Used Car Checklists

2023 Porsche Macan: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the automatic emergency braking. The 5 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

Porsche Macan2023
Owner complaints
6
Recalls
0
Crashes reported
1
3 injuries
Reliability
Good
66/100 on Auto Reliability Index

Run the VIN before you go

A history report shows accidents, title brands, odometer readings, and open recalls for this 2023 Porsche Macan. Ask the seller for the VIN; it is also on the dash at the base of the windshield.

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

0/5 checked

1

Paperwork and questions

Before you go, or before you touch the car0/1

2

Test drive

At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4

These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.

Reported on other Macan years with the same design

These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.

2024 Macan

7 owner complaints
  • Automatic emergency braking 3

Worth adding to your 2023 checks

  • Drive at 20 to 40 mph on an open road, with and without adaptive cruise, and watch for false collision alerts or braking.
  • Check that the forward collision avoidance warning light stays off after startup and throughout the test drive.
  • Ask for service records showing visits for collision warnings, phantom braking, or adaptive cruise radar sensor replacement.
Open the 2024 checklist

2021 Macan

8 owner complaints
  • Body and structure 2

Worth adding to your 2023 checks

  • Stop on a steep hill with Auto Hold engaged and confirm the car holds without rolling backward.
  • Ask for service records showing any Auto Hold or brake software updates and any repeat visits for rollback.
  • Turn on the signals and leave a seatbelt unbuckled to confirm the warning chimes sound.
Open the 2021 checklist

2020 Macan

17 owner complaints
  • Electrical 4
  • Exterior lights 3
  • Brakes 2

Worth adding to your 2023 checks

  • Switch on the low beams after dark and confirm the passenger-side headlight works.
  • Ask for records of any headlight assembly replacement, especially on the right side.
  • Shift into reverse several times and check the rear camera image for distortion or dropouts.
Open the 2020 checklist

Which Macan is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Porsche Macan. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.

VersionDriveEPA rating
2.0L 4-cylAWD21 mpg
2.9L 6-cylAWD19 mpg
  • The 2023 Porsche Macan was sold in two versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
  • Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Macan that averages well under the EPA 19 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Porsche Macan, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

  • Automatic emergency braking3No crashes

    Sudden hard braking with nothing ahead is the main complaint, sometimes at about 25 mph in highway traffic. The collision warning may flash, and one report also describes a sharp steering pull to the left. Two of the 3 filings involve injuries, and drivers describe losing control and nearly being hit from behind. A second pattern follows a real emergency stop: the transmission stays stuck in first gear until the car is restarted. Problems show up early, within the first year of ownership. Dealers often find no fault or point to a faulty sensor.

How the 2023 compares with other Macan years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2023 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 8 Macan years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2023 Average of other years
  • Automatic emergency braking30

Where the 2023 fits in the Macan's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2023 is the ninth model year of the Macan's first generation (2015–2026).

It includes the 2021 update.

What changed for 2021

  • Updated design features
  • Subtle changes including new technologies

Also looking at these instead of a Macan?

Cars shoppers compare with the Porsche Macan, with their own 2023 checklists.

2023 owner complaints, side by side