The electrically adjusted front seats provide solid support and long-journey comfort, but the optional 18-way, variable-bolster sports seats are even better (and costlier at the same time).
Whatever the seating package, visibility is excellent in every direction, although the rear view mirror, stylishly shaped to match the rear windscreen, should provide a wider view. It’s easy for the driver to “place” the vehicle, whether in the confines of town or out in the expansive (European) countryside.
And the all-wheel-drive Macan doesn’t mind getting dirty, tackling part of the massive 18-section off-road course at Porsche’s Leipzig facility without any trouble. Admittedly, the dirt tracks, angled inclines and steep ascents/descents would probably be a walk in the park, too, for something like the Range Rover Evoque (a major rival), but considering the sporty personality of the Macan, its outdoorsy 4×4 capability is a bonus.
Venturing off the beaten path in the car is stress-free (apart from worrying about scratching the lovely alloy rims on rocks and whatnot), thanks to convenient one-button activation of the off-road mode.
Operational between 0km/h and 80km/h, said mode modifies all the relevant systems accordingly for optimum traction and maximum safety.
Another button activates the Porsche Hill Control system, which enables the vehicle to negotiate a downslope at a preset speed of between 3km/h and 30km/h, depending on the driver and his level of gung-ho. It’ll be plain sailing for this SUV in Singapore’s ulu areas and urban carparks.
But more important than the Macan’s ability to venture off the beaten track is its ability on the racetrack – in this case, the challenging circuit within the same Porsche facility.
Keeping up with the pace car, a 911 Carrera, is easier in the Turbo than in the S, but both Macan models (shod with upsized 265/45 R20 front and 295/40 R20 rear Michelin Latitude HP Tour tyres) are equally enthusiastic on the circuit.
Their body control is so good that at some point, they could be mistaken for chubby Caymans on stilts (or should that be Caymen?). And their steering feel is spot-on, albeit a little over-assisted, even with the adaptive dampers in their stiffest configuration, Sport Plus. The two Macans generate more grip than I need, and they spear through corners with verve. Clearly, these Porsches are serious about prioritising the “sports” in sports utility.
So, the Macan is a seriously sporty SUV. It’s also a seriously stylish SUV, but not to the extent suggested by Porsche, whose design description for its newcomer includes “the rear wings take their cue from the 911”, “the spoiler lip follows the style of the 918” and “it’s deeply rooted in Porsche’s legacy of sports cars”.
The most accurate part of the official design description is this quote from Porsche chief designer Michael Mauer: “The Macan is not a miniature Cayenne.”
Without a doubt, the Macan isn’t a downsized Cayenne – it’s rakish by SUV styling standards and has extremely pretty “3-D” LED tail-lights. But it’s still a high-riding five-door hatchback, albeit one that, unsurprisingly, makes the Cayenne look rather frumpy.
The surprise is the car’s clamshell bonnet, which encloses the headlights and forms part of the front fenders. It helps to keep the nose neat, but it’s also more costly to repair/replace after a collision (a Porsche engineer told me that his company has adjusted the cost of relevant replacement parts accordingly).
To my bespectacled eyes, the Macan’s aesthetic appeal appears to be colour-sensitive, with my favourite being Sapphire Blue (a special metallic paint job from Porsche Exclusive). I also prefer the round tailpipes of the Macan S to the squarish tailpipes of the Macan Turbo, with their respective shapes possibly meant to match their frontal foglamps (round on the S and rectangular on the Turbo).
Porsche’s new compact SUV was launched in Singapore in July 2014, and the local dealership is believed to have already taken over 150 orders. That might have been the Macan’s biggest magic trick of all.
Porsche Macan S 3.0 (A)
ENGINE 2997cc, 24-valves, V6, turbocharged
MAX POWER 340hp at 5500-6500rpm
MAX TORQUE 460Nm at 1450-5000rpm
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100KM/H 5.4 seconds
TOP SPEED 254km/h
CONSUMPTION 11.5km/L (combined)
Porsche Macan Turbo 3.6 (A)
ENGINE 3604cc, 24-valves, V6, turbocharged
MAX POWER 400hp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 550Nm at 4500rpm
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100KM/H 4.8 seconds
TOP SPEED 266km/h
CONSUMPTION 11.2km/L (combined)
Click here to read about the Porsche Macan Turbo with Performance Package
Click here to read about the 2016 Porsche Macan GTS
