There’s a small sense of sadness that comes with driving a car you know is about to disappear. The Porsche Macan GTS won’t be built past the middles of this year and with a replacement petrol model not expected before 2028, this twin-turbo V6 compact SUV is essentially a farewell lap. Having spent a few days behind the wheel, it is certainly one worth savouring.
Sure the Macan platform is old. Over a decade old, in fact. In most cases that would be a death sentence in a segment moving at breakneck pace, but Porsche has a way to keep things looking fresh with very minor changes. The GTS spec adds a subtle aggression to the standard car’s stance, sitting 10mm closer to the tarmac and trading chrome for darkened trim. Paired with 21-inch RS Spyder alloys on our test unit, it still stops people in car parks.
Modern car interiors seem to be locked in a race to see who can fit the largest screen into the smallest possible space. The Macan quietly opts out. You get a proper analogue tachometer dead ahead, physical climate toggles you can operate by feel, and a driving position clearly designed around the person holding the wheel rather than a design render. The 10.9-inch infotainment screen is slick and responsive, the Race-Tex and leather combination feels premium without being ostentatious, and the front seats offer the kind of adjustability that means you’ll find your perfect position within minutes and never need to revisit it.
Yes, the centre console attracts fingerprints and the screen real estate looks modest next to a BMW or Mercedes rival. And yes, anyone who’s just stepped out of a brand-new 911 will notice the age immediately. But spend a week living with it and you start to appreciate the logic. Everything is where you expect it and nothing requires a sub-menu.
Where the Macan GTS makes its most convincing argument is under the bonnet. The 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 produces 434 hp (324 kW) and 550 Nm, and it delivers both with theatre that no hybrid powertrain we’ve driven recently has managed to replicate. Engage launch control, hold the revs at 6,000 rpm, release and it fires you down the road with an aggression that puts a grin on your face that does not disappear too quickly. A few Dragy tests put the 0 to 100km/h sprint time at 4.4 seconds which is a fraction quicker than the claimed 4.5 seconds.
The 7-speed PDK is the transmission by which all others are judged in this class. It predicts what you want before you’ve asked for it, changes gear with no interruption in thrust, and never once puts a foot wrong. The engine pulls hard all the way to its redline, accompanied by an exhaust note that cracks and pops on a trailing throttle which as we know is a sound increasingly threatened with extinction, which makes it all the more worth appreciating now.
Plenty of SUVs can quote impressive power figures. Far fewer can back those numbers up with genuine driver engagement, and this is where the Macan has always separated itself from the pack. The steering communicates with a directness that feels almost indecently good for a vehicle of this size and weight. Turn-in is sharp, body control is excellent, and the whole car has a natural tendency to rotate that rewards confidence rather than punishing it.
The suspension in Sport mode hits a sweet spot between compliance and precision that makes covering ground quickly feel almost effortless. Push into Sport Plus and it becomes a touch too firm over rough surfaces but that one mode down and the balance is nearly perfect. On a good stretch of road, you genuinely forget you’re in an SUV. That remains the Macan’s greatest trick, and it still works.
Pricing starts north of R2.1 million which is quite a number to swallow and it’s only fair to acknowledge that some rivals offer more space, more modernity, and in some cases comparable performance for less money.
But here’s the thing, none of the alternatives make you feel like this. The Macan GTS has always been about a specific kind of reward that’s difficult to put your finger on. It’s tactile and immediate and mechanical in a way that feels increasingly rare, and with production ending in a matter of months, that’s no longer just a selling point. It’s a statement of fact.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence, now is the time to book a test drive.
