Macan can
Porsche makes a major push for the mid-size SUV market with the latest 2.0-litre variant. But can the entry-level Macan still deliver the same driving pleasure? We find out…
Under the hood, the junior Macan shares the same lump as the Volkswagen Golf R we tested last quarter though tuned slightly lower here. The 2.0-litre chucks out a decent 237bhp while torque is at 350Nm from 1,500rpm. Despite being more than 100bhp off the mid-range Macan S, junior here is no slouch. Power is efficiently and usefully spread throughout the seven speed PDK gearbox.
Century sprint takes just 6.9 seconds considering it weighs nearly 1.7 tons. On the road the early access to those 350Nm of torque means the car feels poky and alive. Slower traffic is dispatched with ease.
The car feels most alive in Sports mode where the throttle and steering are sharpened while the fixed rate dampers are unaffected. Taking it through the bends, the Macan feels every bit as involving as other products in the Porsche range. Steering is sharp and accurate and the SUV willingly flows smoothly from bend to bend, apex to apex.
The firm suspension means there’s remarkably very little body roll in the bends. And despite the firm suspension, the damping is dutifully controlled and comfortable.
Of course when compared with other Macan variants the junior might not be as brisk but when viewed in isolation, it is properly brilliant and there’s no denying the dynamic superiority of the Porsche platform. And the Macan apepars even more dominating when compared with the Audi Q5 and the new BMW X4.
Priced close enough to worry the new X4, while being dynamically and visually superior, there’s very little stopping brand conscious buyers from adding to the growing list of Macan orders.
Credits: Story and Photos by Benjamin G. Kline
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