Compare the2022 Porsche MacanVS 2021 Lexus NX Series

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Macan have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Lexus NX Series doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Porsche Macan has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The NX Series doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Macan has standard Multi-collision Brake System, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The NX Series doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Macan. But it costs extra on the NX Series.

Both the Macan and the NX Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 crash mitigating brakes, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The Macan’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the NX Series’ (12 vs. 6 years).

The battery on the Macan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Macan’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The NX Series’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Macan third among compact premium suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The NX Series isn’t in the top three.

The Macan has more powerful engines than the NX Series:

Regardless of its engine, the Macan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the NX Series 300h.

The Macan has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX Series Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (17.1 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Macan has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX Series’ standard fuel tank (17.1 vs. 15.9 gallons).

A seven-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Porsche Macan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the NX Series.

The Macan offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The NX Series doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Macan’s optional launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The NX Series doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Macan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the NX Series:

The Macan’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the NX Series are solid, not vented.

The Macan stops much shorter than the NX Series:

For better traction, the Macan has larger standard tires than the NX Series (F:235/55R19 & R:255/50R19 vs. 225/65R17). The Macan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the NX Series (F:265/40R21 & R:295/35R21 vs. 235/55R18).

The Macan’s standard 235/55R19 front and 255/50R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series front and 50 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the NX Series’ standard 65 series tires. The Macan’s optional 265/40R21 front and 295/35R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the NX Series F Sport’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Macan has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the NX Series. The Macan’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the NX Series.

The Macan has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Macan’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The NX Series doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Macan’s wheelbase is 5.8 inches longer than on the NX Series (110.5 inches vs. 104.7 inches).

The Macan S handles at .93 G’s, while the NX 300 F Sport AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Macan has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the NX 300h (7.9 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Macan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Macan’s minimum ground clearance is 2 inches higher than on the NX 300 (8.9 vs. 6.9 inches).

The front grille of the Macan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The NX Series doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Macan’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX Series’ (4409 vs. 0 pounds).

The Macan has a much higher standard payload capacity than the NX Series (1288 vs. 895 lbs.).

The Macan has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the NX Series (1383 vs. 895 lbs.).

The engine in the Macan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the NX Series. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Lexus. J.D. Power ranks Porsche first in service department satisfaction. With a 4% lower rating, Lexus is ranked second.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional in the NX Series, the Macan offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Macan’s power window, power lock and power mirror switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The NX Series’ power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Macan’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The NX Series’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Macan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The NX Series doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Macan has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the NX Series. The Macan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the NX Series.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Porsche Macan offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The NX Series doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Macan’s optional Self Steering ParkAssist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The NX Series doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Macan is less expensive to operate than the NX Series because it costs $354 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Macan than the NX Series, including $24 less for a water pump, $27 less for a starter, $160 less for fuel injection and $170 less for a timing belt/chain.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Porsche Macan and the Lexus NX Series, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Macan was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2 of the last 3 years. The NX Series has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.