[LuisBoston]

Very interesting review regarding the Macan EV. I'd typically shy from creating a thread on this in the iX forum, but the fact that the reviewer specifically calls out the iX in praise relative to the Macan is significant.

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/202...rm-update.html

Frankly, our Macan's interior is just boring. Now, you can make it a brighter place to be with more interesting colors and textures, but you'd have to spend even more money.

Thinking back on previous cars from our One-Year Road Test fleet, the Macan is a stark contrast to another electric crossover we tested: the BMW iX. Manager of written content Cameron Rogers said it best: "My first thought when stepping into the iX's cabin for the first time: 'Oh wow, BMW is really going for it these days, aren't they?'"

He wasn't the only one. Our iX's logbook was awash with praise for the SUV's far-from-traditional interior design and material choice (pictured above). Sure, it can be had in the same black-on-black configuration as our Macan, but there are interesting shapes and textures regardless of color palette.

Not one member of our staff has complimented the Macan EV's interior in a similar way. The fact of the matter is that you're paying far too much for what you get. Our iX cost similar money — a cool $102,070, to be exact — but it was the most expensive iX you could get at the time, and that's before you account for the fact that it's a physically bigger car with equipment (standard or otherwise) our Porsche doesn't have.

[exxxviii]

That interior quote is very different from the way I perceive these cars. A friend of mine had a Taycan, which has a similar interior look. My take is that the iX is more futuristic and sparse while the Macan is more conventional. Stuff like the hooded dash, center console, HVAC controls, etc. are all conventional to me, not boring. It is the same as the Audi - I like how they created a highly conventional design in those. And all-leather surfaces are definitely not boring.

I can see how the iX would blow that away. The iX is just spectacular, nothing less.

The glaring criticism missing from that review is Macan’s lack of one pedal driving. That is an absolute deal breaker for me. Edmunds failed its readers by omitting this. OPD is one of the features that makes BEV so awesome.

[Jeff661]

That’s one of the harshest car reviews I’ve ever seen.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by Jeff661

That’s one of the harshest car reviews I ever seen.

This review was focused on the interior and how they didn't like it considering the price point but even the writer admits they could have optioned a better or more visually interesting one and chose not to. Chosing to keep a dark interior and then complaining about how dark it is comes off as a dumb complaint to me. The article would have been better written as a comparison of well and poorly specced versions of the car highlighting the fact that the default interior is not good enough and that owners should really consider upgrading it.

Originally Posted by exxxviii

.
The glaring criticism missing from that review is Macan’s lack of one pedal driving. That is an absolute deal breaker for me. Edmunds failed its readers by omitting this. OPD is one of the features that makes BEV so awesome.

Not everyone loves OPD and in a car with a well blended brake pedal that maximises regen it is not something that important to the people who aren't smitten over it already. But this review skipped on a million other things about the car and focused on what they felt was an interior not worthy of a 100k car. So I think it is normal that they didn't talk about OPD at all.

[vitaman]

Love reading comparisons between these 2 cars. Surprised there are not more! These were my final 2 contenders when I started my search a few months ago.Porsche won on: Seat comfort, acceleration, handling, heads up display, Frunk,Paint colors/interior colors and sound system. BMW won on cargo space, screen display, Brake regeneration.Main difference? BMW was close on its losses but not having brake regeneration and thus 1 pedal driving catapaulted the BMW past its rival with a big win. It speaks to Porsche's indifference to the glory of EVs and firmly plants its preferences towards ICE.

Originally Posted by exxxviii

That interior quote is very different from the way I perceive these cars. A friend of mine had a Taycan, which has a similar interior look. My take is that the iX is more futuristic and sparse while the Macan is more conventional. Stuff like the hooded dash, center console, HVAC controls, etc. are all conventional to me, not boring. It is the same as the Audi - I like how they created a highly conventional design in those. And all-leather surfaces are definitely not boring.

I can see how the iX would blow that away. The iX is just spectacular, nothing less.

The glaring criticism missing from that review is Macan’s lack of one pedal driving. That is an absolute deal breaker for me. Edmunds failed its readers by omitting this. OPD is one of the features that makes BEV so awesome.

[NomoTesla]

OPD is objectively a superior way to drive a performance vehicle. Porsche is 100% wrong.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

OPD is objectively a superior way to drive a performance vehicle. Porsche is 100% wrong.

100% disagree with this.

Porsche should offer it on their EVs for those that want it.

Blended brake pedal is better for everyday driving, unless you like making your passengers sick, OPD can be very nice to use in very slow traffic situations but I don't know if I can call it better, and blended brake pedal is better for sporty driving/braking. It allows you to left foot brake if you want that immediate bite without losing 1/10 of a second to switch your right foot to the brake. Pressing the pedal down is a much more intuitive way of braking and provides feedback that lifting off from a pedal cannot.

[exxxviii]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

OPD is objectively a superior way to drive a performance vehicle. Porsche is 100% wrong.

Originally Posted by ggalanis

100% disagree with this.

Porsche should offer it on their EVs for those that want it.

Ditto above. OPD is vastly superior for urban and suburban driving. But it is dangerous for performance driving.

Porsche should offer OPD as an option for regular driving and then the ability to turn it off for performance driving. Just like BMW.

[LuisBoston]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

OPD is objectively a superior way to drive a performance vehicle. Porsche is 100% wrong.

Originally Posted by ggalanis

100% disagree with this.

Porsche should offer it on their EVs for those that want it.

Blended brake pedal is better for everyday driving, unless you like making your passengers sick, OPD can be very nice to use in very slow traffic situations but I don't know if I can call it better, and blended brake pedal is better for sporty driving/braking. It allows you to left foot brake if you want that immediate bite without losing 1/10 of a second to switch your right foot to the brake. Pressing the pedal down is a much more intuitive way of braking and provides feedback that lifting off from a pedal cannot.

I did autocross for the first time the other day and I have to say: I wish the car I was driving had OPD - it would have made a big difference to help modulate my speed more precisely.

[ubercruise]

To me OPD is slightly smoother than regular two pedal driving in normal day-to-day. You should be able to modulate your speed, acceleration and deceleration in either mode to not seesaw up and down, but I just find it easier and slightly less fatiguing to just use the accelerator pedal 95% of the time. You do need a bit of ankle control I suppose and comfortability to know where the tipping point is between accelerating and decelerating. Plus, auto holding at red lights is great without needing to have my foot on the brake.

[exxxviii]

Originally Posted by LuisBoston

I did autocross for the first time the other day and I have to say: I wish the car I was driving had OPD - it would have made a big difference to help modulate my speed more precisely.

What kind of car? In a balanced car, like a Taycan or Cayman, and OPD mistake would only slide you sideways. But in a car like a 911, an OPD mistake would spin you almost instantaneously.

[Revan24]

One pedal driving is the way

[Louis_BE]

Didn't look at it yet, but I have both and let me tell you the Macan is better in driving and I like the cocoon interior way more then the open space in the iX (personal perf). The iX is more practical and rear passenger prefer it ... both are nice cars, but I take the Macan every time over the iX, the driving dynamics are on another level, smaller, lighter, more agile ...

[NomoTesla]

Originally Posted by ggalanis

100% disagree with this.

Porsche should offer it on their EVs for those that want it.

Blended brake pedal is better for everyday driving, unless you like making your passengers sick, OPD can be very nice to use in very slow traffic situations but I don't know if I can call it better, and blended brake pedal is better for sporty driving/braking. It allows you to left foot brake if you want that immediate bite without losing 1/10 of a second to switch your right foot to the brake. Pressing the pedal down is a much more intuitive way of braking and provides feedback that lifting off from a pedal cannot.

Pressing the brake pedal on the iX does not give you "bite". It engages regen in the exact same manner as lifting off the accelerator. Friction brakes only engage if you slam on the brakes, which is rarely the case for most people.

Pressing the brake pedal, engaging regen, feels exactly the same as gently lifting off the accelerator in B mode. In fact, the software treats both exactly the same way.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

Pressing the brake pedal on the iX does not give you "bite". It engages regen in the exact same manner as lifting off the accelerator. Friction brakes only engage if you slam on the brakes, which is rarely the case for most people.

Pressing the brake pedal, engaging regen, feels exactly the same as gently lifting off the accelerator in B mode. In fact, the software treats both exactly the same way.

Yes I know they do the same thing in the end and with enough practice one can be just as smooth using OPD as they would be with the brake pedal. My argument is that one input method is better than the other, easier to modulate, delivers better feedback, comes more naturally, etc.

IMHO OPD and regeneration on liftoff were crutches that were needed in the beginning when they weren't able to design a good blended brake pedal. They were the only way of benefiting from regen as at that time any braking using the pedal would mean wasted energy. Now that cars like the iX have essentially perfect blended brakes, they are better than using OPD and Regen on liftoff.

If OPD was truly a better way of inputting braking/slowing then why does no company afaik go full OPD and make the single pedal do a full panic stop when you liftoff completely? It could easily be done but the reasons are that, especially under hard braking, it just would work as well and would not be as safe.

If you like OPD that's fine. I don't mind and think companies should continue to offer people choices, but just like I like to drive with a single thumb on the bottom of the steering wheel when using the radar cruise control in the iX for a long drive, I may like doing it, and i am glad the car allows me to but I can admit it is not as good not as safe as holding the wheel properly and when shit hits the fan, you bet I'm going to gorilla palm the wheel with both hands in order to do an evasive maneuver or do a hard brake.

[thebishman]

‘If OPD was truly a better way of inputting braking/slowing then why does no company afaik go full OPD and make the single pedal do a full panic stop when you liftoff completely? It could easily be done but the reasons are that, especially under hard braking, it just would work as well and would not be as safe.’

I was just reading this week that you could in fact do away with mechanical brakes today in a modern EV, and ‘extreme’ regeneration would slow/stop the vehicle just as quickly. But the regulations won’t allow for that currently.
This mechanical brakes issue not even being required is especially important for a vehicle with Axial Flux motors in the wheel hub; saving a lot of weight.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by thebishman

‘If OPD was truly a better way of inputting braking/slowing then why does no company afaik go full OPD and make the single pedal do a full panic stop when you liftoff completely? It could easily be done but the reasons are that, especially under hard braking, it just would work as well and would not be as safe.’

I was just reading this week that you could in fact do away with mechanical brakes today in a modern EV, and ‘extreme’ regeneration would slow/stop the vehicle just as quickly. But the regulations won’t allow for that currently.
This mechanical brakes issue not even being required is especially important for a vehicle with Axial Flux motors in the wheel hub; saving a lot of weight.

They should never allow for complete removal of the mechanical brakes as the mechanical ones can not only outperform current regen brakes, but even if you could regen stronger than good brakes can slow you down, they cannot do the same at high SOC due to the nature of batteries and how they charge and you would have to deal with that somehow as well. But I am not even talking about using Regen, you could make lifting off the pedal actuate mechanical brakes mimicking you slamming on the brakes all the way down. There is a good reason no company has done this anywhere.

[vitaman]

"the Macan is better in driving and I like the cocoon interior way more then the open space in the iX (personal perf). The iX is more practical and rear passenger prefer it ... both are nice cars, but I take the Macan every time over the iX, the driving dynamics are on another level, smaller, lighter, more agile"
It's really weird but you are right. It is more agile, it handles better, it has an outstanding interior, for most enthusiasts the Porsche is simply a better car.
Similarly equipped the Macan costs about $5,000 more than the BMW putting them in the same range.(the M70 maxes out around 120K....similarly equipped Porsche is 125K but closer to maxed out it's about 142K). But even if the price point was higher on the BMW by 5-10K I would still buy it over the Macan. Having the choice for OPD is that important for me.

[EV Fan]

Originally Posted by thebishman

I was just reading this week that you could in fact do away with mechanical brakes today in a modern EV, and ‘extreme’ regeneration would slow/stop the vehicle just as quickly. But the regulations won’t allow for that currently.

I would never use that extreme version of OPD. Right now if I misapply OPD, e.g., when coming out of cruise control, it slows uncomfortably, but with the extreme version it'd go into a panic braking state that would be extremely unsafe for unaware passengers and the car behind.

[danchee]

Question for those using OPD and cruise control. Do you step on the pedal and guess you've stepped enough to maintain the speed then disable cruise so you don't get this sudden jerk slowing the car down because it goes full regen since you aren't stepping on the pedal?

[darylp310]

Originally Posted by danchee

Question for those using OPD and cruise control. Do you step on the pedal and guess you've stepped enough to maintain the speed then disable cruise so you don't get this sudden jerk slowing the car down because it goes full regen since you aren't stepping on the pedal?

Exactly, in OPD mode you need to put your foot on the accelerator as you disengage ADAS in order to maintain speed. It's second nature to me now after driving this car for two years. I don't even think about.

Also it's now second nature to 'double click' and immediately to go into [B] OPD mode when I start the car each time. Funny to think back about how initially it was so annoying, but within a month your brain just learns to do it unconsciously and there's no longer any mental friction! First world problems for sure!!

[LVBMW]

Originally Posted by danchee

Question for those using OPD and cruise control. Do you step on the pedal and guess you've stepped enough to maintain the speed then disable cruise so you don't get this sudden jerk slowing the car down because it goes full regen since you aren't stepping on the pedal?

The car does such a great job in assist and assist plus mode that I rarely find the need to disable them myself manually while in motion. I suppose you could switch back into D mode before doing so if you wanted to do it that way.