The Macan ‘R4’ is decently quick off the line and hits 100 km/h from zero in 7.7 seconds. The four-wheel driveline is rear-biased and while the suspension is phenomenal, there is that exciting little hint of squat under acceleration when you put your foot down. It’s seamless and effortless. I thought the 2.0 motor would be a tad underwhelming and I sure was shown the light — in an absolute blur, no less. It’s not how it goes from zero to 100 km/h that’s surprising. It’s the rolling acceleration and how effortless it makes the whole deal feel.
Getting up from 60 km/h to 120 is done in a matter of seconds and, apart from a subtle shriek from the engine and the PDK twin-clutcher juggling ratios in the info-display, it’s only a matter of watching the needle soar towards illegal speeds in a hurry. There’s no drama, no wind noise, no tyre noise, no shivers from the body, not even body-roll, even in otherwise demanding turns. It astonishes with its ability to do 150 km/h while making it feel like 50 km/h, and carrying the speed and stability through corners and traffic with unbelievable ease.
People often — and for good reason — expect an SUV to behave like an elephant on roller-skates. However, here they couldn’t be more wrong. The Macan takes it one step further, another level even, akin to its larger sibling, the Cayenne. I couldn’t think of another car I’ve driven in recent memory that behaved as well as this Macan did.
It stays planted on the straight, when you change direction, when you take a bend at speed, and even when you fling it into a tight left-hander, clipping the apex, carrying all of 90 km/h through. It does not put a toe out of line and that’s a welcome characteristic, if not all that surprising, given their pedigree. Even on the battered B-roads, it held its line well and felt utterly planted, gliding over crater-shaming potholes, gravel and grass, dismissing changes between wet and dry, tarmac and slush, with each indifferent rotation of the wheel. The steering is light but feels extremely sure and on point, effortlessly allowing me to change direction on a whim. The Macan turned avoiding potholes seemingly into a graceful form of dance, putting its best foot forward without flaw.
Porsche haven’t made a car yet that hasn’t managed to thoroughly excite me; Panamera diesel well and truly included. And it’s not just performance at speed. It’s relaxing to drive even at 30 km/h and the suspension is nothing short of dynamic wizardry. There’s decent storage room with adequate cubby-holes and spaces around the cabin, and the cargo room — 500 litres with the second row up and up to thrice that volume with the seats folded down — not to mention that they’re split-folding, too, all make it a car as functional as it is fun.
It’s not too bad on the efficiency front either. With 8.5 km to the litre in the city and around 12 km/l on the highway, it will go the distance, easily managing inter-city trips given the 60-litre fuel tank. It’s also the least expensive Porsche on sale in India at Rs 76.84 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), without options, of course. Factor in some of the essential must-have goodies and you’re looking at a tag just straddling the Rs 1-crore line, on the road, might I add.
I’ve tried to think of a way to portray how good the Macan is, save for the eye-watering price-tag it sports in India, and I think I’ve found a way to put it across. The Volkswagen Golf GTI is widely acknowledged as all the car anyone would ever need. I’d imagine that if Porsche were given the brief, this Macan would be the result. The Macan R4 is Porsche’s Golf GTI. And I can think of no greater accolade than that.
