D​id Porsche go a step too far with the Macan?

Does the Macan make more sense than the Cayenne, or was the latter already enough?

Remember the stir the Cayenne created when it was introduced in 2002? Dropped on the market like an atomic bomb, the Cayenne changed the game. While some purists weren't so happy about it, the Cayenne attracted a lot of attention (and sales) mainly from snobs. Most Porsche fans hated it and stated that it should have never worn the Stuttgart badge. Indeed, it didn't really look like a Porsche, and it was technically a VW Touareg in disguise. But the soccer-mom SUV arrived at the right time and set new standards. As you know, many manufacturers followed the trend, and SUVs now surround us. Still, I'm not hating the Cayenne. I swear.

T​he Cayenne quickly became the best-selling Porsche and saved the brand. In 2013, the SUV accounted for nearly 50% of Porsche's global sales. Time passed, and Porsche was doing everything to make the Cayenne more Porsche'ey. The marketing and design teams did their best to make the SUV seem like a proper Porsche. It may or may not have worked. Nonetheless, the Cayenne has become one of the best "sporty" SUVs out there (see, no hating), and is still a reference to this date. And here is where the problem starts.

By 2014, the automobile market was full of SUVs, from the minuscule Nissan Juke to the gigantic Mercedes-Benz GLS. Porsche saw an opportunity to expand their SUV offer and consequently introduced the more compact Macan. Loosely based on the Audi Q5, their new model was supposed to be Porsche's sportiest SUV. Obviously, not super complicated when you compare it to a Cayenne. The new entry-level Porsche helped to attract younger customers who were ready to take on a leasing to look "cool". Did Porsche's brand image take a hit?

The brand from Stuttgart played it safely. Around the same timing, Porsche launched the mighty 918 Spyder. Their halo hypercar was here to show the world that Porsche was still in for producing some of the best sports cars out there. The Macan is now Porsche's best selling car. Last year, nearly 100'000 Macan were produced - an increase of 16% compared with 2018. The reality is that the Cayenne and Macan have become Porsche's plow horses. And here comes the initial question; Did Porsche go a step too far with the Macan? Maybe, one SUV was enough as too many of those could affect the image. Here's my take. Maybe, the Macan should have been Porsche's only ever SUV. Think about that. It makes way more sense than the big and bulky Cayenne. In other words, the Macan (stay with me on that one) is closer to a sports car than the Cayenne is. It's lighter, more compact, and more agile. Just like the Cayenne, you have got the range-topping Turbo, the "focused" GTS, and then the "S" and base Macan. Just like any car from their range, Porsche tried to give them the "Porsche identity". But did it work? I took a Macan out for a spin to see if we can call this a "real" Porsche.

F​or starters, what we have here is a 2016 Porsche Macan Turbo. It is equipped with 3.6-litres V6 that makes 400 horsepower and weighs a whopping 2'185 kg. I was a bit surprised as I didn't expect a compact SUV to weigh so much. Also, it's not that powerful. Porsche may have released a Performance Pack in 2017 with 40 extra horsepower, but it falls short of BMW's X3M Competition, and Mercedes-Benz's GLC 63 S AMG. Both of which have 510 horsepower engines. The BMW is even lighter than the Porsche. Therefore, sorry, but I'm not that impressed by the figures.

L​et's talk about the design now. Not sure I am a fan, but it's prettier than the Cayenne, in my opinion. The proportions are right, and it looks more muscular than its big brother. Mid-2018, the Macan received a well-deserved facelift. It now has this distinctive LED bar at the back, which makes it look more 911'ish. It doesn't fool me, but it looks rather good. Even though the car I received is a pre-facelift version, I think the car did not age too severely. Again, this is only my opinion. How about the inside? As expected, it's well-finished and up to Porsche standards. The interior is quite roomy, comfortable, and the addition of the panoramic sunroof does add an increased sense of space. The only let-down would be the infotainment system that looks a bit old-fashioned, and small if you're used to the latest tech.

How is it to drive? Surprisingly good. As I expected, the Macan is way more agile than the Cayenne, and I must say that I had fun driving this SUV. The steering provides excellent feedback, and the engine is more punchy than I thought. I don't know how, but Porsche managed to, once again, defy the rules of physics with the way this car behaves in corners. For a vehicle that weighs over two tons, the Macan is very grippy, and the car will literally go wherever you want it to go. No need to argue about the PDK gearbox, which is as always perfect.

I​ was really astonished by the way the Macan drove. By the way, the Cayenne Turbo I drove two years ago was also excellent. Are they real Porsches? To put it this way, they are nowhere near the 911 or the Cayman. There are SUVs with a Porsche touch. Moreover, the Macan and Cayenne are bestsellers, so it proves that people really like them. In my opinion, I think the Macan makes more sense the Cayenne. I know it's an SUV but it sits closer to Porsche's roots. Therefore, I think the Macan should have been the one and only SUV in the range. You want more room? Get the Panamera Sport Turismo. Hate them, or love them, SUVs are here to stay, even at Porsche, and the reality is that the Cayenne and Macan have created two types of buyers. The purists and the snobs. Those who want a Porsche buy the sports cars, and those who want social status buy the SUVs. Nothing wrong with that. But Porsche should really be careful about their image. In fact, in China, customers believe that Porsche is only about the Macan and the Cayenne. Some don't even know that the 911 exist. So please, Porsche, no more SUVs!

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