Test Car Specifications
Model: Porsche Macan 4
Price: From £69,800
Motors: two electric motors
Battery: 95kWh lithium-ion
Transmission: single-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power: 408hp (with launch control)
Torque: 650Nm
Emissions: 0g/km
Economy: 2.9-3.5 mi/kWh
0-62mph: 5.2 seconds
Top speed: 136mph
Boot space: 540-1,384 litres (plus 84-litre 'frunk')
Styling
The new electric Macan is quintessentially Porsche, with design cues that resonate with the marque's heritage. The front end is sleek, featuring a smooth nose and subtly elevated wings that frame the characteristic four-point daytime running lights. The main headlights are integrated with the 'air curtain' intakes, the latter contributing to the car's aerodynamic efficiency. These are part of an extensive aerodynamic package designed to maximise the range - resulting in a drag coefficient of just 0.25.
At the rear, the electric Macan distinguishes itself from its petrol counterpart with a more pronounced slope to the window. The rear three-quarter view is particularly appealing, thanks to the understated haunches and the bold, full-width light bar that proudly displays the 3D Porsche wordmark. Some will miss the sporting appearance of large exhaust outlets of course. Elsewhere, the transition to frameless windows on all four doors not only modernises the look but also adds a touch of sophistication that owners are sure to appreciate.
Interior
The electric Macan interior reflects Porsche's current design language, with an upright dashboard that houses digital instruments and an integrated touchscreen. The high centre console features tactile climate control switches, and the use of a dashboard-mounted drive selector frees up more space in the middle. There you'll find the neat, cooled wireless phone charger. The overall quality of the cabin materials and finish is consistent with Porsche's standards, offering a premium feel throughout. The front seats provide ample space and comfort, while the rear seats, although obviously not as spacious as those in the Cayenne, are adequate for average-sized passengers. There's a little more room than in the petrol-powered Macan back there, but it's not the car's strong point.
Practicality
The electric Macan is well-equipped with storage options, including a covered box under the central armrest and cupholders designed for taller bottles. The door bins are large, making it easy to store drinks and other items. The boot capacity is generous at 540 litres, and the additional 84-litre storage space under the bonnet is incredibly useful, especially since it can be accessed easily with the new key fob or a swipe gesture for those with keyless entry. It's likely to be used by owners for more than just stowing charging cables.
Performance
The electric powertrain manages to blend everyday usability and refinement with Porsche-suitable performance when you want it. It's docile and easy to drive smoothly at low speeds, yet serious acceleration is only an ankle-flex away. The all-wheel drive system, with motors on each axle, delivers up to 387hp normally, or 408hp with 'overboost' during launch control, for a 0-100km/h time of 5.2 seconds. Unsurprisingly, there's a surfeit of traction in the dry and hence flat-out acceleration away from a standstill can feel like a non-event despite the impressive numbers.
On the subject of which, the electric Macan can be quite efficient when you want it to be. We'd expect most owners to manage over 300 miles on a charge of the 95kWh battery pack.
If the Macan 4 isn't powerful enough for your liking there's also the Macan Turbo to consider, retaining the dual-motor layout, but using a unique unit on the rear axle for maximum outputs of 639hp and a monstrous 1,130Nm.
On winding roads, the Macan Electric can get a tad frisky with the rear tyres, but it's all in good fun and easily managed. The optional air suspension allows for a versatile driving experience, adapting to the mood of the driver and the road.
Ride & Handling
The Macan's steering is precise, providing a confident feel without being overly sensitive, and the brakes offer smooth modulation, blending regenerative and friction braking effectively. The suspension always has an underlying firmness, but it's only uncomfortable if you choose the Sport Plus setting (assuming you have optioned up the adaptive damping - or Porsche Active Suspension Management - PASM - as the firm likes to call it) and the road surface is less than perfect. In return, there's great body control despite the not inconsiderable weight of the car. As ever, the driving experience can be tweaked according to the conditions and the driver's preferences using the rotary control on the steering wheel, with more variability the more you spend on options... That's one of the other reasons you might opt for the Turbo instead - it comes as standard with a few extra chassis goodies such as air springs and PASM.
Our well-equipped test car was a hoot to drive on a challenging piece of mountain road and it was even possible to provoke the rear axle into a playful power slide when the opportunity arose. Drive it a little more circumspectly and the Macan turns out to be quite engaging and accurate as well. On the motorway, the Macan is quite comfortable and wonderfully refined as well, which will please owners as much as mountain-road-tackling ability no doubt.
Value
There are two ways to look at this. The electric Macan appears more expensive at first than the petrol-fuelled model still appearing on the UK pricelist. But the entry-point to the electric lineup - the Macan 4 tested here, starting at £69,800 - has enough performance to compare with the upper models in the petrol range. Plus it gets a better interior and more.
The electric Macan is considerably cheaper to buy than the Porsche Taycan (starting at £86,500 for the rear-drive model), and the Macan Turbo - from £95,000 - outpunches the similarly-priced Taycan 4S.
As ever with Porsche, the configurator and options list are full of temptation, but the standard Macan 4 doesn't skimp on features. It comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, a blend of leather and synthetic leather upholstery, electrically-adjustable and heated front seats, a powered tailgate, LED lighting, electric-folding door mirrors, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel with the driving mode switch. Convenience is further enhanced by ParkAssist with a reversing camera, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a heat pump, ambient lighting, a cooled wireless smartphone charger, Apple CarPlay and an extensive array of safety features.
Charging capabilities are robust across the Macan lineup, with all variants supporting 270kW DC fast-charging and up to 11kW AC charging, ensuring flexibility and convenience for recharging on the go.
Verdict
While Porsche grabbed a lot of attention by launching the standalone Taycan as its first electric car, the electric Macan is arguably more important to its bottom line. SUVs account for a massive amount of Porsche's business, so an electric one was crucial in the company's march towards full electrification. Thankfully, almost everything we loved about the petrol-fuelled Macan has been preserved, in terms of a compelling driving experience, top-notch cabin and everyday versatility. This is a well-rounded vehicle that lives up to the Porsche name.
