of up to teenage kids will be laughing.
For storage there are two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, bins with enough room for large bottles (and a bit more) in the doors, and adjustable air vents with temperature control as part of the three-zone climate-control system. No map pockets on the front seat backs, though.
Power and connectivity runs to a 12-volt outlet in the front centre console and another in the boot, as well as a SIM and SD card slot in the front, supplemented by two USB-C jacks in the front and another pair in the rear.
Speaking of the boot, it’s generous, with 488 litres (VDA) available with all seats up (measured to the upper edge of the rear seats). Fold the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat and that number grows to 954 litres. Measure volume right up to the roof in that configuration and you have no less than 1503 litres to play with.
The boot space is properly illuminated, there are four tie-down anchors to help secure loose loads, and a small netted space lurks behind the wheel tub on the driver’s side.
Our test car was fitted with the optional adaptive air suspension system ($2790) which allows lowering of the car’s rear when stationary to make shuffling heavy loads into the back easier. And the standard auto tailgate is super helpful.
Maximum towing capacity for a braked trailer is 2.0 tonnes (towbar preparation and ‘Trailer Stability Management’ are standard), and the spare is a space-saver.
For a car that is very much a mid-sized SUV on the outside, the interior can feel a bit too snug, like you’re driving a compact car that’s tried on a suit a few sizes too big (for reference, I’m 175cm tall - above-average height drivers may find the snugness soon turns to claustrophobia).
While comfortable - it is BMW we’re talking about, after all - there’s not an overly abundant amount of headroom available, a feeling that becomes more pronounced should you shut the big moon roof.
My two children felt slightly too close to “you’re annoying me” distance from one another, which is to say this isn’t really the kind of car you should be getting if you plan on regularly ferrying about passengers in the rear who are bigger than a child. But I really don't think many people with kids would choose the X4 over the X3.
Boot space also takes a hit when compared to the X3 (550 litres versus 525-litres in the X4 - I was surprised the difference wasn't larger - although that expands to 1430-litres with the rear seats folded down.
The boot opening is also mouth-shaped, which makes packing in wide-load items more of an issue.
Cupholders are plentiful - two in the front, two in the rear, and bottle holders in each door - and there’s a decent-sized storage cubby in between the front two seats.
The sloped roof, and big fat A pillars, also result in the X4 being a bit more pinched at the rear, which is not especially great for visibility, with the vehicle’s blind spots taking some getting used to.
With cost-of-entry sitting at $92,700, before on-road costs, the Macan T is positioned just above the entry-level grade in a four model line-up.
And it stacks up against well-credentialed and well-equipped competitors like the Audi Q5 45 TFSI S line Sportback ($90,600), BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport ($91,900), and Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 ($92,300).
Aside from the performance and safety tech covered later, the standard equipment list includes the often optional ‘Sport Chrono Package’ (including a mode switch and ‘Sport Response’ button on the steering wheel), as well as a 10.9-inch HD multimedia touchscreen, sat nav (with voice control), three-zone climate control, eight-way electrically-adjustable sports front seats (with driver’s side memory), heated front seats, cruise control, as well as keyless entry and start.
Also included is combination leather and ‘Sport Tex’ cloth seat trim (with silver contrast stitching), a leather-trimmed heated GT sports steering wheel, 10-speaker/150-watt audio with digital radio as well as Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay connectivity (no Android Auto, though), a 4.8-inch configurable info display in the instrument cluster, 20-inch alloy rims (finished in ‘Dark Titanium’), LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights, plus an auto tailgate. There’s more, but you get the idea.
Worth noting our test car featured more than $25K’s worth of options. Specifically, a leather trim package ($3280), panoramic roof ($3110), sports exhaust ($3080), adaptive air suspension ($2790), 18-way adaptive sports front seats ($2410), Bose 14-speaker/665-watt audio ($2230), ‘Papaya Metallic’ paint ($1800), tinted LED headlights with ‘Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus’ ($1650), adaptive cruise control ($1620), carbon interior trim package ($1600), lane keeping assist ($1100), high-gloss black roof rails ($650), and Porsche logo door courtesy lights. Total price as tested (before on-road costs) $118,560.
At that money you’re more in line with the Audi SQ 5 Wagon ($110,400), BMW X3 M40i ($118,900), and Merc-AMG GLC 43 ($129,000). A tough trio to get your nose in front of, but the Macan T still presents pretty well.
Cost-wise, the X4 is roughly in the same ballpark as the other cars in this strange sub-segment, but when you add in optional extras - metallic paint, panorama glass sunroof and BMW Laserlight headlights among them - the base price of $95,900 plus on-road costs sneaks up to $101,800, which is is no small figure.
It’s also a considerable $8000 more than the SUV-shaped X3, meaning you’re essentially getting the same car, but with less cabin and boot space, for more money. To be fair, this is just part of a long tradition of the style-conscious buyer being willing to pay more for less, one that the invention of the coupe pretty much invented.
That kind of money also makes exclusions like adaptive cruise control, heated seats and wireless charging a bit of a head-scratcher.
Still, there’s plenty to love, including an M Sport kit that comes standard with the X4 (a suspension/brake package and various styling embellishments), butter-soft Tacora Red Vernasca leather seats (Sport adjustable for the driver and front passenger), 20-inch M light alloy double-spoked wheels, a head-up display, adaptive LED headlights, and an automatic tailgate.
There’s also a generous high-resolution 12.3-inch control display and digital 12.3-inch instrument display, the former operated by touch or via the rotary iDrive Touch Controller.
Cable-free Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available, but BMW allows you the option to use its iDrive system instead, just in case you're some kind of mad Munich fanboy - or you hate Apple.
The Macan T is powered by a version of the VW Group’s ‘EA888’ turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine, used in a host of Audi, Seat and Skoda models, as well as, most-notably, the previous generation VW Golf Mk7 GTI.
The 2.0-litre, all-alloy unit uses a combination of port and direct fuel-injection, plus variable cam timing on the inlet and exhaust side to produce 195kW from 5000-6500rpm, and 400Nm across a broad plateau from 1800rpm right up to 4500rpm. The rev ceiling sits at 6800rpm.
Power goes to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an electronically-variable multi-plate clutch.
Now, prepare to be confused. In the past, the 3.0 in the xDrive3.0i nomenclature might have led you to believe you'd bought a BMW with a 3.0-litre straight six engine. But in this case, you have not, the 3.0 just means you have a more exciting version of the 2.0; a TwinPower turbo 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine, making 179kW and 353Nm that the xDrive system delivers to all four wheels.
The claimed zero to 100km/h time of 4.9 seconds feels completely realistic as this engine has plenty of poke. Put it in the Sport setting and you'll get some serious shove. Indeed, the switch between Comfort and Sport is very noticeable and changes the character of the car entirely.
The transmission is an eight-speed conventional torque converter automatic gearbox that’s both smooth and responsive.
Porsche’s official fuel economy number for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle for the Macan T is 9.5L/100km, the 2.0-litre four emitting 217g/km of CO2 in the process.
Over a week of city, suburban, and some freeway running we saw a dash-indicated average of 10.2L/100km. A solid, if unspectacular result for a close to 1.9-tonne SUV.
Auto start-stop is standard, but pricey 98 RON premium unleaded is required, and you’ll need 75 litres of it to fill the tank.
Using the official number that translates to a range of 789km, which drops to 750km using our real-world number.
The X4’s 65-litre tank needs to be 95-octane at a minimum, and BMW’s claimed combined fuel consumption is 7.9 litres per 100km. The temptation to use its rorty little engine is going to push you higher, though - you chose the one with the 3.0 badge on it after all - and we averaged 10.9 litres per 100km in our week together, which was mainly city driving, to be fair.
Porsche claims the Macan T will accelerate from 0-100km/h in a suitably rapid 6.2 seconds and mid-range pulling power is healthy, with maximum torque available from 1800-4500rpm.
Worth noting, however, if you’re looking for ‘special event’ engine and exhaust noise to accompany that progress you may be left wanting more aural oomph. Despite our test car’s optional sports exhaust ($3080), this four-cylinder can’t match the relative drama of the Macan S and GTS’s twin-turbo V6.
The upside of that difference is the 2.9-litre V6 puts an extra 59kg on the Macan’s front axle, so the 2.0-litre T feels lighter and that bit more responsive when the road starts to twist.
Suspension is multi-link front, trapezoidal link rear, and the Macan T is also fitted with stiffer, model-specific sway bars to manage body roll. Ride height is also 15mm lower than the base 2.0L Macan.
Steering is quick, road feel is good, and despite the standard 20-inch rims, ride comfort is excellent. This is Porsche’s long-established, engineering party trick, combining plush compliance with sharp dynamic response, even in a high-riding SUV. That said, the optional adaptive air suspension fitted to our test example, is $2790 well spent.
The drivetrain is set up with a RWD bias, and standard rubber is Michelin’s high-performance SUV tyre, the Latitude Sport 3 (265/45 fr / 295/40 rr). They grip hard while remaining quiet, and the Macan T is an entertaining drive on a quiet B-road.
Braking is by vented discs all around (350mm fr / 330mm rr) with beefy four-piston alloy monobloc fixed calipers up front and floating singles at the rear. Stopping power is reassuringly strong and progressive, especially important given the car’s 2.0-tonne (braked) towing capacity.
For more adventurous drivers, ground clearance is 187mm, while the approach, departure and ramp angles are a relatively modest 15.8, 15.4, and 21.0 degrees, respectively.
In the less challenging terrain of a shopping centre car park the standard reversing camera and 360-degree surround view make manoeuvring into tight spaces a stress-free operation.
The impressive trick that BMW continually pulls off with its SUVs is giving them the same sensual, muscular steering as its sedans, and an impressively similar ride and handling balance.
The steering is the highlight here, but it's also noticeable how planted to the road it feels.
The X4 speaks to its looks, in fact, by feeling sportier and more alive to drive than you'd expect an X3 to be.
This is less an SUV for soccer mums and dads, and more a bastard love-child that’s into loud leather and bright neon - a CEO who dressed punk rock-lite on weekends, if you will.
If those weekends are bereft of child taxiing and loading up the boot with several tons of kid stuff, then you’ll have a blast in the X4.
The Macan has been around for 10 years, and despite regular updates it’s starting to give ground to competitors in terms of standard active and passive safety tech.
With a base price within shouting distance of six figures, you’d expect the Macan T to be at the pointy end of the safety game, but not so.
While crash avoidance features include ‘Lane Change Assist’, ‘Lane Departure Warning’, tyre pressure monitoring, and ‘Park Assist’ (including a reversing camera and 360-degree surround view), other big ticket items are optional extras.
Arguably the biggest is adaptive cruise control (including AEB) at $1620, and ‘Lane-keeping Assist’ for another $1100. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and other increasingly common systems aren’t available at any price.
What? It’s as much the principle as the dollars. These things should be standard in a close to $100K Porsche.
If a crash is unavoidable there are eight airbags on-board (driver and front passenger front, front side, rear side, and full-length curtains), but the front centre airbag, increasingly included to avoid head clash injuries in a side impact, is MIA.
Multi-collision brake minimises the chance of subsequent impacts after an initial crash, and there are three top-tether points for baby capsules/child seats across the rear row, with ISOFIX anchors on the outer positions.
For the record, Porsche doesn’t submit its cars for ANCAP (or Euro NCAP) evaluation, and so far the independent body hasn’t raided the piggy bank to purchase one for assessment.
A 2018 test gave the X4 a five-star ANCAP safety rating, and an easily located button on the dash brings up the vehicle’s safety suite if you’re the kind of driver who likes to make a few adjustments.
A 360-degree camera offers multiple viewpoints and is a godsend when parking the X4, since the cabin makes the car feel smaller than it actually is on the outside, and the range of safety features on offer are more than adequate.
Those include autonomous emergency braking, dynamic braking lights, dynamic stability and traction control, rear-cross traffic alert, speed limit information and hill descent control.
Porsche is the last brand standing in the local mainstream sports luxury market, offering a three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty when the rest of the segment has moved on to five-year, unlimited km cover.
The good news is paint is covered for three years and a 12-year (unlimited km) anti-corrosion warranty is included (the Macan’s body is fully galvanised).
Porsche Roadside Assist provides 24/7/365 coverage for the life of the warranty, and after the warranty runs out is renewed for 12 months every time the vehicle is serviced at an authorised Porsche dealer.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, which is less in terms of mileage than some others in the category.
With Porsche, final costs are determined at the dealer level (in line with variable labour rates by state/territory), but indicative pricing for the first five years is: 12 months/15,000km (annual) - $695, 24 months/30,000km (inspection) - $1300, 36 months/45,000km (annual) - $695, 48 months/60,000km (inspection) - $1300, 60 months/75,000km (annual) - $695. Not exactly cheap, but not outrageous in this part of the market.
A brake fluid flush is recommended every two years ($290), as well as spark plugs ($450), air filter ($200), and transmission fluid and filter ($850) every four years. So, be ready for those ‘extras’.
Despite all the brouhaha about other car manufacturers offering more generous warranty periods - seven years for Kia, for example - BMW has not shifted its stance, still offering its standard three-year unlimited-kilometre warranty. Frankly, it's just not good enough.
BMW also offer a Service Inclusive package for $2010 that covers owners for five years, or 80,000km.