2015 Porsche Macan: A Racing SUV!

When Porsche released the Cayenne in 2003, a lot of people thought the German brand’s end was nigh. How wrong they were! Now Porsche is releasing another new model: the Macan, a luxury compact SUV.

In Canada, the Macan will initially be offered in two trim levels, the S and the Turbo. For now, the diesel version is destined for other markets only, but it will come to North America once they’ve sorted out the harmful emissions issues.

• Also: Spotlight on the 2015 Porsche Macan
• Also: The Porsche Macan Goes Into Production

Lowdown on the Macan

The Macan is roughly the same size as the Audi Q5, which comes as no surprise since it is closely derived from it. Inside, we immediately noticed that the cabin is not the largest in the category, and our suspicion is supported by the fact that Porsche hasn’t released the interior dimensions. The rear seats aren’t the most generous, nor is the trunk, which can only hold 500 litres when the seat backs are up (slightly less than the Q5). When the seatbacks are down, it’s 1500 litres. There’s no spare tire under the floor; instead there’s a storage compartment that will no doubt come in handy.

The Macan looks like a Junior Cayenne, but I found its exterior more balanced. In my view, the only questionable aspect is the strip that runs along the lower part of the body and comes in black, charcoal or the body colour. Some of the colour combinations are a little, uh, special, you might say.

The dashboard should feel familiar to experienced Porsche drivers. Buttons, buttons everywhere! To think that we journalists have come down hard on Acura for including so many buttons, but when it’s Porsche and the car costs twice as much, we’re more apt to accept them. Like all Porsche products, there’s a huge rev counter right in front of the driver, and the front seats are supremely comfortable and well-made.

Happiness is a great engine

A Porsche is an engine. They didn’t skimp on power for the Macan (or for any Porsche product, now that we think about it!). The entry-level engine, if you want to call it that, is a 3.0-litre V6 with twin turbochargers that produces 340 horsepower from 5,500 to 6,500 rpm and 339 lb.-ft. of torque between 1,450 and 5,000 rpm. According to Porsche, the Macan can jet from 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, which seems feasible to us in normal conditions. The only transmission available is a seven-speed, dual-clutch PDK. And it goes without saying that the Macan comes with all-wheel drive.

That was the Macan S. The Turbo comes with a twin-turbo 3.6-litre V6 that unleashes 400 ponies at 6,000 rpm and 406 lb.-ft. of torque between 1,350 and 4,500 rpm. It charges to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds! Its transmission and AWD system are the same as on the S. Both trims come with a multi-link suspension (front and rear) that makes extensive use of aluminium.

The AWD system is derived from the 911 Carrera 4, but has been modified for maximum traction on the race track as opposed to climbing Everest. There’s no low-range gearing and you can’t lock the differential(s). Fair enough! When you activate Off Road mode, only the first two gears are used, creating a Lo effect. Meanwhile, the Hill Descent system is great for safely tackling abrupt downhills without having to lean on the brakes. It makes off-roading seem like a Sunday drive! It’s more than enough to get you to the cabin, no matter how muddy or bumpy the road is.

On the road again

During the test, I drove the Turbo first. Now, there’s an energetic car! Just nudge the accelerator and the car launches forward with a growl. The Turbo’s road hold is impressive, its steering is precise and communicative (though occasionally a bit heavy), and roll is practically non-existent. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until you select Sport mode—or Sport+ if your nerves are up to it! The only hiccup in an otherwise flawless performance was the Start-Stop system, as it cuts the engine when the car is stationary but then restarts rather obtrusively. Fortunately, if you don’t like it, you can just deactivate it. The suspension is firm, even in Normal mode, so you can just imagine what it’s like at its firmest.

Then I tested the S. Obviously, its performance is less extreme and its 3.0-litre engine puts less of a strain on your eardrums, but its steering is just as precise and slightly less heavy. The suspension felt a little softer, though I’m using the term “soft” in the Porsche sense. In both trims, I found the PDK transmission a little sluggish in the Normal automatic mode, but once you select Sport or Sport+, shifting is super fast.  

On the track again

Testing the Turbo on the track just confirmed what I had learned on the road. I honestly didn’t feel like I was driving a 2,000-kilogram SUV. The Macan’s movements are precise to the millimeter, weight transfer is perfectly controlled and sway is managed with ease. The all-wheel drive and Porsche Traction Management system do a great job keeping the vehicle on the right trajectory, making less experienced drivers look suave—even without the optional air suspension. Instead of driving a small Cayenne, I felt like I was driving a beefed up 911. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to test the base trim on the track.

For everyday driving, you’ll find that the rear visibility is poor (but no worse than most other vehicles on the market). That said, the exterior mirrors mostly make up for this shortcoming. When we made a wrong turn and needed to double back, we discovered that the turning radius is surprisingly short.

Keeping it simple

Between you and me, the S version’s 340 horsepower ($54,300) is more than enough for anything you’d want to do on Canadian roads. Sure, the Turbo is more fun to drive, but I’m not sure that its 60 additional ponies are really worth the extra $27,900 (bringing the total to $82,200). That would be $465 per horse.

In my view, the Macan is a success on all levels: it’s attractive, technically advanced and dynamic. Porsche should have no problem selling all 50,000 annually. And knowing Porsche, we should expect a Macan Diesel (already advertised), Macan Hybrid, Macan GTS, Macan Turbo S, Macan GT3, etc.

The Macan will be available at dealerships by the end of May.