2022 Porsche Macan vs 2022 Lincoln Nautilus

Porsche introduced the Macan in 2015, aiming to expand its market with a smaller, more affordable SUV positioned below the Cayenne. By 2022, the Macan had retained much of its original design, despite regular updates to its lineup, styling, wheels, and paint options. The 2022 model featured a refreshed look, larger standard wheels, and a new center console with haptic touch controls, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality. The Macan lineup included the base model, Macan S, and Macan GTS, with the latter two benefiting from more powerful engines. Our test vehicle, a Macan S, came with nearly $20,000 in extras, including performance upgrades and a striking Volcano Gray paint job. The Macan's design, with its sloping hood and athletic stance, continued to exude a sporty and upscale vibe.

Inside, the Macan drew inspiration from other Porsche models, featuring a left-side ignition switch, a large central tachometer, and a flat, wide dashboard. The test vehicle's red leather, gloss black trim, and silver accents created a luxurious and sporty cabin. The new center console, while sleek, required drivers to look away from the road to use its touch-sensitive controls. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Macan's interior remained a testament to Porsche's commitment to quality and performance.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus, especially in the Black Label trim with 21-inch machined-finish wheels, was an attractive SUV with a balanced and detailed design. At night, the Lincoln Embrace lighting sequence added a touch of elegance. Inside, the Black Label model offered two design themes: Chalet and the new-for-2022 Flight. Our test vehicle featured the Chalet theme with light gray premium leather upholstery, while the Flight theme offered a classy Luggage Tan color. The Black Label trim included nearly every available feature, along with a simulated suede headliner and luxury floor mats, creating a decadent interior. However, some chrome-plated plastic pieces and the center console design felt a bit cheap.

The Nautilus had a starting MSRP of $44,225, with the Black Label model starting at $66,825. Our test vehicle, equipped with Ultra Comfort 22-way power-adjustable front seats with Active Motion massage, was priced at $68,325. These seats proved perfect for long drives, providing exceptional comfort. The Nautilus excelled as a road-tripper, offering a quiet and comfortable ride, a 19-speaker Revel audio system, and a panoramic sunroof for stargazing. Despite its shared engineering with the Ford Edge, the Nautilus Black Label delivered a luxurious and enjoyable driving experience.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered a range of powerful engines. The base model featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, an improvement over the 2021 model. The Macan GTS inherited the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 from the previous Macan Turbo, delivering 434 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Our Macan S test vehicle came with a new engine for 2022, a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 producing 375 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. With the optional Sport Chrono Package and launch control, it could accelerate to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.

All Macans featured a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission and a fully variable all-wheel-drive system. Porsche re-tuned the 2022 Macan's steering and suspension for improved ride and handling. The Macan S also came with larger 20-inch standard wheels and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive damping suspension. Our test vehicle included optional Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+) and Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB). The Macan S delivered a thrilling driving experience, with responsive steering, excellent grip, and powerful brakes. However, the brake pedal required more effort than expected to initiate a stop. The Macan S achieved an as-tested fuel economy of 18.1 mpg, close to the EPA rating of 19 mpg.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus offered two engine options. The standard and Reserve models came with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive as an option. The Black Label model featured a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, requiring all-wheel drive.

The Nautilus offered Comfort, Normal, and Sport driving modes, adjusting powertrain behavior, steering effort, and adaptive suspension. In Comfort mode, the SUV felt too soft, while Sport mode made the steering too heavy. Normal mode provided the best balance. During a road trip from Los Angeles to Scottsdale, Arizona, the Nautilus proved comfortable and efficient, averaging 25 mpg over 871.1 miles. The twin-turbo V6 delivered strong performance, and the 21-inch wheels provided impressive grip. However, the steering lacked engagement, despite the SUV's grace and athleticism on mountain roads.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered a comfortable experience for the driver and front-seat passenger. Our Macan S test vehicle featured the optional Premium Package with 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation. However, for spirited driving, the optional Adaptive Sports Seats Plus were recommended. The rear seats were cramped, especially for taller passengers, but entry and exit were easy, and the seats were supportive. The new steering wheels, modeled after the 911 sports car, felt a bit thin and uncomfortable after extended driving. The redesigned center console with haptic touch controls looked sleek but required drivers to look away from the road to use them. Cargo space measured 17.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label featured smooth leather, ambient lighting, and a quiet cabin thanks to Active Noise Control and acoustic glass. Both front seats were heated and ventilated, with the optional 22-way power front seats offering multiple massage programs and adjustable thigh extensions and head restraints. The rear seats were heated, but legroom was tight for a midsize SUV. Practical storage space was adequate, though some areas were hard to access. The hands-free power liftgate revealed 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 68.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

The 2022 Porsche Macan came with a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system called Porsche Communication Management (PCM). It included wireless Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, navigation, and connected services. A 10-speaker sound system was standard, with options to upgrade to a Bose or Burmester audio system. The user interface was intuitive, though some icons were perplexing. The voice recognition system worked correctly about half the time, and Android users were out of luck as the system only supported Apple CarPlay. Fortunately, frequently adjusted features like stereo volume and climate controls were separate from the touchscreen.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system running Sync 4 software, along with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display. Sync 4 offered over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Lincoln Connect connected services, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. Our Black Label test vehicle included connected navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Revel audio system. The user interface was intuitive, and the natural voice recognition system worked well. The Revel speakers provided excellent sound quality. The Nautilus also offered Phone as a Key, turning your smartphone into a digital key.

The 2022 Porsche Macan came with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and a reversing camera. Blind-spot monitoring was optional and included in our test vehicle's Premium Package. The Macan also offered a surround-view camera and Park Assist system, which could steer the vehicle into parking spaces. However, more advanced driving assistance tech was limited to the larger Porsche Cayenne. Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS had published safety ratings for the Macan.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Black Label added Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0 Plus, with adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistance, evasive steering assist, a surround-view camera system, and parking sensors. The Black Label also included a semi-autonomous parking assist system. The NHTSA gave the Nautilus a five-star overall rating, with a four-star rating for rollover resistance. The IIHS had not assessed the Nautilus for safety.