Compare the2024 Porsche MacanVS 2024 Lincoln Nautilus

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Macan. But it costs extra on the Nautilus.

Both the Macan and the Nautilus 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, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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, available blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The Macan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in initial quality. With 41 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Lincoln is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 15 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

The Macan has more powerful engines than the Nautilus:

Regenerative brakes improve the Macan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Macan offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Nautilus doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Macan GTS’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

The Macan’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Macan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (F:265/40R21 & R:295/35R21 vs. 255/60R19).

The Macan’s standard 235/55R19 front and 255/50R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series front and 50 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ standard 60 series tires. The Macan’s optional 265/40R21 front and 295/35R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Nautilus’ optional 45 series tires.

The Macan has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Macan’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For greater off-road capability the Macan has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Nautilus (8.9 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Macan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Macan is 7.1 inches shorter than the Nautilus, making the Macan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Macan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Nautilus doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Macan’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (4409 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Management on the Macan uses the Porsche Stability Management sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Nautilus doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the Macan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Nautilus. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Lincoln. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 25% lower rating, Lincoln is ranked 12th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Nautilus, the Macan offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Macan’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Nautilus has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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

The Macan was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 6 more times in the last 8 years. The Nautilus has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Porsche Macan outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by 11% during 2023.