Compare the2023 Porsche MacanVS 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 Volkswagen Tiguan 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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

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 Tiguan.

Both the Macan and the Tiguan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The Macan’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Tiguan’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

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 Tiguan’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 23 points higher than the Tiguan.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Porsche higher than Volkswagen.

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 Volkswagen 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, Volkswagen is rated below average.

The Macan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 77 more horsepower (261 vs. 184) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Macan S’ standard 2.9 turbo V6 produces 191 more horsepower (375 vs. 184) and 162 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Macan GTS’ standard 2.9 turbo V6 produces 250 more horsepower (434 vs. 184) and 184 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Porsche Macan turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

The Macan has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tiguan FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.1 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Macan has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tiguan AWD’s standard fuel tank (17.1 vs. 15.9 gallons).

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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer launch control.

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

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 Tiguan are solid, not vented.

The Macan stops much shorter than the Tiguan:

For better traction, the Macan has larger standard tires than the Tiguan (F:235/55R19 & R:255/50R19 vs. 215/65R17). The Macan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tiguan (F:265/40R21 & R:295/35R21 vs. 255/45R19).

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 Tiguan S’ standard 65 series tires. The Macan’s optional 295/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Tiguan SEL R-Line’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Macan has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Tiguan S. The Macan’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Tiguan SEL R-Line.

The Macan offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Tiguan’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Macan S handles at .93 G’s, while the Tiguan 4Motion® pulls only .82 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 Tiguan (7.9 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Macan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Macan’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Tiguan (8.9 vs. 7.6 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Macan has a much larger cargo volume than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (17.2 vs. 12 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Macan. The Tiguan doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Macan’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tiguan’s (4409 vs. 1500 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Macan has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Tiguan (1288 vs. 937 lbs.).

The Macan has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Tiguan (1383 vs. 1157 lbs.).

The engine in the Macan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Tiguan. 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 Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 46% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Tiguan SEL R-Line, 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 optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Tiguan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Tiguan’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Macan’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Tiguan offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Macan and the Tiguan have standard heated front seats. The Macan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Tiguan.

The Macan has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Tiguan SE/SEL.

Insurance will cost less for the Macan owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Macan with a number “5” insurance rate while the Tiguan is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Macan is less expensive to operate than the Tiguan because typical repairs cost less on the Macan than the Tiguan, including $185 less for a water pump, $140 less for a starter and $21 less for a fuel pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Macan, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Tiguan 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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.