Compare the2024 Porsche MacanVS 2024 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 rear 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, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the Macan gets better mileage than the X5 running its gasoline engine:

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.

For better maneuverability, the Macan’s turning circle is .2 feet tighter than the X5 M60i xDrive’s (39.2 feet vs. 39.4 feet). 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 750 to 1150 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The Macan is 8.1 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.

A Trailer Stability Management is standard on the Macan, using 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. A trailer sway program costs extra on the X5.

The Macan has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X5 (1288 vs. 1054 lbs.).

The Macan has a higher maximum payload capacity than the X5 (1383 vs. 1193 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.

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

The Macan was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 6 more times in the last 8 years. The X5 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.