Compare the2026 BMW X3VS 2025 Porsche Macan

The X3’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Macan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the X3 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Macan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The X3 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Macan doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The X3 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Macan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X3 has a standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Macan doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The BMW X3’s optional Surround View offers available integrated front and rear camera washers, ensuring clear, all-weather visibility without the need for manual cleaning. In contrast, the Porsche Macan lacks camera washers, requiring you to manually clean the cameras for optimal performance.

The X3 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Macan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the X3’s standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and automatically engage the brakes. The Macan doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the X3 and the Macan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Macan (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 73 percent more BMW dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X3’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X3’s reliability 16 points higher than the Macan.

The X3 has more powerful engines than the Macan:

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the Macan:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW X3 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Porsche Macan (4). This means the X3 produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Macan every 15,000 miles.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW X3, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Macan.

The X3 stops shorter than the Macan:

For better traction, the X3 has larger standard tires than the Macan (245/50R19 vs. 235/55R19).

The X3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Macan’s standard 55 series front tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X3’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the Macan (112.8 inches vs. 110.5 inches).

The X3’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.5% to 49.5%) than the Macan’s (55.7% to 44.3%). This gives the X3 more stable handling and braking.

The X3 30 xDrive handles at .91 G’s, while the Macan pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the X3 M50 xDrive has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan (8.3 vs. 8 inches), allowing the X3 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the X3’s rear seats recline. The Macan’s rear seats don’t recline.

The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Macan with its rear seat up (31.5 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Macan with its rear seat folded (67.1 vs. 53.1 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the X3’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Macan doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the X3’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Macan doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Maximum trailer towing in the Porsche Macan is limited to 4409 pounds. The X3 offers up to a 4850 lbs. towing capacity.

The X3 offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The X3 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Macan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X3’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Macan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X3 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Macan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The X3’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Macan’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X3 and the Porsche Macan, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X3 outsold the Porsche Macan by almost three to one during 2024.