Compare the2023 Volvo XC60VS 2022 Porsche Macan

The XC60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Macan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the XC60 and Macan have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Macan’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Porsche doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the Macan. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Macan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XC60 has standard CTA Auto Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Macan doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The XC60 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Macan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XC60’s standard rear 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 XC60’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 XC60 and the Macan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 101 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Macan has not been tested, yet.

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Macan (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 44 percent more Volvo dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the XC60’s warranty.

The XC60 has more powerful engines than the Macan:

As tested in Car and Driver the XC60 T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Porsche Macan turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Macan:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Macan:

The XC60 can travel with zero emissions for 19 to 36 miles (dependent on model). The Macan can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The XC60 has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Macan (18.8 vs. 17.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Macan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo XC60, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Macan.

For better stopping power the XC60 Recharge Polestar Engineered’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Macan:

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Macan’s optional 40 series front tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the Macan (112.8 inches vs. 110.5 inches).

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Macan’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 w/Air Suspension has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The design of the Volvo XC60 amounts to more than styling. The XC60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Macan (.35 to .37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the XC60 get better fuel mileage.

The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Macan with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Macan with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 52.9 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XC60’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Macan doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The XC60 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Macan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the XC60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Macan can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XC60’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Macan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Macan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Macan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Macan doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XC60 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Macan doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XC60 is less expensive to operate than the Macan because it costs $173 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the XC60 than the Macan, including $15 less for a water pump, $754 less for a muffler, $117 less for front brake pads, $305 less for front struts, $813 less for a timing belt/chain and $390 less for a power steering pump.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the Porsche Macan by 48% during the 2022 model year.