2024 Porsche Macan E review: New electric Porsche

We all know how Porsche options can be, so we went wild on the configurator and created three distinct versions of the new electric SUV.

With any new Porsche, one of our favorite exercises is to spend time futzing around with the online configurator. The automaker is known for offering a wide range of customization options and extras that make for an endless set of possibilities for how to spec your vehicle—whether you're shopping for one in real life or just playing pretend like us. This all applies to the latest new Porsche, the electric version of the Macan compact SUV, that was just revealed. With two versions offered, we took to the 2024 Macan EV's build-your-own tool to see how differently we could each assemble our combination of colors, trims, and add-ons. Unsurprisingly, we all ended up with vehicles in the six-figure price range, despite the Macan's somewhat reasonable $80,450 starting price.

I really did try to keep control of my spending while building out my ideal Macan EV, but I failed. There are so many good options and I couldn't help myself. I started with the less-expensive 4 trim, which starts at $80,450, but immediately spent $2490 painting it in Oak Green Metallic Neo and $4750 on 22-inch Exclusive Design wheels finished in $1290 worth of gold paint that Porsche calls Neodyme. Slay.

For the interior, I chose Truffle Brown leather, which covers the seats, doors, dashboard, center console, and steering wheel for $3820. To match the wheels, I chose interior accents in that same Neodyme color for $530. The Premium package seemed like a decent value at $3900, because it adds 14-way power-adjustable comfort seats, four-zone automatic climate control, upgraded LED Matrix headlights, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats. It also adds a 14-speaker Bose audio system or, for $4700, Porsche will upgrade that to a 21-speaker Burmester setup. Guess which one I chose.

After all these options have been added—all $21,480 of them—and the destination fee is taken into account, my Oak Green Macan EV 4 rings up at $101,930. At first blush, that seems like far too much to spend for a compact luxury crossover. But considering its electric powertrain and the sticker prices of other EVs in this class, I think I could have done worse. –Drew Dorian