Porsche Macan vs Volkswagen Touareg

Price and cost per week

Safety Rundown

ANCAP's published ratings include no record for the Porsche Macan. ANCAP's published record does not give the Volkswagen Touareg a rating. 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 Volkswagen Touareg gets a 15-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

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

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 Volkswagen Touareg responds with a Diesel making 170kW and 500Nm, paired to a auto driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8 seconds.

The Porsche Macan has the clear power advantage at 420kW vs 170kW. In the 0-100 sprint (manufacturer-claimed), the Porsche Macan is 4.2s quicker. 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, 84mm shorter than the Volkswagen Touareg at 4,889mm (2,894mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Volkswagen Touareg generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 476L in the Porsche Macan and 810L in the Volkswagen Touareg, giving the Volkswagen Touareg a 334L advantage.

For towing, the Volkswagen Touareg leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 2,500kg. That 1,000kg 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 Volkswagen Touareg's turning circle is 0.1 m tighter, 12.0 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 Volkswagen Touareg about $2,166 a year (7.6 L/100km), at $1.90 a litre and 32c a kWh.

Warranty: 3 years / Unlimited (Porsche Macan) and 5 years / Unlimited (Volkswagen Touareg).

Where each one leads

The Porsche Macan: more power (420kW against 170kW).

The Volkswagen Touareg: the lower starting price ($86,790 against $171,100), the bigger boot with the seats up (810L against 476L), the longer warranty (5 years against 3) and the higher braked towing limit (3,500kg against 2,500kg).

The Verdict

Volkswagen Touareg scores higher, 68 vs 61

The Volkswagen Touareg scores 68 to the Porsche Macan's 61 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 4 of the 6 spec rows that separate them, at the lower price. The biggest gaps: performance (Porsche Macan ahead by 36 points), value (Volkswagen Touareg ahead by 21 points). Boot space with the seats up: 476L in the Porsche Macan, 810L in the Volkswagen Touareg. Warranty: 3 years on the Porsche Macan, 5 on the Volkswagen Touareg.

Common questions