2022 BMW X3 vs Porsche Macan

What's the difference?

BMW was once a brand most known for its range of sporty sedans and coupes. In the last 15 years, though, things have literally changed the face of the Bavarian juggernaut.

If its X3 SUV range is anything to go by, things are set to change a lot more before the brand has settled into its new comfort zone of electrified SUVs.

You see, unlike most of its rivals, the X3 is now offered in petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and as the fully-electric iX3. This allows BMW to hedge its bets over various drivetrains, but it’s also one of the first automakers to have such a comprehensive offering for a single model.

For this review we’re looking at the xDrive30e plug-in hybrid model to find out if BMW’s PHEV offering has what it takes to win some premium dollars from the likes of Volvo, Mercedes, and Lexus, all of which have added hybrid rivals with plugs in this space in recent years.

It’s been a long, long - long - time since Porsche was simply the 911 company. The Cayenne put an end to that, and so did the Taycan, both of which have comprehensively out-sold that icon of German performance in Australia this year.

But if you’re looking for the model that really matters to Porsche in the modern era, it’s this one, the just-updated Macan, which outsells its nearest sibling by a factor of two to one in this market.

So yes, it’s important to Porsche. Which is why a heap of work has been done here to make this updated version more powerful and tech-savvy. There are new engines, new equipment and more performance, as well as an updated new look.

So can Porsche still Porsche-ify an SUV? Let's find out.