Porsche Macan: common problems, best years and what to check
Sports car disguised as a mid-size SUV. Covers 2014–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Porsche Macan a good used buy?
Best buy
2019+ Macan S
Avoid
neglected early V6 with coolant leaks
Who it suits: Drivers wanting a sports car feel with SUV practicality.
What's good
- Superb to drive
- Fast
- Quality
- Strong resale
What's not
- Expensive to run
- Small boot for an SUV
- Pricey options
- High insurance
By the numbers
- #143 most common model on UK roads, with about 45k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 6.5k cars still licensed.
- The most expensive common fault: Air suspension (if fitted) (up to £2,500).
Porsche Macan common problems by generation and engine
Porsche Macan 95B (2014–2024) · SUV; S, GTS, Turbo
How to spot it: 14 plate onwards. Low, wide SUV; 2019 facelift with a light bar across the tail.
2.0 / 3.0 V6 (EA888 / EA839, petrol, 2014–2024)
Fast
- PDK servicing£300–£600any
S Diesel 3.0 V6 (EA897, diesel, 2014–2017)
Diesel-gate recall
- Software recall—any
Faults on any 95B (2014–2024) engine
- Air suspension (if fitted)£800–£2,500any
- Coolant pipe leaks (V6)£600–£1,50060k+
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Porsche Macan years
How many Porsche Macans from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Porsche Macan MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2014+ cars)
Porsche Macans pass their MOT first time 10 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (91% vs 81%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 85% | 69% | 79k miles |
| 2015 | 85% | 72% | 73k miles |
| 2016 | 88% | 75% | 66k miles |
| 2017 | 90% | 78% | 59k miles |
| 2018 | 91% | 81% | 49k miles |
| 2019 | 93% | 84% | 41k miles |
| 2020 | 93% | 86% | 35k miles |
| 2021 | 94% | 87% | 29k miles |
| 2022 | 93% | 89% | 22k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.94 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.61 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.53 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too high0.83 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed0.75 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low0.63 per 100
- Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements0.56 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn0.53 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.73 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick6.14 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5.02 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear4.3 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm3.04 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened2.75 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre2.22 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.1 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Porsche Macan have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | chain | check from 80k | £2,000–£4,000 |
Porsche Macan running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Porsche Macan ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Porsche Macan vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porsche Macan | 45k | 42–50 | 488 l | 2019+ Macan S |
| Jaguar F-Pace | 68k | 33–45 | 650 l | 2021+ facelift D200 MHEV |
| BMW X3 M40i | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Audi Q5 | 128k | 26–42 | 550 l | 2017+ FY 40 TDI |
| Mercedes GLC 43 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Land Rover Range Rover Velar | 44k | 39–50 | 632 l | 2021+ D200/D300 MHEV with warranty |
What to check when buying a used Porsche Macan
- Porsche specialist inspection
Porsche Macan FAQ
›Is the Porsche Macan reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2019+ Macan S. Avoid: neglected early V6 with coolant leaks.
›What is the Porsche Macan MOT pass rate?
91% of Porsche Macans passed their MOT first time in 2025 (30,635 tests), better than the 81% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Porsche Macan problems?
The costliest known faults are PDK servicing; Software recall. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Porsche Macan have a timing belt or chain?
All: chain.
›What is the best year Porsche Macan to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2015, 2016, 2017 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Porsche Macan cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.0 30–35 mpg; 3.0 V6 26–30 mpg. Insurance groups 42–50. A minor service is about £400–£550 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Porsche Macan?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Porsche Macan ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.