What's all this about?

Porsche has revealed the next-generation Macan, which will initially go on sale alongside existing petrol models, but will eventually replace them. Taking styling cues from the Taycan saloon and offering a choice of all-wheel-drive powertrains, it’s a rival for the Mercedes-Benz EQC, BMW iX3 and Genesis Electrified GV70.

It looks… Different…

Yeah, that design has divided opinion in the Car Enthusiast office, with descriptions ranging from downright ugly to just pretty bland. Whichever camp you fall into, it’s far from the most handsome car in Porsche’s range, even though it has more or less taken all the Porsche Taycan’s design features and glued them to an SUV body.

In fairness, the body shape isn’t too bad – it puts us in mind of a cross between the Genesis GV60 and the Mercedes-Benz EQA – but it feels like much more of a departure from the existing Macan’s design than we were, perhaps, expecting.

That’s partly due to the influence aerodynamics have had on the design. Combining ‘active’ and ‘passive’ aero features, the Macan is designed to be incredibly streamlined, with an adaptive rear spoiler, cooling flaps that only open when needed and a fully sealed underbody. Porsche has also given the car ‘air curtains’ that guide airflow down the sides of the car to reduce drag.

What about the interior?

That’s much more in keeping with the Porsche norms, so you get a dashboard with much the same basic shape as that of the current Macan. However, the details are much more modern, and Porsche has fitted a new digital instrument cluster, a toggle-style gear selector behind the steering wheel, and a new touchscreen infotainment system. There’s a new climate control panel, too, but the steering wheel, door panels and basic dash layout don’t differ so much from those of other Porsche products.

It should be fairly spacious, too, with a luggage compartment at the front, as well as a conventional boot. Behind the rear seats is a sizeable 540-litre cargo bay, while there’s another 84-litre space under the bonnet. In total, the new Macan has 127 litres more luggage space than the petrol-powered Macan. And it’ll tow a 2,000kg trailer if needs be.

Porsche has fiddled with the seat position, too, putting the driver and front passenger 28mm lower than they would be in a conventional Macan, while those in the back sit 15mm lower and get a little extra legroom.

Let's skip to the important stuff: the electric power...

Alright, alright. At launch, Porsche has two different versions of the new Macan, although it seems likely that more will follow. This is Porsche, after all.

The base model is the Macan 4, which comes with two electric motors (one on each axle) and a 100kWh battery under the floor. The system produces 408hp at full chat, allowing the car to get from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds. That makes it fractionally slower than the Macan S, which manages a 4.8-second sprint to 62mph, but its V6 engine burns much more fuel in the process.

In contrast, the Macan 4 can use up to 95 per cent of its total battery capacity, giving it an all-electric range of 320-380 miles on a single charge, according to the official efficiency test. And it can charge at speeds of up to 270kW, which means a 350kW charging station could fill the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes.

The more powerful Macan Turbo, meanwhile, uses much the same system, but its motors produce a whopping 639hp. That too is split between all four wheels, allowing the car to race from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds before hitting its top speed of 161mph. Naturally, however, it isn’t quite as efficient as the Macan 4, but it’ll still achieve 321-367 miles on a single charge, so the penalty for that performance isn’t too high.

What about the handling?

Porsche claims to have taken care of that with lots of clever technology. The Turbo, for example, gets air suspension as standard, as well as Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) tech, which can also be combined with the Macan 4’s steel springs. The system adjusts the dampers to provide settings that trade off comfort and handling, allowing drivers to tune the suspension’s behaviour to the conditions.

The German brand has also given the Macan electronic Porsche Traction Management (ePTM) technology, that operates five times faster than a conventional all-wheel-drive system and can respond to slip from one of the axles in less than 10 milliseconds. That makes the car more stable, while an electronically controlled rear differential lock can also be used to change the car’s handling characteristics in corners, as well as the traction available.

Electric Macan models are the first to be fitted with four-wheel steering, too, giving the Macan greater manoeuvrability in tight spaces and increasing stability at speed.

Sounds high-tech...

And that’s just the stuff under the skin. Porsche has also given the new Macan its latest-generation touchscreen display and the option of a passenger display, as seen on the new Panamera and Cayenne models. And there’s now an optional augmented reality head-up display, which ‘places’ virtual elements such as navigation instructions on the windscreen, giving the appearance of arrows projected onto the real world. Overall, the car can project information across an area of windscreen equating to an 87-inch display.

What’s more, the Hey Porsche voice assistant has been integrated into the screen, allowing drivers to converse with the car more naturally, and input instructions and navigation requests without taking their hands off the wheel. When stopped, Porsche is allowing drivers to use the car’s screen as a games console, too, which is intended for keeping children of all ages entertained while charging.

So when can I have one?

The first electric Macan models will be delivered to customers in the second half of 2024, with Macan 4 prices starting at £69,800 and Macan Turbo prices from £95,000.

James Fossdyke - 25 Jan 2024