I’ve been test-driving cars from different brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but I keep coming back to the Macan.
BHPian nxshar2 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hello all,
Some context and background
I currently drive a Honda City 1.5. There are just the two of us and we have almost zero daily drive. Car usage is mostly limited to weekend city driving. We love doing long road trips so want to keep decent boot space as well, though this can be considered a secondary requirement. Given Indian roads, we want ride comfort but since it would be an 80-90% self-drive car, I want something fun to drive as well. I am looking to keep a budget of 70 ish OTR but for select cars, it can stretch to a crore plus.
I followed Mathranik’s thread and was absolutely sure that I would go for a Macan. I always thought it was the best car around because – the Porsche tag, of course, and is the most versatile car – you can get the driving feel of a BMW with sport mode, get the comfort of an Audi and enough boot space. PASM was the one thing that stood out for this car for me. You can go low on expressways and up on bad roads. For about 80/85 OTR Mumbai, it was ideal for us. Covid postponed everything and I started looking last month.
Have been test driving and trying out all and here are my observations. Open to corrections/feedback on all:
- Audi (A4/A6/Q5) feels too light on the steering, though a comfortable ride both in front and back.
- BMW (GL3/ X3) – both give you a lot more feel while driving, ride quality is comfortable despite my apprehensions about run-flats. Boot space is severely limited.
- Mini – Love the looks of the three-door hatch. Test drove the JS Cooper edition but ride quality is hard and with its lack of basic options like seat adjustments, auto hold, doesn’t seem worth it as the first luxury car.
- Porsche – The good parts are almost all there with the driving feel, ride comfort and sound system etc. The cons are an on-road price of almost 1.15 and lack of PASM. They were not keen to offer any discounts at this point. This combined with reports of new Macan T which would have PASM as standard across the board tempts me to wait a bit. The dealership has no idea about potential launch dates in India for Macan T.
- Reason I am not considering Q7/ X5/ GLE/ Cayenne is that all of them feel too big and elephant-ish to both of us and would have the added body roll because of the size.
- GLC – good but nothing stands out, wife felt it’s longish and not too comfortable in the back. E class – haven’t TD yet but have heard from multiple sources that it’s a primary passenger car.
Overall, I keep going back to Macan and questioning if it’s worth it. Another option considered is buying a used one around 30-40 for now and doing another upgrade in 2-3 years.
Looking for advice from senior bhpians and other experts on the following points:
- Any other obvious choice I might have missed out on or obvious misconceptions evident from the above observations.
- Wait for Macan T or go for Macan 2022. Dealer says it would be the last petrol Macan.
- Is chip shortage driving a temporary price hike/feature rollbacks which could revert in 6 – 12 months? In that case, would a used option be preferable for now?
Here’s what BHPian iliketurtles had to say about the matter:
Hola!
I read through your list of requirements (fun to drive, not a daily driver, has to deliver on the luxury quotient, good boot space, good GT credentials) and wondered why the Macan is on your list. I say that because I don’t think it has particularly good boot space (which you might need every now and then), and as you said, it really does get pricey once you start adding on the options. I’d wait for the Macan, but I really don’t think it’s the car for you. You’ll get a much better bang for your buck elsewhere.
If I were you, I’d look at these cars for the below reasons:
- Mercedes AMG E53: Effortlessly combines elegant and sporty, and I think fulfils your remit near perfectly. It’s at the very upper end of your price band though.
- BMW M340i: The blue-collared blue-blooded car. Does a lot of things very well, although you’ll have to check if boot space is up to your needs, and the ride might be jiggly on 19-inch wheels.
- BMW 530d: A distant third on this list for me. Not as fun to drive as the other two, but remarkably well-rounded, and should fulfil almost everything you ask of it. Will need to be retuned to be really fast and fun though.
- BMW X3 M: This is probably the only SUV I’d recommend for your use case. It’s just the automotive equivalent of a Swiss army knife, and it has no business being as quick as it is. And of course, it’ll be more useful than a sedan/notchback. Please look into this one.
- Pre-owned (or new) Audi S5: Audi’s might be softer and less engaging, but it works in their favour as GT cars. Subtle, elegant, and with all the usual lashings of luxury.
I would suggest you be open to getting a pre-owned car as well. You have a very healthy budget, and can score a really nice car, irrespective of your brand preferences. I think a Panamera V8 or so is incredibly perfect for your needs (pre-owned), but even then a good example is north of 1 crore. That’s just how it is with Porsches.
Good luck with the hunt, let us know how it goes.
Here’s what BHPian lamborghini had to say about the matter:
Honestly, if you’re willing to stretch your budget to over Rs. 1 Cr, I would agree with Iliketurtles and throw in some more performance-oriented vehicles as well.
Recently drove the M340i for a decent drive around Mumbai – and boy! What a car! The ride is stiff, though not unlivable – the suspension flattened out the roads at higher speeds & the performance is mind-blowing!
Yes – the space saver is a little bit of a downer in what is an otherwise practical vehicle that can handle 99% of your touring needs!
Similarly, the E53 with the regular wheelbase could be a brilliant option, as could the X3M (though the LCI hasn’t been launched yet – hope they maintain the stellar pricing though it seems doubtful).
If all else fails, do take the X430d, 330i, & 530D out for a spin too while you’re at the dealers.
If by the end of the day after all these drives, if your heart tugs you towards the Macan – you have your answer!
Regarding pricing – I don’t expect prices to roll back, except in the form of discounts once inventory starts to build up.
Buying pre-owned is a good option to consider: not for anything else but for the value it could provide compared to buying the same option new – you could luck out on a GLC 43 AMG Coupe / X3M at a decent deal though do take all the precautions needed: under manufacturer warranty with the option to extend, full-service history & pre-purchase inspection at the dealers, low run, etc.
Here’s what BHPian Turbanator had to say about the matter:
You should definitely consider something like a Macan or an X4 (try to find if someone has 3L Diesel). You can wait for the newer T and pay high rates, or simply buy one now with a paid PASM option which will be totally worth it. Remember, with Porsche, nothing comes free, they do come up with some special editions which have a lot of loadings as standard at the end of the model cycle but if you need one now, get one now. Instead of buying something else and going over all the hassles of buying and then selling (losing money/ time in the process).
Keyword: Should I buy a Porsche Macan as my first German car?