Porsche Macan vs Subaru Forester

Price and cost per week

Safety Rundown

ANCAP's published ratings include no record for the Porsche Macan. With no pair of ratings to compare, the active-safety features in the spec table above are the fairer comparison.

Recalls on our record

A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.

Charging times

How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to a DC fast charger, estimated from battery size and the car's own maximum charge rates.

Feature Showdown

The Porsche Macan features a 10.9-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.6-inch digital dash, while the Subaru Forester gets a 11.6-inch display and 4.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Porsche Macan stands out with head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, power tailgate, Bose audio and ambient lighting — features our data doesn't list for the Subaru Forester. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Porsche Macan gets leather upholstery while the Subaru Forester offers cloth.

Drivetrain

The Porsche Macan uses a Electric producing 420kW and 955Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds.

The Subaru Forester responds with a Petrol making 136kW and 247Nm, paired to a cvt driving all four wheels.

The Porsche Macan has the clear power advantage at 420kW vs 136kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Space & Comfort

The Porsche Macan measures 4,805mm long on a 2,893mm wheelbase, 150mm longer than the Subaru Forester at 4,655mm (2,670mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Porsche Macan generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 476L in the Porsche Macan and 496L in the Subaru Forester, giving the Subaru Forester a 20L advantage.

For towing, the Porsche Macan leads with a 2,500kg braked capacity vs 1,800kg. That 700kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Neither U-turns in one sweep on a 7 m local street (both need a three-point turn); the Subaru Forester's turning circle is 1.3 m tighter, 10.8 m against 12.1 m kerb to kerb. The street estimate is indicative, worked from the published turning circles.

Cost to own

At 15,000 km a year, electricity for the Porsche Macan costs about $1,018 a year (21.2 kWh/100km) and fuel for the Subaru Forester about $2,252 a year (7.9 L/100km), at $1.90 a litre and 32c a kWh.

Warranty: 3 years / Unlimited (Porsche Macan) and 5 years / Unlimited (Subaru Forester). Capped-price servicing: no data (Porsche Macan), 5 years (Subaru Forester).

Where each one leads

The Porsche Macan: more power (420kW against 136kW) and the higher braked towing limit (2,500kg against 1,800kg).

The Subaru Forester: the lower starting price ($45,990 against $171,100), the bigger boot with the seats up (496L against 476L) and the longer warranty (5 years against 3).

The Verdict

Subaru Forester scores higher, 76 vs 61

The Subaru Forester scores 76 to the Porsche Macan's 61 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 3 of the 5 spec rows that separate them, at the lower price. The biggest gaps: performance (Porsche Macan ahead by 53 points), value (Subaru Forester ahead by 37 points), safety (Subaru Forester ahead by 29 points). Warranty: 3 years on the Porsche Macan, 5 on the Subaru Forester.

Common questions