This is significant for me. I had considered one in the past... Waiting on the wife to get her next car, first.

Who knows, she may change her mind and ditch the C7(Z) and get one of these...

In regards to the Audi wears out faster than Porsche - I'd suggest that the Porsche is less driven, or handled differently for various reasons... This may be indicative of the type of owner/usage, as opposed to the quality of materials used, or level of craftsmanship.

 

The reason most Americans prefer larger suv's is because we actually have kids here and need seat space. Even if you only have two kids it's a tight fit in a Macan with sports etc gear. Now if you want to take a couple of their friends with you...forget about it. For most families these small SUVs make no sense. That's why the primary drivers of them, no offense, are empty nesters with only their dog in the back.

 

No offence here either, but if two kids (even large American kids) cannot fit in the back, then they either cannot get along with each other (in which case no amount of extra space and separation in the back will help), or their parents themselves have a related issue!
And regarding, "for most families these small SUVs make no sense" all I can say is you cannot be privy to accurate information as the basis for such a flippant remark, because I know of several happy families as evidence to the contrary. In fact, I saw such an example of a happy family of two kids and a toddler with all smiles and very approving of the Macan S at the local dealer yesterday after they thoroughly checked out the seating and spacing in the demo unit, and then proceeding on to order a Macan.

 

Look I said nothing of only putting two kids in the back. I have a 911 as you can see from my avatar pic and routinely take three of my kids with me on short trips in it. Now if we have to take dance/little league gear etc no way are we taking the 911. With four kids, if the fam goes out it's the esv escalade. My remarks primary are directed at your statement that Americans mainly drive to large and inefficient SUVs. I don't see many families with three kids buying a Macan. With a car seat plus two older kids it's a tight fit in a cayenne let alone a Macan. Nothing against the Macan as it fits a niche although I don't really understand that niche. A performance sedan seems like the more obvious choice over these "sporty cuv's". The only advantage seems to be a higher ride height. If I only had two kids I'd rather drive a 911. To each his own though.

 

I have 2 kids aged 3 and 7. I think a 911 is impractical as my DD, and an Escalade is way too big. I find that I love our Q5 flat floor and high ceiling which is quite versatile, we prefer it over our A6 for carrying duties when possible. So I can easily imagine a huge contingent like me looking for a sporty version of what they have now (hence me lurking here).

 

My wife has been cross shopping the SQ5 and Macan S and yesterday we finally got a chance to test drive them back to back. I should also add that I separately test drove the Macan S with a friend on what I would call and "extremely spirited" drive a few days before.

My general thoughts:

Engine: goes to SQ5. That low end grunt is amazing. The Macan engine is more balanced but for city stop and go, the supercharged V6 FTMFW!

Tranny: goes to Macan. I do not like the 8 speed in the SQ5. It feels like a wanna-be dual clutch that's trying too hard. By comparison, the Macan had consistently smooth quick shifts and just felt like it belonged in a vehicle that's trying to claim the "sporty SUV" crown.

Brakes: goes to SQ5. On my spirited drive, the brakes in the Macan were begging for mercy in only a few hard stops. In the Audi, I did a couple of hard stops on the freeway and it felt solid.

Suspension tuning: goes to Macan. Big win here for Macan. I think they spent a lot more time developing and tuning than Audi did. This was particularly evident when I rode as passenger in the back seat. The SQ5 was really hyper and frenetic and felt over sprung and under damped. The Macan by comparison felt typically Porsche - very sorted, spring and damper matched. Minimal body roll for a big car. Less understeer in the Macan too. Can't wait to pitch one sideways

Steering: goes to Macan. Even with steering set to dynamic, the Audi steering is completely numb. The Macan, while having a lot more feel, is not exactly 911 grade. It feels electric but gives more feedback. It's also better weighted.

Interior: goes to Macan. I owned an S4 and really liked the interior but it feels a bit lackluster compared to the Macan.

Exterior: goes to Macan. I like the SQ5 and think it looks great but I like the more rounded hind quarters and sculpted headlights of the Macan.

Value: goes to SQ5. Spec'd the same, Macan is about 6K more. To me, given the points above, 10% does not seem like an excessive premium for the incremental improvements. My wife didn't think so either. I expect we'll be ordering her her first built to order Macan in the next few days.

Honestly, I think one could sway easily in either direction. They are both very very good cars. I just like the feel of the Macan better.

 

There's good information in this thread. My wife and I just went through this decision process and ended up buying an SQ5 over a Macan. It was a difficult decision. The vehicle was purchased to replace our Cayenne S as her daily driver. So far, we are extremely happy with the Audi. Here are my observations to add to what has already been said:


- I agree with the comments on the Audi steering being "numb". It's an electric boost like the Macan, but it's too numb. Even in "dynamic mode", there just isn't too much feel. The Cayenne that we are replacing is much better in this regard, as is the Macan.
- The supercharged Audi engine is great, and it sounds great. The exhaust has baffles that open up in dynamic mode, much like Porsche Sport Exhaust. It sounds very good when you push it, with lots of nice burble from the exhaust in upshifts and downshifts.
- While it doesn't compare to PDK, I find the 8-speed tiptronic transmission in the Audi to be quite good. In automatic or comfort mode, it does tend to push into higher gears as quickly as possible, which is annoying. In dynamic mode, it's much more fun to drive. It's as good as a tiptronic transmission can get.
- The SQ5 does have a bit more cargo space than the Macan. It's probably not an issue for most people, but it might be for some people.
- The upgraded interior of the SQ5 really sets it apart from the standard Q5. I opted for the extended leather package and the carbon fiber trim package. It's very nice. The sport seats in the SQ5 are very nice too.


Overall, I'm happy with the purchase. I would have been happy with the Macan too, no doubt. They are both excellent vehicles.