Porsche Macan in the test: perhaps the most attractive electric car

This is a vehicle that weighs 2.5 tons. 2.5 tons. Empty. And 4.78 meters long. I have to keep reminding myself of this fact. Because the new Porsche Macan feels like a lot of things, but neither heavy nor big. It’s amazing what Porsche has put on wheels here. But let’s start from the beginning.

The Porsche Macan doesn’t have it easy – and that’s before it even lands in the customer’s garage. Porsche has come up with a major change for the latest SUV series. This car is now only available with an electric drive. Even if they say “please” in Leipzig, where the car is built, the assemblers here no longer install a V6. This caused an outcry when the car was announced – and it will probably remain that way among purists.

However, the manufacturer places particular emphasis on two things with its electric cars: They should feel and drive like a Porsche. It goes without saying that the Macan also costs like a Porsche. Those interested must pay exactly 137,614 euros and 60 cents for the test car shown. This is not only due to the base price of the Macan Turbo, which is 114,600 euros, but also to the high-priced options that Porsche has installed. Some of these are highly recommended, however. More on that later.

Porsche Macan Turbo: peak power up to 639 hp

Even the basic data of the Porsche Macan Turbo reads as you would expect from this manufacturer. The car has 584 hp and when using the launch control it even gets 639 hp out of the system. Coupled with a torque of 1130 Newton meters, that’s more than enough to leave anyone standing in the rain. The punch isn’t quite as extreme as in the Taycan Turbo GT (here’s the test drive), but it still presses the passengers massively into their seats. It hits 100 in 3.3 seconds, and according to the manufacturer, the Macan Turbo only reaches its limit at 260. In the test, the speedometer read 270. But then the car gets very loud due to the headwind.

The battery capacity is 100 kilowatt hours – in the test it was charged with a maximum of 280 kilowatts. But this is only achieved if you find a suitable charging station. In other words: after 20 to 22 minutes the battery is pumped from 10 to 80 percent. That’s not the current record, but it’s damn fast and you can hardly manage more than a coffee in that short time.

On the other hand, you have a lot of time at the AC charging station, because the Macan only consumes 11 of the usual 22 kilowatts. This makes a big difference when you’re just doing a quick shopping trip and is unworthy of this price range. The charging ports on both sides, however, should be industry standard. Extremely practical.

Anyone who presses the tube consumes massive amounts of electricity

According to the manufacturer, the range with a full battery is 549 kilometers, but in practice you can deduct around 100 to 150 kilometers on well-mixed routes. However, you can always reach 400 kilometers with a full battery in the real world. In the test, consumption leveled off at around 22 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers. That’s quite good. If you drive a lot on the highway, it’s more like 24 – that’s okay too, but of course it noticeably reduces the range. The Macan Turbo can also consume extreme amounts of fuel. When testing the top speed, the clock showed 39.8 kWh/100km at the end of the approximately 50-kilometer journey.

No matter how fast or how twisty the road is, the Macan sits securely on the road. The test car, which is equipped with both the optional rear-axle steering and the “adaptive air suspension with level control and height adjustment including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)” that comes as standard in the Turbo, could make you think that it is a small, lively sports car. When driving fast, the entire car pumps itself down and becomes firmer, and thanks to the rear-axle steering, the actually large SUV can easily take every bend. The small spoiler then extends and increases stability even further. Drives like a Porsche? Check.

Worthy of its high price

Let’s get to the look and feel. The optional engine sound, which is very reminiscent of a spaceship, is hardly worth the additional cost of 452.20 euros. If it’s going to be electric, then it should be completely silent. So the Macan has naturally lost its distinctive sound with the change of generation.

The look is more than successful. Flat construction, beautiful decorative elements, a great selection of rims and a low drag coefficient of 0.25 speak for themselves: Yes, this is a pretty and efficient SUV. The LED lighting is not only impressive in terms of functionality, but also creates real added value visually. The whole thing can be spiced up with carbon parts or particularly striking colors. Porsche sets almost no limits in the extensive configurator.

The high quality is also reflected in the top-quality interior. The leather, the buttons – it all makes sense. Perhaps the door compartments in the rear could have been made more valuable, but nothing creaks, everything is clearly arranged and elegantly arranged. This applies not only to the optional sports chronograph on the dashboard, but also to the up to three large monitors in the cockpit. The instrument display could have had analogue elements, but Porsche is also (unfortunately) developing further in this area. Even the new 911 no longer has an analogue speedometer.

For enduring the digital dominance, you are rewarded with lightning-fast technology. The Porsche infotainment system responds in seconds, nothing gets stuck and the wireless integration of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay works perfectly. The app store is a nice addition, because anyone who books the passenger display can actually benefit from apps like YouTube or the media libraries of public broadcasters. Live TV in a Porsche? That’s also possible – and is a huge benefit during charging breaks.

Anti-nerve button

Despite the many functions, the comparatively small but very handy steering wheel is not completely overloaded with buttons. It is therefore easy to learn how to use and very intuitive. Special thanks go to the engineer who activated the individually configurable button for turning off the acoustic speed warning. As in any other car, this is extremely annoying. Especially since the sign recognition that the car uses to navigate is sometimes tricky and provides incorrect information, for example with time limits that are common in big cities.

The icing on the cake, if you pay for it, is the large head-up display above the steering wheel. Here you get all the important information about the journey at a glance and even arrows on the streets you should turn into when the navigation system is running.

Porsche could perhaps have made the large control panel for the air conditioning a little more compact. It takes up a considerable amount of space in the center console, considering that it essentially only controls the interior climate. It is also made of piano lacquer – which only looks nice until you touch it.

Overall, the interior is very harmonious and a small oasis of well-being, with very comfortable seats. One negative point worth mentioning: there is a little too little space in the back for very tall people. But does the Macan feel like a Porsche? Check.

Conclusion: Porsche Macan Turbo

If it was just about pure electric driving fun, you would be cheaper and almost equally served by choosing the Hyundai Ioniq 5N (tested here). The Porsche Macan – as a turbo – is not only terrifyingly fast, but also of the highest quality.

Everything seems to be made from a single piece, the hardware and software work seamlessly together and it feels as if an electric car has been put on the road that can be seen as a benchmark. The Porsche also offers a luxurious interior, top-quality workmanship and brilliantly counters the rumor that electric cars are cheap plastic bombs compared to their combustion engine counterparts.

The balancing act is quite astonishing: An SUV that drives like a small sports car. But it weighs 2.5 tons and has a battery on board that is sufficient for most journeys and shoots back up to 80 percent in about the length of a coffee during charging breaks.

But the Macan is also a dangerous bet. With entry-level prices ranging from €80,700 for the Macan Electric to €114,600 for the Turbo, the car is not only more expensive than its predecessor, but also enters controversial territory. The Taycan, also a great car, is downright spurned by enthusiasts who have the money compared to the combustion engines. The Macan could also suffer this fate, although SUV buyers may be better able to live with an electric drive than amateur racing drivers. It remains to be seen whether Porsche’s commitment will pay off or fail due to the poor state of electric cars.

The latter would be completely unjustified, because the Macan is a success and perhaps a blueprint for future electric cars. Unfortunately, as mentioned several times, it is only within reach of those with really deep pockets. And that is precisely the one condition under which the Macan becomes perhaps the most attractive electric car currently available: when money is no object.