Is Porsche’s Slowest New Car Still Worth Buying?

When buying any new Porsche, you can rightfully expect class-leading performance, whether that’s in a straight line or over your favorite mountain pass. From the 718 to the 911 and even the new Cayenne Electric, the German marque knows how to engineer a driver’s car. But can the same be said about the slowest new Porsche you can buy in America? That car is the base Porsche Macan, which is currently the tardiest Porsche model on sale in the United States. Here’s a look at whether this Porsche is still worth the money.

In Porsche Land, Slow Is Relative

Porsche doesn’t make any truly slow vehicles, and even the base Macan is no exception. It takes six seconds to accelerate from zero to 60 mph, and is the last modern Porsche that can’t do the benchmark sprint in under six seconds. The Macan has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine delivering 261 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to all four corners via Porsche’s quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. 

You can shave two-tenths off the base Macan’s sprint time by adding the Sport Chrono Package for $1,240. This pack adds a Sport Plus mode, an analog and digital stopwatch, and a more effective Porsche Stability Management system.

It might be the slowest Porsche officially, but the Macan feels energetic around town and agile through the twisties, thanks to precise steering and a greater agility than most SUV rivals. If cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata have taught us anything, it’s that crazy horsepower isn’t necessary to have fun, and the cheapest Macan is another example of that.

So, the slowest Porsche isn’t slow and neither is it dull to drive, but is it worth the money?

Even The Slowest New Porsche Is Expensive

The base 2026 Porsche Macan starts at $64,600, excluding a destination and handling fee of $2,350. Rivals include the BMW X3 30 xDrive ($50,900), the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 ($49,550), and Audi Q5 Premium ($52,200)—the Audi is the newest arrival in this group. All are over $10,000 cheaper than the Porsche, despite offering similar or better performance. Here’s how the base models of all four SUVs compare:

All these SUVs get standard AWD besides the Mercedes, which is RWD as standard. Even the GLC 300 4Matic at $51,550 is a lot cheaper than the Porsche, though. While the Porsche is perhaps the most fun to drive, the others aren’t far behind and they are more comfortable.

It gets even worse for the Porsche when you compare standard and optional features. The Macan doesn’t have any significant standard features not found on the others. If you want a surround-view camera on the Macan, that adds $1,220. You can get the mid-spec Audi Q5 Premium Plus for $56,700, which has a surround-view camera, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a heated steering wheel, and a head-up display. Porsche’s optional Bose sound system is another $1,020. 

A panoramic roof costs $1,710 for the Porsche. On the BMW, $1,400 gets you the Convenience Pack with a panoramic roof, a heated steering wheel, and remote engine start. There’s also the sense that the Macan needs one of the optional upholstery choices to improve its interior ambiance, and before you know it, you’ll be spending over $70k on this SUV. You’d be better off getting an X3 M50 for $65,900, which has a brawny 393-hp turbo-six.

Final Thoughts

It may be the slowest new Porsche on sale, but performance is not the Macan’s first problem. It simply doesn’t do enough to justify a huge price premium over its newer German rivals. The Macan is fun to drive and brings with it the brand cachet of Porsche, but you can get a lot more car for the money by opting for one of its rivals.