Photos of the Brilliant-Driving 2019 Porsche Macan S
What to drive when a Cayman is too small.
From its first appearance four years ago, the Porsche Macan has established itself as a beacon of Porsche-ness in a sea of luxury compact-crossover mediocrity.
With its responsive powertrains and sports-sedan-like handling, the Macan is what to drive when a 718 Cayman is too small—and that has earned this Porsche several 10Best accolades over the years.
All Macans come with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. However, the S model, which is the most popular variant, trades last year's turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 for a new one.
We clocked the new Macan S at the same 4.7 seconds from zero to 60 mph as the previous model—despite the 2019 car weighing 70 pounds less at 4318 pounds—but it did cover the quarter-mile 0.3 second (and 1 mph) quicker, posting a 13.3-second pass at 103 mph.
More significant, the updated S managed a 26-mpg return on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test loop, which is 3 mpg better than its EPA estimate and an improvement of 2 mpg over the outgoing version.
New for 2019, cars equipped with the Sport Chrono package now come with a drive-mode dial on the steering wheel, as seen in other Porsches.
That positioning invites more frequent switching between modes, and the dial also includes a Sport Response button that moves all settings into max sport mode for 20 seconds (with a countdown in the instrument cluster).
Outside of the central dash, the interior is largely carryover, with a ramplike center console that's home to a blizzard of nearly identical buttons.
A smaller, GT steering wheel is a new option, but we'd be more inclined to spring for the excellent optional 17-way power sport seats, which offer adjustable under-thigh support and are fantastically effective at holding you in place during hard cornering.
The S also gets beefier brake rotors, and both models now have improved brake feel. As before, the Macan rides on staggered-size rubber. For 2019, the front wheel width increases from 8.0 to 8.5 inches for the 19- and 21-inch wheels (but not the 20s); tire section width remains unchanged.
For those who can accept those limitations, the 2019 Macan offers a driving experience unlike that of most other SUVs.
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
2019 Porsche Macan S
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