Porsche Macan

The Porsche Macan is an SUV that thinks it’s a sportscar. 2019’s facelift brought subtle styling tweaks, a redone cabin and, for the first time in India, the V6 petrol engine-powered S version. Also on offer is the four-cylinder petrol Macan R4 though the diesel is no longer on sale. A price correction means there’s more value to the package but the Macan remains an expensive SUV for its size.

The Porsche Macan is an SUV that thinks it’s a sportscar. 2019’s facelift brought subtle styling tweaks, a redone cab...

The Porsche Macan is an SUV that thinks it’s a sportscar. 2019’s facelift brought subtle styling tweaks, a redone cabin and, for the first time in India, the V6 petrol engine-powered S version. Also on offer is the four-cylinder petrol Macan R4 though the diesel is no longer on sale. A price correction means there’s more value to the package but the Macan remains an expensive SUV for its size.

There’s not all that much to tell the facelifted Porsche Macan apart from the original. The low-slung sporty shape remains though the headlamps with their four dot DRLS and the tail lights that are linked by a light band are giveaways of this being the latest version of Porsche’s mid-size SUV. More has changed on the inside, however. There’s a new 10.9-inch touchscreen that takes pride of place on the mildly restyled dashboard. The sea of buttons on the centre console remain and the overall sensation is of being in a place of serious business. Drivers sit at a pleasant height and the driving position is sporty for an SUV. There’s decent room at the back but the chauffeur-driven will find far more spacious options for similar money. Talking money, it’s important to bring in that every tick on the options card can add a big sum to the final price. So, choose wisely when configuring your Macan.
The 252hp Macan R4 is a good starting point to the range but for the full experience you’d want the 354hp Macan S. The V6 sounds sweet and delivers sportscar-baiting performance. But what really separates the Macan from other SUVs is its handling. It’s surprisingly agile, turns with poise and is simply a delight on twisty roads. Ride quality is also pretty impressive and versions with air suspension also give the flexibility to raise ride height to tackle bad sections of road. In many ways, the Macan is a sportscar you can use every day.

There’s not all that much to tell the facelifted Porsche Macan apart from the original. The low-slung sporty shape re...

There’s not all that much to tell the facelifted Porsche Macan apart from the original. The low-slung sporty shape remains though the headlamps with their four dot DRLS and the tail lights that are linked by a light band are giveaways of this being the latest version of Porsche’s mid-size SUV. More has changed on the inside, however. There’s a new 10.9-inch touchscreen that takes pride of place on the mildly restyled dashboard. The sea of buttons on the centre console remain and the overall sensation is of being in a place of serious business. Drivers sit at a pleasant height and the driving position is sporty for an SUV. There’s decent room at the back but the chauffeur-driven will find far more spacious options for similar money. Talking money, it’s important to bring in that every tick on the options card can add a big sum to the final price. So, choose wisely when configuring your Macan.
The 252hp Macan R4 is a good starting point to the range but for the full experience you’d want the 354hp Macan S. The V6 sounds sweet and delivers sportscar-baiting performance. But what really separates the Macan from other SUVs is its handling. It’s surprisingly agile, turns with poise and is simply a delight on twisty roads. Ride quality is also pretty impressive and versions with air suspension also give the flexibility to raise ride height to tackle bad sections of road. In many ways, the Macan is a sportscar you can use every day.

The Macan R4’s new price does bring it closer to like-sized rivals than before but you’ll still have to pay dearly for options like air suspension, a sunroof, launch control and so on. The Macan S costs a whole lot more but does get more by way of standard features. If it’s pure driving thrills you are looking for, we’d recommend you go the whole hog and get yourself the Macan S. You won’t regret it.

The Macan R4’s new price does bring it closer to like-sized rivals than before but you’ll still have to pay dearly fo...

The Macan R4’s new price does bring it closer to like-sized rivals than before but you’ll still have to pay dearly for options like air suspension, a sunroof, launch control and so on. The Macan S costs a whole lot more but does get more by way of standard features. If it’s pure driving thrills you are looking for, we’d recommend you go the whole hog and get yourself the Macan S. You won’t regret it.