Why the Porsche Macan T is a bargain

Carefully chosen extras make this keenly-priced contender a winner for folks considering a sporty luxury SUV.

Porsche is famous for thrilling sports cars. But its best-selling model is a compact SUV that shines in the real world. The value-focused Porsche Macan T makes a lot of sense.

T IS FOR TOURING

This is the first time Porsche has applied its Touring designation to an SUV.

Previously, Touring models were reserved for the 911 or 718 Cayman and Boxster sports cars.

Touring models generally have a sharper focus with exclusive equipment, lighter weight and a more precise driving experience.

The Macan T has a lower ride height than the standard Macan and comes with uprated suspension including Porsche’s adaptive dampers and driving modes as standard, a $2000-plus option on the entry-level Macan.

A Sports Chrono pack – a $1880 option on other versions – boosts the driving modes to include Sports Plus, adding launch control among other features.

2023 Porsche Macan T.

IT FEELS SPECIAL

Step inside and you are greeted by electronically adjustable and heated sports seats borrowed from the range-topping Macan GTS that provide sublime lateral support.

The seats have contrast stitching and embossed Porsche logos on the head rest. Orange seat belts were a sporty touch, matching our test car’s exterior paintwork.

A 10.9-inch touchscreen is compatible with Apple CarPlay, but not Android Auto, and is paired with old-school analog driver instruments.

An eight speaker stereo can be upgraded to a booming 665-watt 14-speaker Bose unit.

It rides on 20-inch dark grey alloy-wheels borrowed from the Macan S and has plenty of dark grey exterior highlights, too.

2023 Porsche Macan T.

IT’S NOT THE FAST ONE

The Macan T uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine found in the base Macan.

It’s good for 195kW and 400Nm, and comes matched to Porsche’s slick shifting seven-speed dual-clutch auto - or PDK in Porsche speak.

The Sports Chrono pack helps drop its 0-100km/h time from 6.4 seconds to 6.2.

Those numbers aren’t particularly impressive by Porsche standards.

If you want more, consider the Macan S and GTS. Both use a barnstorming twin-turbocharged V6 petrol unit producing 280kW/420Nm in the S and 324kW/550Nm in the GTS.

The benchmark 100km/h sprint is achieved in 4.8 and 4.3 seconds respectively.

2023 Porsche Macan T.

IT’S A SHARP DRIVE

This Macan T is more than just the sum of its engine outputs.

The turbo four-cylinder pumps out max torque low in the rev range providing energetic – if not hyperactive – acceleration.

Sport and Sport Plus modes open the exhaust, adding theatrics to the drive experience with an occasional pop and crackle.

The Macan T does its best work is on a twisting country road.

2023 Porsche Macan T.

This is a beautifully engineered machine that steers and tips into a corner better than any rival.

It exerts excellent body control with minimal lean through corners when in Sports mode and is composed over bumps when in Comfort.

It’s also an amazingly comfortable highway cruiser.

But the four-cyclinder engine isn’t particularly thrilling.

2023 Porsche Macan T.

CAN A PORSCHE BE A BARGAIN?

The Macan T is Porsche’s second cheapest vehicle and is priced from about $105,600 drive-away, which isn’t cheap.

Dig deeper and the value equation stacks up in its favour.

It is only about $3600 more expensive on the road than the base Macan, the cheapest Porsche, but it comes with a hulking standard equipment list that adds close to $10,000 in value.

The Macan S finds the performance sweet spot in the range but it cost about $20,000 more than the Macan T and you’ll need to again tick options to bring it up to spec.

A sub-par three year warranty when all other luxury brands have a five year guarantee is hard to forgive, though.