Lexus RX300 vs Porsche Macan

What's the difference?

The Lexus RX300 is luxurious but affordable, making it great value and superbly comfortable, with a high level of fit and finish. Fear not about the four-cylinder engine being small – it makes plenty of grunt and handles daily duties perfectly well.

Which would you go for: An entry level Lexus RX300 or a top-of-the-range Mazda CX-9? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

There is no doubting the substance of the Porsche Macan Electric. Its ride, steering and poise make it a joy to drive on twisting roads, and it ticks the practicality boxes, too.

The only lingering question is whether enough people are ready to make the all-electric switch. Only then will we know if Porsche's Macan gamble has paid off.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

I've mentioned the Spindle grille and its jewellery-like appeal, and even the sharp edges of this SUV make the RX300 look like a carved gemstone, but I'm not the biggest fan of this vehicle's proportions. I think the door-to-window ratio is a bit off. There's just too much door for my liking.

That said, I'm intrigued by the craftmanship, the attention to detail and the use of materials, which make this SUV both pretty and intriguing.

The cabin mixes the plushness of cushioned surfaces on the dash and the armrests  with pleasing design elements, like the swooping aluminium trim, which zig-zags its way from the instrument cluster to the passenger's side of the centre console.

The giant media display is impressive, but the functionality is awkward, to say the least, but more on that in the practicality section below.

The Luxury is the entry grade into the RX model and so comes with smaller wheels than the F Sport and Sports Luxury above it, but it does score roof rails, dual chrome exhausts, a roof-top spoiler and rear privacy glass.

How big is the RX300 Luxury? The dimensions show it to be 4890mm long, 1895mm wide and 1690mm tall.

How do the looks compare with rivals such as a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a Mazda CX-9 or a Land Rover Discovery? Hmm, each has its own distinctive styling, with the Jeep having brutish American looks, the Discovery boasting prestige British off-roader personality and the Mazda an elegant air that's way beyond its price point.

So why haven't I mentioned the Mercedes-Benz GLE or BMW X5? Because they're at least $20K more than the RX300 Luxury, which costs around $72K. If, however, you can stretch the budget to an RX 350 Sports Luxury then you will be crossing the $100K threshold into Benz and Bimmer territory. So let's talk about price.

The Macan Electric looks sharp, all aerodynamic and swept-back like a range-maximising electric SUV should.

There’s functional method behind all this swoopy styling, too. The headlights look as though they’ve been chiselled into the body work, and at the grille, you’ll find active venting to help with cooling when needed.

There is also a sizeable front splitter that looks very much like the Macan is sticking its jaw out. All of which is to assist with aero and range.

It’s also a dual charging port layout with access left and right, though the latter is AC charging only, while the one on the left does both.

Step inside the Macan and you’ll find a familiar and very welcoming space. I especially like the twin-screen set-up that looks great in the way it's kind of embedded into the dash. Each is big, clear and easy to use.

I also really like the control panel that gives you quick-button access to the climate control, and the haptic feedback is next level, with the whole screen clicking in or out whenever you hit a button.

That said, in Turbo-guise you’re dropping almost $200,000, and some of the materials feel too hard and plasticky at that price point.

The RX300 is a five-seater SUV and, while it would be even more practical if there was a third row, the cabin is impressively spacious.

Have a look at my photo of the entry to the RX300's back seat – that's a big doorway  for a car. Parents will understand the value of wide-opening doors and these ones made it easy for my child to climb into his car seat and for me to buckle him up. Head and legroom in the back seats are also good, even for me at 191cm tall, while the flat floor makes it easy to 'scoot' across from one side to the other.

There are two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest in the back and small door pockets, but storage up front is better, with huge pull-out door pockets, two more cupholders and a large centre-console bin.

There's a wireless charger in the hidey hole in front of the shifter, plus six USB ports on board - the rear passengers have two of their own in the back of the centre console and the rest are up front.

The second row doesn't come with climate control, but the directional air vents back there got a workout over the 40C days we had over summer.

The RX300's boot has a cargo capacity of 506 litres, measured to the top of the second-row seat back.

Now,  the media system. Yes, it's a tech thing, but I'm calling out it out as impractical. The functionality of the trackpad used to navigate around the screen is frustratingly awkward. I think 12 swear words in a row came out of me on one occasion (no child on board, obviously), just trying to use the sat nav. The layout of the display menu is also confusing and non-intuitive.

There is a little open-sesame magic at play with the Macan, and that starts at the frunk, where, if you lovingly caress the bonnet, it will automatically pop open for you, revealing an 84-litre storage space.

Rubbing the charging port will see it slide open, too, but just in case you’re not the kind of person who likes to fondle their car in public, you can use the key.

The Macan’s boot is a little more traditional, opening to reveal 540 litres (but just 480 litres in the 4S or Turbo) of storage with the rear seats in place, with a wide, flat and very useable area for your goodies.

The back seat of the Macan feels spacious enough, without being outstanding. There’s more than enough space for my 175cm frame, with enough knee and head room, but the way the middle console juts out will definitely eat into leg room for any middle-row passenger.

Elsewhere you get air-con controls with vents, along with bottle storage in each of the doors. There is also a pull-down divider that’s home to two extra cupholders.

The Macan arrives with four trim levels, the entry-level Macan, the Macan 4, Macan 4S and then the flagship Macan Turbo. The latter is just a name Porsche now applies to its go-fast models — obviously there isn’t an actual turbo in action.

The new electric range opens with the Macan, which lists at $128,400, before on-road costs. A reminder here that the old entry-level Macan with an ICE powertrain would have set you back less than six figures, so this one represents quite the jump.

Now, it should be pointed out that you can still buy the previous-generation ICE Macan, at least until supply runs dry. The brand isn’t getting any more, but suggests there are enough in the country to satisfy demand until around Q2 next year.

Next is the 4, which is $134,400 and adds a second e-motor. Then comes the 4S, yours for $149,300, before the range tops out with the Turbo, which climbs to $184,400. All prices before on-road costs.

Those are big numbers, but at least Australian-delivered cars are some of the best-specified on the planet. 

That starts with the Macan, which gets a 12.6-inch digital instrument cluster, and a second 10.9-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It rides on 20-inch alloys, has synthetic-leather seats that are heated up front and Australian cars get things like the clever 'Porsche Active Suspension Management' (PASM) system as standard.

Next up is the Macan 4, which adds a second electric motor, but otherwise largely mirrors the base car’s spec. Next on the list is the 4S, which rides on a different 20-inch alloy, picks up LED matrix headlights, sports a better Bose stereo, a panoramic roof and four-zone climate control.

Finally, the Turbo is the big dog of the electric Macan range, packing serious power, but also arriving with its own 20-inch alloy wheel design (with 21-inch wheels a no-cost option) — an augmented reality head-up display, and things like the 'Porsche Electric Sport Sound', the 'Sport Chrono Package' and a performance-focused 'Sport+' drive mode.

The RX300 has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine making 175kW and 350Nm, with a six-speed automatic transmission. This peppy four-cylinder gives the RX300 a completely different feel to the lethargic-but-powerful oomph of the RX350 and its naturally aspirated V6, even though it doesn't make a great deal more grunt, at 221kw and 370Nm. There's a difference in fuel consumption, too – find out how different below.

Is the RX300 all-wheel drive? Nope, it's a front-wheel drive. Only the RX350 and RX450h are AWD.

The entry-level Macan is equipped with a single rear-mounted electric motor, and it will make a total 250kW (265kW with launch control activated) and 563Nm, which is enough to push the cheapest Macan to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

The 4 then adds a second electric motor for AWD, upping the grunt to 285kW (300kW with the launch function) and 650Nm, and drops the sprint to a brisk 5.2 seconds.

The 4S is probably the performance sweet spot, with its dual-motor set-up generating 330kW (380kW in launch) and 820Nm, and a blistering sprint of just 4.1 seconds.

But the Macan Turbo is a true monster. We’re talking 430kW (470kW with launch control), 1130Nm and a sprint to 100km/h that’s as fast as a Carrera Cup race car – just 3.3 seconds.

It’s twin-motor, all-wheel drive and offers the kind of brutal acceleration that gives you a little facelift every time you step on the accelerator.

Lexus says the RX300, with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, should use 8.1L/100km of premium unleaded after a combination of open and urban roads. My own testing over 375.4km - taking in motorways, city and suburban call-of-daycare drop-off-duties - had our RX300 using 11.79L/100km, measured at the petrol pump. The real-world results almost always exceed that of the manufacturer's claims so you can expect the V6-powered RX350, with its claimed 9.6L/100km, to have a much higher mileage again after the same kind of usage.

Every Macan is fitted with a big 100kWh lithium-ion battery, which helps deliver a solid driving range no matter which one you choose.

The entry-level Macan will cover the most distance, at a claimed 654km, while the 4, 4S and Turbo will travel 624km, 619km and 616km, respectively.

The Macan rides on an 800V architecture, and is set up for 270kW DC high-speed charging, which will take 21min to go from 10 to 80 per cent. It will also accept 11kW AC charging, which should take 10 hours to go from empty to full.

Worth noting, though, that most home wall boxes are around 7.0kW, which means a full charge would take more like 13 hours plus.

Good seats are the start of a good driving experience and I've not met a Lexus that doesn't have superb pews – from the uber luxury models, such as the LS500 and ES300, to sports cars such as the RCF or LC500, they all have supportive and comfy ones. Lexus somehow manages to  combine the comfort of a lounge chair yet still holds you firmly, all while placing you in a great driving position. The RX300 is no different. Large enough to fit me and my 191cm frame, yet bolstered enough to feel snug.

As for performance, the RX300, with its four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with its six-speed automatic, is responsive and a bit hyperactive feeling. It's a very different sensation to piloting the RX350, which has a V6 and delivers its grunt in a more linear and lethargic fashion. Having driven both back-to-back I'd say the V6 and its eight-speed auto suits the RX personality better, but the 300 is a car that would have had a school report card that read: "Lots of potential, but lazy".

That said, plant the right foot and the RX350 will get the message to hurry up and can do the 0-100km/h sprint in eight seconds flat. The RX300 is keen but can't match it, with  a time of 9.2 seconds.

Either way, the ride comfort is excellent, although body control could be better - the speed bump and roundabout route I take to do the preschool drop off caused it to  get the wobbles, but give the RX300 a motorway and it'll cruise beautifully.

Forward visibility is good but vision through the tiny rear-quarter window (it's even smaller than it looks) while reverse parking isn't great.

Porsche seemed at pains to prove that, though the all-electric Macan has lost its ICE heart, it's still worthy of the badge, and still very much a Porsche.

First stop, then, was the Norwell race circuit in Queensland, to put the Macan through its paces with 0-100km/h sprints, drifting (well drift attempts... ) on a watered-down skid pan and finally some high-speed running on the circuit.

And two things immediately became very clear. The first, and most obvious, was that, like the first men on the moon, we were likely among only a handful of people that might ever take their all-electric Porsche mid-size SUV to a race track. And second, this is one seriously sorted electric car.

Happily, for the many (read: every) owners who won't be pulling out of a pit garage at their next local track day, the Macan is actually more enjoyable on the road than it is on the track.

On the latter, there's a freedom to push too hard – what with the lack of trees, guard rails or oncoming traffic – and cracks do appear, mostly from the screaming tyres struggling with the two-tonne-plus weight.

But on public roads, where a thick fog of consequence prevents you pushing too hard, the Macan is a gem.

Porsche tends to have a knack for these things, I know, but the Macan is a seriously smooth and satisfying drive.

The ride is bang-on (comfortable enough on rougher surfaces, firm and grippy enough on twisting roads) and the steering is direct and confidence-inspiring.

Body-roll has been largely banished, too, with the Macan staying flat, stable and satisfying, even on the tighter stuff.

In much the same way the ICE Macan defined what it meant to be a driver's SUV, I think this one does the same in the EV space. And the fact that it does it with five seats and a decent boot is a sizeable bonus.

But there's no denying it lacks in the emotion department. That sense of excitement, the sound track, the hard-to-define fizz – as competent its this, and as weaponised as the EV powertrain is – it does feel a little clinical, like a tool doing its job and doing it well.

One important caveat. We've driven the 4 and Turbo to date. The entry-level Macan and the mid-tier 4S are still incoming. And I suspect I wouldn't be dropping my deposit on the Turbo.

Yes, the power is ridiculous, but I don't reckon you need it. For me, the 4 is more than enough, but I suspect the real performance sweet spot will be with the 4S.

The Porsche Macan Electric is yet to be assessed by ANCAP, or by Europe’s NCAP, but it doesn’t appear to be missing any key equipment from its safety list.

That includes curtain airbags that extend all the way to the boot, AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, a surround view camera and 'Intersection Assist'.

Lexus recommends servicing the RX300 annually or every 15,000km, with the first three services capped at $595.

The duration of Lexus's factory warranty is four years/100,000km, which is a bit longer than BMW and Benz's coverage, but behind the five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranties of the mainstream brands.

The Porsche ownership experience is frankly underwhelming by modern standards, with the brand offering just a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, plus an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty.

The positive, though, is that servicing should only be required every two years or 30,000km. You also buy a prepaid service plan for three, four or five years, priced at $1495, $2795, $2995.