This is the 2025 Porsche Macan 4S EV, the second electric Porsche SUV I’ve driven in as many weeks. With the kilometres adding up (because I’m Canadian, and we do kilometres), I’ve had ample time to assess this newest Macan. And the conclusion is both exciting and… puzzling.
Let’s get this out of the way: it’s brilliant. Porsche has built an electric SUV that, by all objective and subjective measures, is better than the petrol-powered Macan. Yet here’s the weird part; I’ve barely seen any on the road. Outside the two press units making the rounds in Montreal, I’ve seen exactly one other. That silence on the streets says a lot about the broader market challenges Porsche and other EV-makers are facing. Meanwhile, there are countless (relatively speaking) recent Macans on the road.
Macan EV
Unlike the Taycan, which launched as a completely new nameplate, the Macan EV replaces Porsche’s best-selling model. That’s a big swing. Instead of keeping the combustion version around like they’re doing with the 718 lineup, Porsche went all-in. But the market has shifted. EV demand isn’t exactly booming anymore; it’s levelling off, and in some cases, dipping. The Macan EV may be arriving just as the early hype is starting to cool.
Which is unfortunate, because this 4S is phenomenal.
Canadian pricing starts at $94,900 for the base rear-wheel drive model. The tested 4S starts at $106,900 and packs a second motor, more features, and much more punch. Fitted with 22-inch wheels, adaptive sports seats, rear-axle steering, and the premium package, rang in just shy of $120K.
For the money, you get a 100-kWh battery with up to 463 km of range (depending on options), 509 hp, and 605 lb-ft of torque. It’ll do 0–100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. The Turbo version pushes that to 630 hp and hits 100 km/h in just over 3 seconds. But for most, the 4S hits the sweet spot.
The air suspension (standard on the 4S) paired with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) makes every drive perfectly sorted, whether you’re in traffic or not. As far as weekend country-road romps, the Macan’s chassis wonderfully serves the driver as well.
Porsche class
Inside, it’s everything you’d expect from Porsche. Quality and precision are top-shelf. The 12.6-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.9-inch centre touchscreen are crisp and responsive, with seamless Apple CarPlay and excellent usability.
Storage is surprisingly good for a performance SUV. You get a proper frunk (84 litres) and a rear hatch that opens to 540 litres of usable space. Seating is best for four adults, and the available adaptive seats feel like a custom-fitted hug, if your mom was a German engineer obsessed with lumbar support. Visibility is also strong, thanks to clever pillar design and driving position.
But the Macan 4S isn’t just about specs and screens. It’s the drive. The steering, except for a slight numb spot on-centre at low speeds, is sharp and weighty. Rear-axle steering makes it feel far nimbler than a compact SUV has any right to be. The brake feel is precise, confidence-inspiring, and strong. The electric sport sound? That’s a personal choice. I could live without it, but your mileage (or decibels) may vary.
A better Macan
What struck me most was how much more premium the Macan EV feels compared to the petrol version. It’s as if Porsche took the EV variant more seriously, not that the gas version is sloppy, but the EV is just more… resolved. Tighter. Better screwed together. More Porsche, ironically, despite the lack of combustion.
If there’s a criticism, it’s the price positioning. The EV Macan is priced well above the outgoing ICE Macan. For those looking to transition from petrol to electric within the Porsche family, the gap is a leap, not a step. And that may explain why we’re not seeing them in big numbers on the road just yet.
Competition? There’s not much. The Macan 4S EV straddles a niche few others are filling. A Cadillac Lyriq isn’t quite in the same class dynamically. The BMW iX feels more like a luxury spaceship. The Genesis GV60 Performance is fairly close, whereas the Lexus RZ? Not even on the same planet. The EQB and EQE from Mercedes-Benz are nearest in size and price, especially the AMG versions, but again, they don’t offer the same driving engagement. So for now, the Macan 4S EV stands mostly alone.