Porsche is famous for sports cars like the iconic 911, but it’s the brand’s SUVs — the mid-size Cayenne and the compact Macan — that are the sales leaders in the U.S. The next-generation Macan is an evolutionary design that maintains a direct connection with the prior model, but it’s also hiding a secret under its sleek sheet metal: a fully electric dual-motor drivetrain.
Related: More 2024 New York Auto Show Coverage
Now, it’s not too great of a secret if you look closely and notice the “electric” cursive script on the side of the SUV that we saw on the floor of the 2024 New York International Auto Show. And while Porsche says the current gas-engine version isn’t going away for the time being, the Macan EV points to where the brand is heading: a future of pricey EV performance.
Keeping the Family Look
It’s clear some automakers think their EVs need to look significantly different from their regular gas-powered cars, but Porsche isn’t one of them because even though the Macan EV has all-new styling, it still looks similar enough to the current Macan to be seen as an evolution of that design. There’s still the swept-forward roofline of the gas model, though it’s more dramatic in this version, and there are extra scallops in the body work, as well as a revised front end with four-point daytime running lights positioned high and headlights below.
Related Video:
We cannot generate a video preview.
Same Goes for the Interior
That focus on familiarity carries over to the Macan EV’s cabin, which shares a lot of styling elements with the Cayenne. There’s the same emphasis on dashboard screen tech with a 12.6-inch digital instrument panel, a 10.9-inch center screen running the Android Automotive operating system with support for Apple CarPlay, and an optional 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger. There are also touch-sensitive console controls, but just like in the Cayenne, they’re not the greatest to use. There’s also some open storage space below the Macan’s touch panel, which is a nice touch.
Interior materials quality is characteristically good, and there’s a firmness to the elements of the interior you come in contact with, from the seats to the trim, that you’ll recognize if you’ve been in other Porsches. The cabin’s ambient lighting doubles as light-based indicators for the driver-assist systems and vehicle-charging function.
The Macan EV’s backseat is snug for taller adults. While headroom is good despite the swoopy roofline, that’s possible by putting the seat cushion close to the floor, resulting in a knees-up seating position that doesn’t offer much thigh support. The seat cushion is angled rearward, too — at an angle which, combined with the low seating position, doesn’t seem ideal for longer-trip comfort.
More From Cars.com:
- 2024 Porsche Macan EV Gets Taycan-Style Makeover, Up to 630 HP
- 2023 Porsche Macan T Review: Sportier Doesn’t Always Mean Faster
- Our Editors Will Look at a 2024 Porsche Cayenne S and (Mostly) Just Think, ‘Hell Yeah’
- How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2024 Porsche Cayenne?
- Shop Porsche Models Near You
Be Prepared to Pay Up
The starting price of the base Macan 4 is around $15,000 more than the base price of a gas-powered Macan, and there’s a nearly similar spread at the high end of the price range for the Macan Turbo, which starts around $107,000. Whether that — or the electric drivetrain itself — is significant enough to give luxury shoppers pause remains to be seen. If you’re interested in the Macan EV, Porsche is taking orders now, with deliveries expected in the second half of 2024.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
