Not too big and not too small the latest Porsche Macan is arguably the ultimate compact performance SUV.
When the Porsche Macan first launched eight years ago, the authenticity of Porsche’s compact SUV was immediately called into question. Is it a real Porsche? Is Ferdinand turning in his grave? Fast-forward to 2021, and in indubitable Porsche fashion, the bits that have changed on the new Macan are not immediately obvious, which is reassuring to diehards and perhaps a little foolhardy for winning new clientele.
The styling keeps close to its neat and tidy predecessor – besides the newer, bigger wheels (up to 21-inch), remoulded front and rear bumpers and that distinctive one-piece tail light. It does little to rock the boat, nor draw critical acclaim in a fast-changing segment either, but its reworking is clean, compact and the end product sturdy; just like a baby Cayenne should be.
The interior is immediately recognisable and familiar, courtesy of its signature sloping, raised transmission tunnel and a dashboard that reaches out to meet the driver, providing that cocooned sports-car feeling. But it isn’t without its drawbacks, though. The new touchscreen up top is excellent, controlling all infotainment and whatnot. However, the old-school buttons machine running down the length of the transmission tunnel does date the new car somewhat.
All is forgiven when you slide behind the wheel, though. The driving position is low and purposeful for a compact SUV, as is the three-dial analogue driver display with the rev counter in the centre, in true Porsche fashion once again. For the price, new buyers might expect more digital wizardry from the Volkswagen Group parts bin. The updated steering wheel is a work of art: borrowed from the sportiest Porsches, wrapped in suede and with beautiful paddle shifters for the 7-speed PDK gearbox.
It’s impossible to alter the hard-points of a car this late in its life cycle, so interior space for rear passengers is really not cavernous compared to newer offerings on the market. Boot-wise, you get 500 litres with the rear seats in place and 1 500 litres with them folded away. Wunderbar.
The top-dog Turbo engine we’ve been sampling is new to the Macan range, making a suitably gravelly and alluring six-cylinder growl, so you’ll immediately identify it as a Porsche motor – although it does also do service in a few Audi Sport products. It’s the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 of course, punting out 324 kW and 550 Nm, ensuring a 0–100 km/h sprint, with launch control engaged, in a sports car-like 4.3 sec, which is three tenths quicker than the previous 3.6-litre Turbo. The standard Macan is steel sprung, while the Macan Turbo includes air suspension, benefiting from an adjustable ride height that can be raised by as much as 40 mm, and then lowered a further 15 mm when you’re in the hunt for some corners, as we most certainly were.
Furthermore, you can also option Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), both of which are signature Porsche technologies and do all their clever things mid-corner to reduce excessive pitch and roll. It is something that we were grateful to have optioned on our 500 km thrash through the picturesque Western Cape countryside, up and down the remarkable Du Toits Kloof, Shaw’s Mountain and Bainskloof passes. The twin-turbo, all-wheel drive Porsche powered over these gorgeous stretches of road with imperious alacrity. The handling for a tall-riding SUV is simply stunning, particularly with Sport+ engaged on the new steering wheel rotary selector.
The Turbo is plenty fast enough and its downsized-turbo engine will prove more economical in daily use than you might imagine. More than that, there is a genuinely tenacious, sporty character to it. The only question is, with your sensible slacks on, should you spend a little less on a bigger, more practical Cayenne S that retails for R1 451 000 versus this vehicle for R1 699 000? Perhaps you should, as it shares the exact same twin-turbo drivetrain. Hmm, food for thought.
Photography: Courtesy Images
