Interiors
On the inside, the Macan is more cockpit
than SUV cabin. To begin with, you step into it, rather than up into it (as in
an SUV) and the ambience inside is very sporty. Like in all Porsches, the
tachometer takes pride of place in the centre of the instrument panel and the
long, gently sloping centre console has an array of other important switches
within arm’s reach. Initially, the proliferation of buttons does feel like an
overkill, especially with the screen-based on-board computer present, but you
soon get familiar with them and appreciate the one-touch shortcut they provide
– perfect when you are busy pelting it.
The
interior is finished to a suitably high standard for a compact premium SUV
The cabin also feels beautifully put
together, and quality and fit levels here are even higher than those on an
Audi. The chromed-over metal parts are just stunning, especially the
beautifully crafted Porsche 918 steering wheel and the gorgeous gear lever –
these bits clearly give the cabin a lift.
Ten minutes in the cabin is also all you need
to tell you that Porsche has spent a whole lot of time designing the seats of
this car. Support for the driver is so good, you feel right at home behind the
wheel, even after only a couple of adjustments, and lateral support for the
back and thighs is well-judged too – you are kept pinned behind the wheel, even
when the car is being cornered really hard.
Chromed
metallic frame of classic three-spoke wheel is beautifully crafted; paddles are
a joy to use
While there is plenty of space for tall drivers up front, legroom in
the rear is not particularly abundant. There is
only just about enough space to sit one tall passenger behind another, and the
Macan’s back rest is a bit too upright. This, however, isn’t a deal breaker,
because most potential owners will want to sit behind the wheel. Also, while
space is a bit tight, the rear seat does provide plenty of support to the
thighs and is comfortable.
Engine, Gearbox & Performance
Read the Macan’s specification sheet and
initially there may be a tinge of disappointment. A 241bhp diesel doesn’t look
that impressive on paper, especially in this day and age, and this is doubly
true because of the promise of sporty performance. Still, first impressions of
this diesel are very positive. To begin with, this motor is very un-diesel-like
in its operation. The engine feels smooth and hesitation-free from just about
any speed and what also gets your attention is the fact that it even sounds and
feels like a petrol engine when you accelerate hard. Its low compression ratio
of 16.8:1 helps it whirr rather than growl or rattle and it only ever sounds
like a diesel when you really extend it all the way to its 5200rpm redline.
Long,
gently sloping centre console cleverly houses speakers for the audio system too
Not only does this Audi engine feel very
civilised, Porsche has also tuned it to be extremely responsive. There’s no
real turbo lag to speak of; put your foot down firmly and you instantly get a
big shove in the back that’s sustained for a long while. The powerband of this
diesel is impressively wide too, and what also helps is that the PDK
twin-clutch gearbox always manages to keep the engine nicely on the boil. What
also works in the diesel Macan’s favour is the fact that the considerable
torque works nicely to counter the 1880kg weight of the car. The 0-100 takes
only 6.7 seconds and the strong 59.14kgm of torque helps it pull hard all the
way past 180kph in just 24.8 seconds.
The Macan diesel is also surprisingly
comfortable when every last horsepower is being wrung out. With the engine and
gearbox primed for action in Sport Plus, rifling up and down the gears via the
paddle shifts really gives you a good hold on the car, especially when you need
to attack a series of corners.
