Porsche’s Most Popular Model Just Got Better for 2022

The 911 may be the icon and the Taycan the hot new thing, but when it comes to Porsche’s most successful model, only one vehicle can wear the crown — and that’s the Macan. Ever since it was introduced in 2014, the crossover has been Porsche’s best-selling ride, due to both the fact that it’s the carmaker’s most affordable model and, well, the fact that everyone wants compact crossovers these days.

That prominence means Porsche has big plans for the Macan: in the next year or so, the carmaker will reveal the next-generation version, which will be powered solely by electricity and help lead Porsche into its inevitable all-electric-except-for-those-cars-powered-by-synthetic-gasoline future. But that doesn’t mean the folks from Zuffenhausen are giving up on ICE power just yet — whether for cars in general or the Macan specifically. For the 2022 model year, Porsche’s most popular model is receiving a refresh that ups the game once again.

The 2022 Porsche Macan packs more power

Porsche

The big news for the refreshed Macan comes under the hood, where all three variants available for the 2022 model year boast added power. The base model’s 2.0-liter turbo four is up 13 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque to 261 hp and 295 lb-ft; that’s enough to let it launch control sprint from 0 to 60 mph in a claimed 5.8 seconds and run on to a top speed of 144 mph.

The Macan S still has a V6, but instead of the old 3.0-liter version with a single turbocharger, it now boasts a version of the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 found in the Macan GTS (and several other Porsche models). Here, it whips up 375 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, enough to make the SUV romp from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds and keep going all the way to 160 mph.

The Macan Turbo is taking 2022 off, so for now, the top banana in the Macan family is the GTS. Still, you won’t miss it, because the new Macan GTS makes the same power as the old Macan Turbo: 404 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque, via that twin-turbo V6. 0-60 mph goes by in a claimed 4.1 seconds, while top speed sits at 169 mph.

The Macan will still handle like a Porsche, of course

Porsche

While the Macan’s architecture may still be based on the same platform as the first-gen Audi Q5, which pushes the engine out further towards the front axle than you might expect from a Porsche, this compact crossover has long distinguished itself from the pack by delivering the sort of nimble handling you’d expect from a car that originates from Zuffenhausen.

For 2022, Porsche builds on that by packing on more standard handling features. Porsche Active Suspension Management comes standard on the Macan S, while the Macan GTS’s adaptive air suspension lets it ride almost half an inch lower than that; it’s also 15 percent stiffer than before, but also packs recalibrated dampers to keep the ride from getting too harsh.

If that’s not enough, there’s a new Macan GTS Sport Package

Porsche

Of course, while many people buy Macans just because they like the badge on the front, there are some who choose it because they really do want maximum fun from their compact crossover – and for those folks, there’s the new Macan GTS Sport Package. It bundles together the Sport Chrono Package (which you need for launch control), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, 18-way adaptive sport seats, Sport Design mirrors with caps painted in high-gloss black, front and rear fascia and side skirts in satin black — and, of course, 21-inch GT Design wheels clad in high-performance tires.

Whether you opt for that or not, however, every 2022 Macan receives a mild exterior facelift to help separate it from those that came before. Up front, there’s new body color trim and integrated cooling intakes; on the sides, the “side blades” are more textured and three-dimensional than before; and out back, the diffuser has been tugged upwards to refine the look.

The 2022 Macan’s interior is evolutionary, not revolutionary

Porsche

Anyone who’s been in a Macan will find the interior of the 2022 model pretty familiar, but there are a few changes of note. The center console, in particular, has been redesigned to bring it more in line with the Cayenne and Panamera, complete with a new shorter shift lever for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. There’s a new GT Sport steering wheel snagged from the 911, too.

The 2022 Macan models will land in U.S. dealerships early next year, so you have plenty of time to decide how you’d like to spec yours at Porsche’s car configurator. The base model will start at $56,250; the Macan S will kick off at $66,750; and the Macan GTS will be priced starting at $81,250.

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