PORSCHE MACAN ELECTRIC ESTATE 265kW 100kWh 5dr Auto

Porsche's improved Macan continues to redefine what a mid-sized premium sports SUV should be. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Porsche's combustion-powered Macan continues to be an SUV with the soul - and the engineering - or a sportscar. You might expect it to be fast and family-friendly. More of a surprise is that it's rewarding and, with the right spec, very nearly race-ready in its responses. Yet it'll comfortably take you off road, deal with the school run and cruise down to Chamonix. It's still very special.

Background

With the Macan, Porsche was always determined to stretch design boundaries and create the ultimate multi-tasker. A car as ready for a circuit as it would be for a skiing trip, classy enough for the streets of Monte Carlo, soundly sensible on the school run, quietly capable on the rough stuff and potentially manic around Monza. The company's certainly well-placed to create such a thing, claiming the whole 'sporting all-wheel drive car' concept as its own invention. Back in 1900, Ferdinand Porsche designed the Lohner-Porsche racing model with its four electric wheelhub motors. By 1947, the brand was going further, developing a supercharged 12 cylinder 'Type 360' Cisitalia Grand Prix racer that introduced the concept of full four-wheel drive. What it all led to was the Cayenne large SUV that turned the company's fortunes around earlier this century. And from that to this Macan, a smaller SUV designed to sell alongside it, first launched back in 2014. This revised version of the combustion model, launched in mid-2018, then updated in mid-2021 to create the car we're going to look at here, looked smarter, ditched diesel and improved its technology. It'll sell alongside the Macan Electric until late in 2025.

Driving Experience

The combustion Macan line-up we consider here is an all-petrol range these days - it's some time now since Porsche offered a diesel in any of its cars. The brand's usual plug-in hybrid tech though, is conspicuous by its absence here. Most buyers opt for the entry-level 2.0-litre turbo model, available in standard or more focused 'Macan T' forms, either way with 265PS: in this form, the car gets to 62mph in 6.2s and reaches 144mph flat out. If that really isn't fast enough for you, then there's a mid-range Macan S and Macan GTS models, which use an Audi-sourced 2.9-litre V6 unit, respectively with either 380 or 440PS. As before, all models come with a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox, with a Sport button to sharpen shift times, throttle response and steering. The GTS gets Sports air suspension which lowers the ride height by 10mm. Porsche says that the chassis has been further optimised for this updated model, so that the car should respond more directly and with greater sensitivity. It was already a handling leader in its class. As before, four-wheel drive is standard on all variants, although in normal road conditions, 100% of torque is directed to the rear axle. Should momentary slip be detected, a clutch pack locks, which can then send up to 100 per cent of torque to the front axle. There's also a torque vectoring system, while a torque vectoring rear differential is an option. There is a dedicated off-road mode, which optimises the torque split and gearbox shift points to better optimise grip and torque when it gets really slippery. Standard steel springs with passive dampers are standard on the S models, with adaptive dampers an option.

Design and Build

Following updates to the look of this Macan in 2018, Porsche further refined the styling in 2021. The redesigned nose has an exterior colour inlay, plus LED headlights with the Porsche Dynamic Light System are now standard, as are 'Sport Design' exterior mirrors. In addition, you also get larger wheels, 19-inchers on the Macan, 20-inches on the Macan T and the Macan S and 21-inches on the Macan GTS. The GTS has a black-finished nose section and a more striking rear diffuser. Inside, there's a smart centre console with haptic touch surfaces instead of buttons, plus there's a short gear lever and an analogue clock at the top of the dashboard. As usual in a Macan, there's a 10.9-inch Porsche Communication Management centre infotainment screen, with voice activation and many standard online functions and services. It also incorporates 4G LTE 'phone compatibility, 'Apple CarPlay' and a 10-speaker DAB audio system. Otherwise, things are much as before. So the Macan continues with its usual classic three instrument-tube binnacle layout, the right hand pod incorporating a screen that can bring navigation mapping more directly into your line of sight. In the rear, three adults could certainly fit for short-to-medium journeys, provided the unfortunate middle seat occupant didn't mind splaying their legs around the extremely high centre transmission tunnel. At the back, the standard automatically-operable rear tailgate rises to reveal a 500-litre cargo bay. If you need to take longer items, you'll be glad that the rear backrest folds in a useful 40:20:40-split, which means you can poke through things like skis without disturbing rear seat passengers. Push the rear bench completely forward and a 1,500-litre capacity is freed up.

Market and Model

There are now three levels to a combustion Macan range that for some time now has been exclusively petrol-powered. Things kick off at a fraction under £55,000 for the standard 2.0-litre model, offering 265PS. The next level up takes you up to around £60,000 and gives you a choice of powerplants, either the same 2.0-litre unit with a more focused handling set-up in the Macan T; or the top 2.9-litre V6 engine in a 380PS state of tune in the Macan S (around £61,500). Finally, if you can stretch to £73,400, you can get yourself the flagship Macan GTS derivative that we tried, a 440PS 2.9-litre V6 variant that's basically a repackaged version of the old top 'Turbo' model. By that point though, you'll find this car seriously overlapping into the kind of pricing that could also buy you the brand's larger Cayenne SUV, which in entry-level 340PS form costs around £63,000 as a standard SUV, or £67,000 in Coupe guise. If it's a Macan you really want, then you'll find that, as is usual in this segment, all variants in the range get auto transmission, a 7-speed PDK set-up with steering wheel paddleshifters.

Cost of Ownership

Porsche has worked hard to keep the running cost efficiency figures of this revised combustion model competitive. Part of this model's price premium over an Audi Q5 can be ascribed to the use of aluminium body panels which pare 40kg from the car's kerb weight. The PDK auto gearbox has been optimised for economy at cruising speeds, with a coasting function that decouples the engine and gearbox when you lift the throttle on the motorway. There's also of course a start/stop mode to help cut fuel consumption in city traffic. As a result, the fuel economy for the entry-level 2.0-litre turbo Macan is up to 28.0mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and up to 228g/km of WLTP-rated CO2. That's not a bad return for an SUV that will get to 62mph in 6.2 seconds. For the V6 Macan S, the respective WLTP figures are up to 25.4mpg and up to 251g/km. For the GTS, it's up to 25.0mpg and up to 255g/km. Insurance groupings start at 45E for the base Macan variant, before topping out at group 50 for the GTS model. Oh and if you want to justify purchase of this car to green-minded friends, it's always useful to know that at the end of its life, it'll be 95% recyclable. Buyers get a three year warranty which might seem a little mean in this day and age, but it does include an unlimited mileage clause.

Summary

'Life, intensified'. According to Porsche, this is what this car is all about. It's certainly intensified the whole concept of what an SUV can be. Cars of this kind - even sporting ones - are almost always born out of compromise. They might look the part, but sheer weight and size have to tell somewhere. Those issues affect a combustion Macan too, but far less significantly than you might ever have imagined was possible with this class of car. If you need five seats, decent luggage space and go-anywhere versatility but secretly still crave that little sportscar or hot hatch you used to love so much, we can't think of anything better to recommend as a day-to-day choice for someone on a premium budget who doesn't yet want an EV. This is, in summary, still the car all its rivals would like to be. The car most buyers in this segment would like to have.

Body Glass

Windscreen in thermally insulated glass

Windscreen wiper with rain sensor

Brakes

Black painted brake calipers

Braking and driving stabilisation system

Communication

eCall emergency call system

Smartphone compartment with wireless charging upto 25W

Driver Aids

Powered tailgate

Driver Convenience

Active speed limit assist

Adaptive cruise control

Bcall

Driver awareness detection

Driving modes

Intersection assist

Lane change assistant

Lane keeping assist with emergency stop function

Swerve assist and turn assist

Traffic sign recognition

Warn and Brake Assist

Driver Information

Smartphone integration - Apple CarPlay with Siri voice recognition and Android Auto

Driving Mirrors

Auto dimming interior + exterior mirrors

Electric folding door mirrors

Exterior mirror lower trims including mirror base in black

Engine

Performance battery plus with gross capacity of 100 kWh (Net capacity upto 95 kWh)

Porsche E-performace powertrain with a permanent magnet synchronous motors on the rear axle

Entertainment

DAB Digital radio

Exterior Body Features

Aluminium roof

Deletion of decorative side logo

Rear side wing doors

Exterior Lights

Automatic high beam assist

Dynamic headlight levelling system

Four point LED daytime running lights

LED indicator lights

LED third brake light

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Heat pump

Particle/pollen filter with active carbon filter

Interior Features

230V socket in luggage compartment

Leather door panel and central armrests

Sunvisors

Interior Lights

Ambient and communication lighting

Packs

Standard package - eMacan

Steering interior trim pack without decorative stitching in contrasting colour - eMacan

Storage package - eMacan

Safety

3-point automatic seatbelts for front and outer rear seats with force limiter + manually height adjustable seatbelt + reminder warning

Acoustic vehicle alerting system

Active bonnet

Black TPM valve

Child locks on rear doors

Front center airbag

Front side airbags integrated into seat

Full size driver and passenger airbags

Pedestrian safety

Reversible seatbelt pretensioners

Side airbags in rear compartment

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Seats

3 adjustable rear headrests

3 rear seats

4 way adjustable front head restraints

40:20:40 split folding rear bench seat

Deletion of model logo embossed on headrests

Heated front seats

ISOFIX/I-Size child seat mounting points on outer rear seats

Memory function for driver seat and exterior mirror

Single front passenger seat

Security

Alarm system with ultrasonic interior surveillance

Alcohol interlock preparation

Anti theft wheel bolts

Dashcam preparation

Keyless drive

Transmission

Rear wheel drive

Single speed transmission

Vehicle Charging

Charging cable for charging at alternating current chargers with 6 m length (up to 22 kW)

Wheels

Tyre sealing compound and electric compressor

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Capacity % guaranteed under warranty: 70

Battery Capacity in kWh: 100

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Charge Time (Mins): 600

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Percentage Change: 0-100

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Power Supply - kW: 11

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Charge Time (Mins): 46

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Power Supply - kW: 120

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Charge Time (Mins): 33

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Power Supply - kW: 150

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Charge Time (Mins): 21

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Percentage Change: 5-80

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Power Supply - kW: 270

Battery Leased: 0

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

Charging Port Location: Left and Right Side Rear

Coupler/Connector Type: CCS Type 2

Maximum Charging Rate - kW: 270

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Mileage: 100000

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Years: 8

Usable Battery Capacity: 95

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - City - TEH: 14.8

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - City - TEL: 12.7

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 16.8

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb - TEH: 19.4

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb - TEL: 16.8

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Extra High - TEH: 24.9

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Extra High - TEL: 22.2

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - High - TEH: 17.8

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - High - TEL: 15.2

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Low - TEH: 13.8

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Low - TEL: 12.2

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Medium - TEH: 15.2

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Medium - TEL: 13.2

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - City - TEH: 4.2

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - City - TEL: 4.9

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 3.7

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb - TEH: 3.2

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb - TEL: 3.7

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Extra High - TEH: 2.5

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Extra High - TEL: 2.8

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - High - TEH: 3.5

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - High - TEL: 4.1

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Low - TEH: 4.5

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Low - TEL: 5.1

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Medium - TEH: 4.1

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Medium - TEL: 4.7

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - City - TEH: 723

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - City - TEL: 837

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - TEH: 549

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - TEL: 641

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - City - TEH: 449

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - City - TEL: 520

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - TEH: 341

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - TEL: 398

Emissions - ICE

CO2 (g/km): 0

HC+NOx: N

Noise Level dB(A): 68

Particles: N

Standard Emissions: N

Engine and Drive Train

Camshaft: N

Catalytic Convertor: N

CC: 1

Compression Ratio: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Cylinders: N

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

Engine Code: N

Engine Layout: N

Fuel Delivery: N

Gears: 1 SPEED

Number of Valves: N

Transmission: AUTO

General

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Badge Engine CC: 0.0

Badge Power: 360

Based On ID: N

Coin Description: N

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Generation Mark: 2

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 44E

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 90

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 90

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 5

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 83

NCAP Safety Assist %: 78

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24

Service Interval Mileage: 20000

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Performance

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

0 to 62 mph (secs): 5.7

Engine Power - BHP: 360

Engine Power - KW: 265

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 415

Engine Torque - MKG: 57.4

Engine Torque - NM: 563

Top Speed: 137

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Tyres

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Tyre Size Front: 235/55 R20

Tyre Size Rear: 285/45 R20

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Style: MACAN

Wheel Type: 20" ALLOY

Vehicle Dimensions

Height: 1624

Length: 4784

Wheelbase: 2893

Width: 1938

Width (including mirrors): 2152

Weight and Capacities

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2810

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1348

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 540

Max. Loading Weight: 590

Max. Roof Load: 75

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 2000

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Minimum Kerbweight: 2220

No. of Seats: 5

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 12.1

Body Glass

Heated windscreen

Privacy glass

Rear wiper

Thermally and noise insulated glass

Thermally and noise insulated glass with privacy glass

Carpets/Rugs

Bespoke floor mats

Bespoke reversible loadspace mat

Personalised floor mats

Personalised reversible loadspace mat

Chassis/Suspension

Adaptive air suspension with levelling system and height adjustment with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)

Steel spring suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management

Driver Aids

Homelink (programmable garage door opener)

Driver Convenience

Drive assist

Power steering plus

Rear axle steering

Remote park assist including 3D surround view, porsche entry and porsche digital key

Driver Information

Augmented reality head up display

Compass display on dashboard

Driving Mirrors

Exterior mirrors painted in exterior colour

Exterior mirrors painted in high gloss black

Embellishment Trims

Compass / Sport chrono dial in arctic blue

Compass / Sport chrono dial in bordeaux red

Compass / Sport chrono dial in chalk beige

Compass / Sport chrono dial in white

Model logo on centre console armrest

Porsche crest logo on centre console armrest

Engine

Porsche electric sport sound

Entertainment

BOSE surround sound system with 14 loudspeakers including subwoofer, 14 amplifier channels and total output 710 watts

Burmester 3D high end surround sound system

Exterior Body Features

Aluminium roof rails

Aluminium roof rails with offroad design pack

Black aluminium roof rails

Black aluminium roof rails offroad design pack

Door handles painted in high gloss black

Electric charging cover

Electric logo and model designation in exterior colour

Electric logo and model designation in high gloss black

Electric logo and model designation in Silver

Exterior mirrors with upper carbon trims

High gloss black rear wiper trim painted

High gloss black side window trims

Model designation deletion

Model designation on sideblades in Arctic blue

Model designation on sideblades in black

Model designation on sideblades in Neodyme

Model designation on sideblades in red

Model designation on sideblades in silver colour

Model designation painted in black high gloss

Model designation painted in exterior colour

Offroad front apron

Outer trim B-Pillars in carbon

Paint to sample colour

Panoramic roof system - Electric tilt/slide glass sunroof

Porsche additional special metallic paint

Porsche logo painted in matt black and model designation painted in high gloss black

Porsche metallic paint

Porsche special metallic paint

Side window trims in silver

Sideblades in body colour

Sideblades in body colour with offroad design pack

Sideblades in Carbon

Sideblades in High gloss black

Sideblades with offroad design pack

Exterior Lights

Bespoke logo LED door courtesy lights

Glacier blue LED taillight including light strip

Glacier blue Matrix LED main headlights

Matrix LED main headlights

PORSCHE logo LED door courtesy lights

PORSCHE logo painted in matt black

Tinted LED taillights including light strip

Tinted Matrix LED main headlights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

4 zone automatic climate control

Air quality system

Interior Features

Additional cloth/faux leather upholstery

Air vent refined

Bespoke board briefcase

Bespoke illuminated door sill guards in black brushed aluminium

Bespoke illuminated door sill guards in carbon

Bespoke illuminated door sill guards in darksilver brushed aluminium

Bespoke keys with case

Board briefcase matt carbon with coloured decorative stitching

Centre console frame in leather

Centre console frame in leather with coloured decorative stitching

Centre console frame in Race-tex

Centre console frame in Race-tex with coloured decorative stitching

Club leather upholstery

Dashboard end trims leather

Electric roll up sunblind for rear side windows

Extended leather upholstery

Fixed luggage compartment cover leather with coloured decorative stitching

Fixed luggage compartment cover race-tex with coloured decorative stitching

Heated GT sports steering wheel in leather with mode switch

Heated GT Sports steering wheel in Race-tex with mode switch

Heated multifunction GT sports steering wheel in leather with carbon inlay

Heated multifunction GT Sports steering wheel in Race-tex with inlay in carbon

Illuminated brushed aluminium black door sill guards

Illuminated brushed aluminium door sill guards

Illuminated carbon door sill guards

Leather upholstery

Luggage compartment partition net

Parcel shelf in leather

Parcel shelf in Race-tex

Passenger display

Personalised board briefcase

Personalised vehicle keys painted with case

Race tex roof lining

Race tex roof lining grab handles

Race tex roof lining grab handles with colour decorative stitching

Roof lining grab rails handles in leather

Roof lining grab rails handles in leather with colour decorative stitching

Seat centres in leather contrasting colour with colour decorative stitching

Stainless steel pedals

Two tone extended leather upholstery

Two tone leather upholstery

Vehicle key leather and key pouch leather

Packs

14 way comfort seats with memory pack - eMacan

18 way adaptive front sport seats with memory pack - eMacan

Black accent pack - eMacan

Brushed aluminium black interior pack - eMacan

Brushed aluminium interior pack - eMacan

Carbon interior pack - eMacan

Carbon matt Neodyme interior pack - eMacan

Exterior colour offroad design pack - eMacan

Exterior colour offroad design pack when bought with adaptive air suspension - eMacan

Interior trim pack with decorative stitching and leather seat centre in contrasting colour - eMacan

Interior trim pack with decorative stitching in contrasting colour - eMacan

Leather interior pack - eMacan

Leather interior pack in contrasting colour - eMacan

Neodyme accent pack - eMacan

Oak silver metallic interior pack - eMacan

Offroad design pack - eMacan

Offroad design pack when bought with adaptive air suspension - eMacan

Smoking package - eMacan

Sport Chrono package - eMacan

Sport Chrono package with Porsche design subsecond clock - eMacan

Sport design package - eMacan

Summerwood interior pack - eMacan

Paint - Metallic

Porsche metallic - Dolomite silver

Porsche metallic - Ice grey

Porsche metallic - Jet Black

Porsche metallic - Volcano Grey

Paint - Solid

Porsche solid - Black

Porsche solid - White

Paint - Special

Paint to sample colour - Custom

Porsche additional special metallic - Aventurine green

Porsche additional special metallic - Crayon

Porsche additional special metallic - Oak green neo

Porsche additional special metallic - Slate grey neo

Porsche special metallic - Carmine red

Porsche special metallic - Frozen blue

Porsche special metallic - Gentian Blue

Porsche special metallic - Lugano Blue

Porsche special metallic - Provence

Safety

Fire extinguisher

First aid kit and warning triangle

Seatbelts in Arctic blue

Seatbelts in Bordeaux Red

Seatbelts in Chalk beige

Seatbelts in Crayon

Seats

Bespoke illuminated seat badge

Front seat ventilation

Front seats massage function with ventilation

Heated rear seats

Illuminated Porsche logo on front seats

ISOFIX/I-Size child seat mounting points on front passenger seat

Porsche crest embossed in front and rear headrests

Porsche crest embossed in front headrests

Seat backrests leather

Seat console in leather

Seat consoles leather with coloured decorative stitching

Seat consoles Race-Tex with coloured decorative stitching

Security

Comfort access including porsche digital key

Towing

Electrically extending towbar system

Trim - Leather

Club leather - Truffle brown

Extended leather - Black

Leather - Black

Sport-tex/leatherette - Black

Two tone extended leather - Black/Bordeaux red

Two tone extended leather - Black/Chalk beige

Two tone extended leather - Black/Crayon

Two tone leather - Black/Blackberry

Two tone leather - Black/Bordeaux red

Two tone leather - Black/Crayon

Two tone leather - Black/Night green

Trim - Part Leather

Cloth/faux leather - Black/Chalk Beige

Vehicle Charging

22kW on board AC charger

Wheels

22" Performance summer tyres

Wheel centre cap with full colour Porsche crest

Wheel centre caps carbon

Wheel centre caps with full colour Porsche crest

Wheels painted in deviating exterior colour

Wheels painted in exterior colour

Wheels painted in high gloss black

Wheels painted in jet black metallic

Wheels painted in Neodyme

Wheels painted in satin black

Wheels painted in vesuvius grey

Wheels - Alloy

20" Macan S alloy wheels

21" Macan Design wheels

21" Macan offroad design wheels painted in Vesuvius grey

21" Macan Turbo wheels

21" Macan Turbo wheels painted in high gloss black

22" Macan Exclusive design wheels

22" Macan Exclusive design wheels with carbon aeroblades

22" Macan sports wheels

22" Macan sports wheels in high gloss black

22" Macan style wheels

22" Macan style wheels in high gloss black

22" RS Spyder Design II wheels

22" RS spyder design wheels in high gloss black