Compare the2023 Porsche MacanVS 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

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 Alfa Romeo Stelvio doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Macan has a standard Multi-collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Stelvio 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 Stelvio.

The Macan offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Stelvio only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Macan and the Stelvio have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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 and blind spot warning systems.

The Macan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Stelvio’s (12 vs. 5 years).

There are over 40 percent more Porsche dealers than there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Macan’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 Macan’s reliability 20 points higher than the Stelvio.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. With 11 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Porsche higher than Alfa Romeo.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

The Macan S’ standard 2.9 turbo V6 produces 95 more horsepower (375 vs. 280) and 77 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 306) than the Stelvio’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Macan GTS’ standard 2.9 turbo V6 produces 154 more horsepower (434 vs. 280) and 99 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 306) than the Stelvio’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Porsche Macan turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio:

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 Stelvio 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 Stelvio doesn’t offer launch control.

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

The Macan stops much shorter than the Stelvio:

For better traction, the Macan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Stelvio (F:265/40R21 & R:295/35R21 vs. 255/45R20).

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 Stelvio Sprint’s standard 60 series tires. The Macan’s optional 295/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Stelvio’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Macan has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Stelvio Sprint.

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 Stelvio doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Macan S handles at .93 G’s, while the Stelvio Sprint AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Macan has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Stelvio (8.9 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Macan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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 Stelvio doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Macan’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Stelvio’s (4409 vs. 3000 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Management on the Macan uses the Porsche Stability Management sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Stelvio doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Alfa Romeo. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 78% lower rating, Alfa Romeo is ranked 32nd.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Stelvio, the Macan offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, 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 LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Stelvio’s xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

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

When the Macan with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Stelvio’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Macan keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Stelvio doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Stelvio doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Macan will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Macan will retain 56.76% to 58.19% of its original price after five years, while the Stelvio only retains 51% to 52.5%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Macan, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Macan third among compact premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Stelvio isn’t in the top three.

The Macan was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 4 years. The Stelvio has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

The Porsche Macan outsold the Alfa Romeo Stelvio by over two to one during 2022.