Compare the2022 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2021 Porsche Macan

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Macan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 4Runner has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Macan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 4Runner (except Trail Edition)’s optional cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Macan doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The 4Runner’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Macan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 4Runner and the Macan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the 4Runner 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Porsche covers the Macan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Macan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Macan (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 6 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4Runner’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 4Runner’s reliability 27 points higher than the Macan.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Porsche vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Porsche is ranked 15th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Porsche vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Porsche is ranked 9th.

The 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6 produces 22 more horsepower (270 vs. 248) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (278 vs. 273) than the Macan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Macan requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The 4Runner has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Macan (23 vs. 19.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the 4Runner has larger standard tires than the Macan (245/60R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Porsche Macan only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Macan; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Macan doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 4Runner’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.6% to 46.4%) than the Macan’s (55.7% to 44.3%). This gives the 4Runner more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Macan’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan (9.6 vs. 8 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The 4Runner’s minimum ground clearance is .6 inch higher than on the Macan (9.6 vs. 9 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 4Runner TRD Off-Road is quieter than the Macan S (67 vs. 69 dB).

The 4Runner offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Macan can only carry 5.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the 4Runner’s middle row seats recline. The Macan’s rear seats don’t recline.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Macan.

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Macan doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Macan’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The 4Runner’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Macan’s (5000 vs. 4409 pounds).

The 4Runner has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Macan (1625 vs. 1257 lbs.).

The 4Runner has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Macan (1700 vs. 1435 lbs.).

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Macan can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the 4Runner has standard extendable sun visors. The Macan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The 4Runner has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Macan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The 4Runner is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Macan doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the 4Runner owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the 4Runner will cost $1945 to $6965 less than the Macan over a five-year period.

The 4Runner will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 4Runner will retain 60.09% to 69.29% of its original price after five years, while the Macan only retains 54.43% to 57.54%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 4Runner is less expensive to operate than the Macan because it costs $527 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 4Runner than the Macan, including $700 less for a muffler, $265 less for front brake pads, $58 less for fuel injection, $449 less for front struts and $538 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota 4Runner will be $17633 to $36112 less than for the Porsche Macan.

The TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The Macan has never been chosen.