Porsche Macan: Car and Driver 2026 10Best Trucks and SUVs
Mike Sutton
Tue, December 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM UTC
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From the January/February 2026 issue of Car and Driver.
"This is still the only SUV that can do a convincing impression of a sports sedan—a really good sports sedan." That comment from senior editor Ezra Dyer nicely sums up why the Porsche Macan is now a nine-time 10Best winner, with this year's honor going to the gas-burning version and covering the full model range. From the 261-hp base Macan to our favorite, the top-spec 434-hp GTS, these athletic people movers pour themselves down curvy roads with uncanny poise, satisfyingly rich steering precision, and sports-car-grade grip and brakes. And unlike many performance-oriented SUVs, even some that can cost thousands more, the Macan has a driver-focused formula that extends to the racetrack, where it exhibits a level of feedback and chassis composure that belies its size and elevated ride height.
Aided by all-wheel drive, launch control, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that almost never makes a wrong move, the snarling twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6–powered GTS can eclipse 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. Even trims equipped with the 2.0-liter turbo four are thoroughly enjoyable to pilot and can hit 60 in five seconds. And yet, this five-seat Porsche remains practical enough to support a small family, and its upscale cabin maintains a pleasant mix of analog and digital touches that's increasingly rare among modern vehicles. Being a Porsche, the Macan also can be highly customized with optional interior and exterior flourishes, luxurious amenities, and mechanical upgrades ranging from an adaptive air-spring suspension to brake-based torque vectoring to high-performance summer tires that help it post nearly 1.00 g of stick on the skidpad. Some models can even tow more than two tons when properly equipped.
Compared with the Macan lineup's recently introduced (and more expensive) electric models, the conventionally powered variants bring greater value and driver engagement, if not quite as much straight-line speed. Detractors will also note that this compact SUV's accommodations are snug even by class standards, particularly its back seat, and that trim and option choices can inflate its $66,850 starting price beyond $100K. But as associate news editor Jack Fitzgerald reflected, "Every time I drive the Macan GTS, I envy people who are able to fit this Porsche into their lives."
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