Compare the2023 Porsche MacanVS 2023 BMW X5

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 BMW X5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Macan are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Macan. But it costs extra on the X5.

Both the Macan and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 crash mitigating brakes, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

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 BMW 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, BMW is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Macan gets better mileage than the X5:

Both the Macan and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Macans have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Porsche Macan higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (3). This means the Macan produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

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 X5 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Macan stops shorter than the X5:

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 X5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Macan S handles at .93 G’s, while the X5 xDrive pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Macan’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the X5’s (39.2 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Macan has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 (8.9 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Macan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Porsche Macan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 850 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The Macan is 8.2 inches shorter than the X5, making the Macan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Macan’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

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 X5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Macan has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X5 (1288 vs. 827 lbs.).

The Macan has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the X5 (1383 vs. 1030 lbs.).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 13% lower rating, BMW is ranked 7th.

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 X5 only retains 47.3% to 48.55%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Macan is less expensive to operate than the X5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Macan than the X5, including $260 less for a water pump, $897 less for a muffler, $155 less for a starter, $112 less for fuel injection, $107 less for a fuel pump, $687 less for a timing belt/chain and $1258 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Porsche Macan will be $7504 to $7848 less than for the BMW X5.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Porsche Macan and the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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 X5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Macan was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 4 years. The X5 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.