Porsche Macan S: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Porsche Macan S: 11 model years scored from 103 NHTSA owner complaints and 20 recall campaigns. Worst year 2017, best year 2018.
Porsche Macan S: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Porsche Macan S ranges from 42/100 in 2017 to 90/100 in 2019 — a 48-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy a Macan S at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Air Bags (24 of them).
Avoid: 2017 — scored below 45 on the complaint and recall record.
Safest years: 2015, 2018, 2019 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2018 (score 83). Worst: 2017 (score 42, AVOID).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,530 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,670 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,810 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,950 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,890 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,030 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 90 | BUY | $5,170 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 83 | BUY | $5,512 | 1 | 5 |
| 2017 | 42 | AVOID | $5,786 | 65 | 4 |
| 2016 | 67 | CAUTION | $5,844 | 29 | 5 |
| 2015 | 81 | BUY | $5,943 | 8 | 5 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Macan S sub-models & family
What goes wrong on the Porsche Macan S
Across every Macan S model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Air Bags39 complaints across all Macan S years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
- Service Brakes14 complaints across all Macan S years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Engine14 complaints across all Macan S years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Steering11 complaints across all Macan S years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System6 complaints across all Macan S years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System5 complaints across all Macan S years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
Which Porsche Macan S years should I avoid?
On the NHTSA record the years to avoid are 2017 — each scores below 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. The 2017 is the weakest at 42/100, with its complaints concentrated in Air Bags.
What are the best Porsche Macan S years to buy?
2015, 2018, 2019 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2019 at 90/100, on 0 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Porsche Macan S problem?
39 of the complaints filed against the Macan S across all its model years sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component.
Compare with
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04