Compare the2023 Porsche MacanVS 2023 Dodge Durango SRT

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 Dodge Durango SRT doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row 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 Durango SRT doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Durango SRT 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Macan’s standard Porsche Hill Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer Porsche Hill Control.

The Macan’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango SRT.

The Macan offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango SRT 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 Durango SRT 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes and blind spot warning systems.

The Macan comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Durango SRT’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

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

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Macan have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engine in the Durango SRT.

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 Dodge 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, Dodge is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Macan gets better mileage than the Durango SRT:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Macan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Porsche Macan higher (5 out of 10) than the Dodge Durango SRT (1). This means the Macan produces up to 39 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Durango SRT every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Porsche Macan as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Dodge Durango SRT is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

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

The Macan stops much shorter than the Durango SRT:

The Macan’s optional 265/40R21 front and 295/35R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Durango SRT’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Macan offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Durango SRT’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

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

For better maneuverability, the Macan’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Durango SRT’s (39.2 feet vs. 41 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Macan has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Durango SRT (7.9 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Macan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Macan’s minimum ground clearance is 1.1 inches higher than on the Durango SRT (8.9 vs. 7.8 inches).

The Porsche Macan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1250 to 1300 pounds less than the Dodge Durango SRT.

The Macan is 1 foot, 2.7 inches shorter than the Durango SRT 392, making the Macan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Macan is 9.3 inches shorter in height than the Durango SRT, making the Macan much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

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 Durango SRT doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Dodge. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 39% lower rating, Dodge is ranked 21st.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Durango SRT, 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 power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango SRT’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Macan’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Durango SRT’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Macan has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Macan also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

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

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 Durango SRT 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 Durango SRT 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 Durango SRT only retains 55.55%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Macan, 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 Durango SRT 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 Durango SRT has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.