Porsche Macan 4S review: An electric SUV which still feels like a Porsche
This model comes with impressive driving dynamics, bucketloads of cutting-edge technology and a beautifully sculpted cabin, writes Jim McGill
Yes we all love the iconic 911, but it will probably come as no surprise to you that it’s the Porsche Macan which has been the German carmaker’s best-selling model. More than 850,000 units have been sold, in both petrol and diesel forms, since it hit the showrooms in 2014.
But now things have changed. The only new Macan you can buy is electric. Sure you have a choice of models and specs, but the powerplant is the same: electric. There’s no petrol or diesel alternative. Ok, production of the petrol-powered Macan stopped in July this year, so you might just be able to source a final-stock petrol model at an official Porsche dealer. But I’d suggest that’s unlikely. So you either go electric, or you buy an older-model Macan. The choice is yours. Alternatively, you’ll have to wait till around 2028 for the new petrol Macan.
Here I have to throw my hat into the ring here. I’ve owned a 2016 Macan 2-0-litre since 2019. Specced to the hilt by the original owner, I love it to bits. Fortunately I bought it before used car prices soared during Covid, so I struck lucky, paying around 50 per cent of its original purchase price (perfect example of why never to buy a brand new car). And with the mileage still under 45,000 miles and regular servicing, there’s plenty of miles left in the old girl.
So I was intrigued when Porsche offered me the chance to drive the new all-electric version. Does the electric powerplant enhance the driving experience of the latest Macan? Is it better? Or just different? Should I think about switching my allegiance to electric? There was only one way to find out.
Ok, tell me more
Not only has the Macan gone fully electric, but it was the first Porsche to ride on the Volkswagen Group’s brand new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture. Co-developed with Audi where it is the base for the Q6 e-tron, the platform also underpins the latest Porsche Cayenne Electric.
Not surprisingly, the core philosophy of the Macan remains the same: the true ‘sports’ SUV sits below the Cayenne in the manufacturer’s range and continues to deliver the distinct Porsche driving feel.
Understandably, being developed alongside Audi means the PPE platform delivers significant cost savings to Porsche. All-electric Macans are fitted with a 95kWh (usable) lithium-ion battery pack positioned within the underbody. And like its electric sibling, the Porsche Taycan, the Macan runs on an 800-volt system. This in turn allows it to maximise charging speeds of up to 270kW, meaning a 10-80 per cent top-up takes just 21 minutes.
Stylistically, the electric Macan is noticeably different from that of the ICE versions. It’s much less angular, with near pebble-smooth lines clearly aiding aerodynamics but somehow combining to make the SUV look slightly awkward. And it wasn’t just me. Neighbours who chatted seeing the electric version on the driveway were all quick to say they preferred the external styling of the petrol version to that of the electric, with one being bold enough to call it “rather dumpy’. Each to their own, I guess, but I do know which design I prefer.
All that said, there are clear reasons for the electric Macan’s styling. Its drag coefficient is an impressive 0.25 thanks to the sloping roofline and its active rear spoiler, plus active front cooling flaps and flexible underbody covers. The electric also has an 8.6cm longer wheelbase than the petrol car, and benefits from short overhangs both front and rear.
What are the specs and performance?
Buyers do benefit from a comprehensive choice of electric Macans. And even the entry-level model is mighty impressive in terms of kit and performance. The ‘basic’ model has a single electric motor which delivers 355bhp and 415lb/ft of torque through the rear wheels. That’s good for a 0-62mph time of 5.7-seconds and a top speed of 138mph.
All the other Macans get two electric motors, meaning four-wheel drive. The Macan 4 gets identical synchronous motors on the front and rear, with power and torque peaking at 382bhp and 479lb/ft respectively. It also knocks half-a-second off the 0-62mph time, with the max remaining the same. The 4S meanwhile, which I’m driving, gets a more powerful motor on the rear axle significantly increasing power to 509bhp. The 0-62mph time drops to 4.1secs.
There’s yet more power in the Macan Turbo. It gets an even more powerful rear motor resulting in peak figures of a whopping 630bhp and 833lb/ft. A fifth version, the GTS, was most recently introduced with figures of 563bhp and 704lb/ft, a 0-62mph time of 3.8secs and a top speed of 155mph.
And what about prices?
The entry-level rear wheel drive Macan starts at £69,800, rising to £73,100 and £78.300 for the all-wheel drive Macan 4 and 4S respectively. (My press car 4S was listed as £76,900, pre-price increase.) The range-topping GTS and Turbo electric will set you back from £90,800 and £99,300 accordingly.
And don’t forget, even the entry-level is well equipped out with standard kit including LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and electronically-adjustable comfort seats. Plus all electric Macans get safety tech like lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition and automatic emergency braking.
Charging and range
As mentioned earlier, with its 800-volt charging tech, hook it up to a 270kW DC charger and it’ll take just 21 minutes to charge from 10-80 per cent. The Macan Electric also gets two 11kW AC charging ports, one on either side, which cleverly makes home or on-street charging more convenient. Thanks to its large battery you’ll take close to 13-hours to achieve a full charge on a conventional 7kW home wallbox.
Range? Porsche quotes a claimed WLTP figure of 398 miles for the rear-wheel drive model. The 4, 4S and Turbo can return up to 379, 375 and 366 miles respectively. Drive sensibly and across the model range you should always be comfortable to cover 300 miles on a single charge.
How does it drive?
As you would expect, exceptionally well. And my driving baptism with the electric Macan was more eventful than originally scheduled. Having picked the SUV up at Porsche GB HQ on the outskirts of Reading, my journey home should have been straightforward. But unexpected major roadworks saw the satnav take me on a deep cross-country route involving tight, narrow single-track roads with steeply-raked sides, hedgerows and muddy banks. And of course, with the roadworks impacting traffic in both directions and everyone following the satnav-advised alternative route, two-way traffic on such narrow lanes was an immediate challenge.
The Macan though was in its element and a dawdle to handle through the tight spaces. Visibility was excellent and though large outside, it instantly felt compact behind the wheel. And when it came to reversing to avoid a significantly-sized van, the reversing camera was a Godsend. The fact my test car was also fitted with rear-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension was also a benefit. Having negotiated the cross-country route, coping with day-to-day town driving was a easy-peasy.
Heading out onto some of my favourite A-roads the Macan’s steering was the sharpest, most direct and engaging of anything else in its class and with next to no excess travel.
The brakes were excellent, switching seamlessly between regenerative to friction braking. Different levels of regenerative can be altered by fiddling with the touchscreen. My preferred selection was simply concentrating on using the middle pedal. Porsche believes that’s the most efficient solution for drivers, so I’m not going to argue.
You can also alter the Macan’s chassis settings, with Normal, Sport and Sport Plus being available. Plus you can tweak the car’s ride level, choosing from Lift, Normal, Lowered or Low. If you do ever venture slightly off-road, flick it into Lift and you’ll be fine.
And when it comes to motorway driving, the Macan is in its element gobbling up the miles serenely and effortlessly. Set the cruise to 70mph and just watch the world waft past. Overall, it really is an outstanding drive.
What’s the cabin like?
Excellent. There’s tonnes of technology, it’s been beautifully designed and quality is pretty much through the roof. The standard interior colour is black, and you can tick the options box to get leather for around £1,300. Of course ‘extended leather’, which adds more softer material throughout the cabin including lower parts of the doors and dash, is also available. But it’ll cost you more than double. The joys of Porsche customisation.
Perhaps just worth mentioning here. The list price of my 4S Electric was £76,900. With options? A whopping £95,504. Ouch!
Across the range each model gets eight-way electrically adjustable heated front seats as standard, as well as twin screens with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two-zone climate control, LED headlights and 20in alloys.
One of the pleasures of driving a Porsche is so much of it feels intuitive. There are simple to operate buttons and switches which have a pleasurable engineered tactility to them, plus you feel cocooned in the cabin aided by the comprehensive adjustments to the seat and steering wheel. Oh. And the screens are crystal-clear and instantly responsive, with both the 12.6-inch driver's display and 10.9-inch touchscreen being easy to read.
There’s more good news. While some of the climate functions are touch-operated, you get physical buttons to control the temperature and fan speed. Joy of joys.
The main infotainment system uses Porsche’s familiar fonts, plus it’s pretty logical to operate. It’s a slick piece of kit. Satnav is standard on the car, as is wireless phone charging: the cooled wireless charging pad is superfast and effective. Standard kit also includes a 150-watt, 10-speaker audio system, but my test car was fitted with the optional 710-watt, 14-speaker Bose system. Yours for £917.
As for occupants’ space. There’s plenty in the front, but even with that extra 86mm added to the wheelbase space in the rear is adequate for taller adults. Opt for the panoramic sunroof, as fitted here, and you lose a tad more headroom. If you’ve got kids who require child seats, you’ll be pleased there are two Isofix mounting points on the outer positions of the rear bench.
Bootspace
You can get quite a bit of clobber in the boot, up to 540 litres with the rear seats in place. That’s more than the petrol Macan. And when you need additional bootspace, the rear seats fold 40:20:40. Fold them flat and stowage increases to 1,348 litres. Plus there’s an 84-litre space under the bonnet for the charging cables.
Warranty
You get a three-year warranty, plus eight years or 100,000-miles on the high-voltage battery, guaranteeing it will maintain above 70 per cent capacity for that period, otherwise it will be replaced.
Verdict
Porsche’s shift into full-electric started with the Taycan and evolved into the latest Macan. And the result is an electric SUV which still feels like a Porsche in all the ways you would expect: impressive driving dynamics, bucketloads of cutting-edge technology and a cabin which is beautifully sculpted and crafted. There’s not much to dislike.
The 4S I drove here was a wonderful experience with its four-wheel drive, though I do wonder if, in terms of the average daily drive, the lighter and cheaper rear-wheel drive model would equally satisfy your driving expectations and needs. Plus it’s more than fast enough for most drivers and delivers the best range.
And of course, just beware of getting a bit too excited when ticking the boxes on the options list. As I illustrated with this test car, it’s easy to slide towards a six-figure car.
All that said, the Macan Electric is a seriously complete and dynamic electric SUV. That it also embodies so much of what makes a Porsche and Porsche makes it something worth considering. Just choose your model carefully.
The Facts Porsche Macan 4S Electric Price: From £76,900 (As tested, £95,404) Engine: 95kWh battery capacity (net), front and rear electric motors. Transmission: Single-speed auto, all-wheel drive Power / Torque: 448bhp (with launch control, 516bhp) / 820Nm Top Speed / 0-62mph: 149mph / 4.1secs Range: 375-miles Charging: 10-80% in 21-minutes at max 270kW CO2: 0g/km Unladen weight: 2345kg Dimensions (L/W/H in mm): 4784 / 1938 (mirrors folded) / 1622
On sale: Now
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