[TDF2016]

I have now driven the F-Pace twice along with the Macan and am really struggling to decide. To my mind I have got to:

Macan: Better cabin fit, better road holding. Will be subject to some sort of update in a year or so, rear leg space and boot not as good as the FP. Infotainment not as good as FP.

F-Pace: it's new, looks good, slight lag in turbo, wind noise, interior quality not as good as Macan.

Are there any other items that have made you decide on the FP over the Macan?

 

[Bonkers]

I too looked at both and came to similar conclusions. With the options I wanted they were within a few hundred pounds of each other. In the end I went for the F Pace for the following reasons:
1) Road noise. The Macan is great, but as soon as I got up to motorway cruising speeds the howling tyre noise was for me unacceptable
2) Controversial I know, but I think both are decent looking cars, but the jag is better
3) I really wanted to buy a British built car for a change (first time in about 25 years)

 

[SonicPace]

For me it's the exclusivity and cabin space that attracted me to the FP.

Day to day I'm really enjoying the pace (excuse the pun) of the 3.0d engine and the infotainment setup is very nice. The cabin is a nice place to be.

I too have been tempted by the Macan. Call me shallow but I think it has pub chat kudos for being a 'Porsche'. As a younger Jaguar owner (well younger than their previous average age!) it's not a typical choice with my peers, you do find yourself explaining the choice.

 

[TDF2016]

Thanks for the replies to date

 

[CarlFRZ434]

My Avatar says it all....................

 

[luminated]

Macan
Strengths:
Handling
Fit and finish of Interior
Economy

Weaknesses:
Road noise
Unsettled ride on poor surfaces
Dated media system
Space
Poor standard spec
Cost of extra
Looks

F-Pace
Strengths:
Looks
Handling
Ride quality
Road noise
Space
Standard kit
Performance

Weaknesses:
Finish of some interior panels
Economy

I've left out residuals on both simply because the Porsche is due a change soon and the F-Pace is too new to honestly know how it will perform.

 

[PWS]

As someone who went through the same dilemma earlier this year but chose Macan I'm interested to look in here occasionally and see what everyone thinks. But just wanted to make two points re any comparison:

First: ride, road noise etc depend hugely on wheels and suspension option, much like FPace I'm sure. If you test-drive a Macan fitted with 21" wheels (which most dealers will tend to have on their demo cars to appeal to large-wheel enthusiasts) and standard suspension then both noise and ride will inevitably be at the noisy/rough end of the spectrum. OTOH if you try standard wheels (18") with PASM or air suspension then you'll get a totally different result - significantly quieter and easier riding. Lots of options in between the two of course. With Macan (and I'm sure FPace too) it's crucial to try the combination you're potentially thinking of buying, otherwise both you and all the car mag testers too can easily get a wrong impression.

Second: On the Macan MY17 cars (shipping for a few months now!) the ICE, satnav etc is substantially upgraded. So be sure to check a recent car and not the previous generation.

 

[Waynem]

It's still ugly :shock: :?

 

[PWS]

It's still ugly

Really, well, beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that. I don't expect anyone here to agree - it's rather a self-selected sample, but personally I prefer the look of the Macan, which is of course partly why I made that choice. The FPace looks, I don't know, kind of dumpy to my eye especially in side profile in comparison. Doesn't disguise its bulk as well, perhaps. But no offence intended and not wishing to start WW3.

 

[CarlFRZ434]

The Top Gear review we would rather have watched than have to read in this months edition....Audi SQ5, Porsches revamp of the Audi called the Macan and the MB GLE vs each other and the F-PACE. Sad that the competition are all German, sad that one car is a revamp of the first (and the Audi was preferred to the Macan too). Pleased to see that the FP was he preferred car and the winner.

 

[luminated]

First: ride, road noise etc depend hugely on wheels and suspension option, much like FPace I'm sure. If you test-drive a Macan fitted with 21" wheels (which most dealers will tend to have on their demo cars to appeal to large-wheel enthusiasts) and standard suspension then both noise and ride will inevitably be at the noisy/rough end of the spectrum. OTOH if you try standard wheels (18") with PASM or air suspension then you'll get a totally different result - significantly quieter and easier riding. Lots of options in between the two of course. With Macan (and I'm sure FPace too) it's crucial to try the combination you're potentially thinking of buying, otherwise both you and all the car mag testers too can easily get a wrong impression.

Unlike the Porsche the F-Pace isn't compromised when you increase the wheel size, do you same in the Macan and not only is the noise level increased but the ride quality goes to pot this is regardless of the suspension choice. And here is my dilemma.... a Macan on the stock 18" wheels looks like crap.

Second: On the Macan MY17 cars (shipping for a few months now!) the ICE, satnav etc is substantially upgraded. So be sure to check a recent car and not the previous generation.

This will be welcome to anyone considering one but the above problem will put most off here.

 

[PWS]

Unlike the Porsche the F-Pace isn't compromised when you increase the wheel size, do you same in the Macan and not only is the noise level increased but the ride quality goes to pot this is regardless of the suspension choice. And here is my dilemma.... a Macan on the stock 18" wheels looks like crap.

I think that most folk agree that 20" on air is a pretty good Macan compromise, but if you've tried that combination then who am I to argue?

I would say also that there's no question that the FPace has somewhat more rear space so for anyone that really needs that extra space (though Macan size is adequate for many) then that's undoubtedly a point in the FPace's favour. The other downside with Porsche is that there's a huge array of options available and there's no doubt that if you go OTT with the options then the price tag can quickly rise. I guess the same is true to an extent with Jaguar, but I never got to the point of pricing up an FPace in detail - the decision to go Macan was made before then.

 

[mcsquared747]

the build quality of my Fpace FE is absolutely terrible. I am currently giving the dealer one last chance- the car for 2 weeks or I go nuclear.

Car is creaking like the tin man. The rear suspension, the steering wheel, the roof lining. The sunroof doesn't close automatically (bounces open), the sunroof wind deflector doesn't raise (hasn't from day one), the infortainment doesn't always come on. It's appalling. Its going to Pyrenees Andorra for 2 weeks to be fixed. If I return an its not perfect, I will be asking for a full refund.

Looking at the Macan instead....

 

[luminated]

I think that most folk agree that 20" on air is a pretty good Macan compromise, but if you've tried that combination then who am I to argue?

I'm a past Porsche owner owning not only their sports cars but three of their SUVs all Cayennes, most recently the Diesel complete with 20" and air suspension so I do have a bit of history with the brand. The Macan I drove was equipped with 20" and air, personally it's not as smooth as the F-Pace I drove and that was equipped with 22" plus the road noise at speed is awful, it's a problem thats been inherited from the Q5 and no amount of Porsche magic could change this. Another failing (my opinion again) is how unsettled it can feel on less than perfect surfaces, throw in a bump or two mid corner and it bucks back, this might be someone you enjoy but it's not for me.

 

[F-race]

Mmmmm I had a Macan 3.0d S sold it because I did not like it. I bought one second hand, 3000 miles as I did not want to go on the waiting list. It had standard suspension appalling head lights, no cruise, although I believe it is now standard. The car was well built comfortable the engine was excellent. I consider myself to be a driver of good ability not just on the road but also on the rally stage. The car came with 19 wheels and all weather tyres that made it understeer so I bough a set of 20's with normal tyres and found the car was better, but on fast A roads driven hard it was slightly unsettled. I asked a ex-professional rally driver to try it and give his opinion. His opinion was as mine on standard springs the car was under damped and in need of more rear anti-roll resistance. All the car tested by the Car Magazines are loaded with air suspension chrono pack and toque vectoring and also adaptive head lights. The Magazines rave about it but when comparing like for like cost they forget the £10k of extras. I also had a problem with cars hill control locking on just after pulling off. After it being repaired (sic) it locked on as I got up to 10 mph, it had to go.
So I pick up my F-Pace tomorrow, surprisingly I went for the 2.0L as I felt it was lighter over the front end and changed direction better, I am a little worried that I will miss the grunt, I will have to see, if I have got it wrong I can wait for the new 3.0L.