EV Review: 2025 Porsche Macan 4 Electric | Reviews – driving.ca

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Porsche made its name with sports cars, but it earns its keep with sport-utilities; its best-selling model in Canada is the midsize Macan. This sport-ute started out with gasoline, of course, but it’s now also available with battery propulsion. It’s Porsche’s second EV, following the Taycan which comes only with electricity.

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The lineup begins with the entry Macan Electric, and then to my tester, the Macan 4 – that number indicating power to all four wheels thanks to two electric motors. From there it’s the 4S and finally to the Turbo. Porsche has long used that name to indicate a gasoline model’s highest performer; and while this Macan Turbo obviously doesn’t have a turbocharger, the nomenclature tradition continues.

What powers the Macan 4?

The Macan 4’s front and rear motors produce a combined maximum of 402 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, fed by an underbody-mounted lithium-ion battery rated at gross 100 kWh, with 95 kWh net available. The Macan is built on the company’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) with 800-volt architecture and a charging capacity of up to 270 kW. If you can find a compatible DC fast charger, it can potentially take the battery from 10% to 80% in about 20 minutes.

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While there’s a single DC fast-charge port, there are two Level 2 ports, one on each fender, which makes it more convenient when parking alongside a home charger.

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Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) doesn’t show the Macan 4 on its website, but Porsche’s site says it has an “NRCan estimated range” of 495 km. In my bitterly cold week with it, charging the battery to full capacity showed an estimated range of 372 km on the gauge. The Macan uses regenerative braking to help increase range, capturing energy otherwise lost during deceleration and converting it for storage in the battery. The regeneration level is preset and can’t be increased. Several EVs offer “one-pedal driving,” where the regeneration can be set high enough that it brings the vehicle to a stop, and so the driver only needs to use the accelerator. The Macan doesn’t, and the driver has to use the brake.

How does the Porsche Macan 4 drive?

The Macan 4 drives exactly as it should. It’s zippy fast, and the steering responds immediately and with full communication as to what’s under the tires. The AWD performs as a conventional system, automatically sending power to the front or rear wheels depending on driving conditions, as well as the selected driving mode; but Porsche claims it’s about five times faster doing this than with a conventional system, including much quicker response to traction loss.

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An air suspension and electronically-controlled dampers are standard, and tuned for a more noticeable difference between the sport and comfort modes. The Macan 4 is heavy – truly lightweight batteries are still off in the distance – and you feel that in the corners compared to the gasoline Macan; but the suspension tuning, plus the low centre of gravity from the battery’s placement, still makes it fun to push it into a corner. Conversely, it’s a fine pavement warrior in everyday driving, with a bump-soaking-up ride and easy-to-modulate accelerator, so it never feels over-muscled when you just want to go with the traffic flow from one light to the next.

What’s the Porsche Macan 4 like on the outside?

The Macan has a profile that’s more fastback wagon than SUV. The LED matrix headlamps are part of an option package, while available wheel sizes are 20-, 21-, or 22-inch. The front end flows smoothly from front fascia to windshield and up over the curve of the roof rails. It’s more squat-looking at the rear, although the liftgate is low enough that it’s easy to load items inside, without having to lift them too far up and over. That said, the rear wiper is a $410 option.

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What’s the Porsche Macan 4 like inside?

The interior design is simple elegance, all straight lines that finish in smooth curves on the centre console and around the instrument cluster. In true Porsche fashion, the long list of options allows for personalization as well as a higher price tag; and my tester’s add-ons included its “Black and Bramble” leather upholstery. It also had a Premium Package option, for $4,460; in addition to the headlights, it also added 14-way-adjustable ventilated front seats, heated front and rear seats, four-zone climate control, and a Bose surround sound system.

Functions are handled through a combination of dials, toggle switches, and icons in the gloss black console panel. For that latter method, which includes tapping it for the heated and ventilated seats and some other climate tasks, the entire panel moves downward to indicate that you’ve touched it firmly enough to make things happen. As a bonus, the glossy panel doubles as a fingerprint collector. The large open console cubby below it has generous storage for small items.

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The seats are typical for a German car: firm rather than cushy, but that translates into all-day support for the spine. The bolsters keep you fairly well centred without being so wide that they impede getting in and out. The outer rear seats are also well-sculpted and comfortable, but the centre position is primarily an arm rest, and best for a passenger in need of a short ride.

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How well does the Macan 4 handle cargo?

In addition to that console storage space, the Macan 4 has 540 litres of cargo space with the rear seats up, and they fold 40/20/40 to accommodate longer items and a total of 1,348 litres of cargo volume. There’s also a front trunk with a volume of 82 litres. Should you need to carry more, towing capacity is a maximum of 4,409 lbs.

How much does the Macan 4 cost?

The Macan 4 starts at $99,300 and my tester had a number of options that took it to $113,350 before its delivery fee of $2,950. Overall, the lineup starts with the Macan Electric, in rear-wheel drive and making 355 horsepower, and starting at $94,900. The Macan 4 is a step up from that. From there, the 509-horsepower Macan 4S is $106,900; and the 630-hp Macan Turbo begins at $127,800. By comparison, the gasoline-powered Macan lineup runs between $67,700 and $95,700.

What competes with the Porsche Macan Electric models?

The Audi Q6 e-tron and SQ6 e-tron are cousins to the Macan Electric, riding on the same PPE platform. The 2025 lineup ranges from $80,445 to $99,845, all with Quattro all-wheel drive; but its top model is a 509-hp version, comparable to the Macan 4S, without a Macan Turbo equivalent. The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV comes in three levels, from 288 hp to a 617-hp AMG version, ranging from $94,900 to $128,900. BMW’s iX starts with the 402-hp xDrive45 at $88,900; then the 536-hp xDrive60 at $94,900; and finally, the 650-hp M70 xDrive at $129,000 (all BMW prices for the 2026 models).

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Among non-German nameplates, Cadillac’s Lyriq comes in rear-wheel drive, making 340 horsepower and starting at $67,499 to $77,999; and in all-wheel drive, for 500 hp and in trims priced from $71,999 to $82,499. Over at Genesis, an Electrified GV70 makes 429 hp, and for 2026, it’s $80,000 and, as with all Genesis models, that’s an all-in price.

Final thoughts

Its platform and propulsion system aside, the electric Macan 4 doesn’t seem all that much removed from the gasoline version from behind the wheel. It looks the same, inside and out; the overall handling dynamics are similar; and it handles busy city streets or wide-open curvy roads with equal confidence and ability. The additional choice of going for gasoline or battery is just a bonus.

Pros

✔ Typical Porsche handling and steering feel
✔ Comfortable interior
✔ Dual Level 2 charging ports

Cons

✘ No one-pedal driving
✘ Expensive options
✘ Enough with the gloss-black consoles, please

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