Page 53 - FHM - Australia (December 2019)

Suppose it’s like a Cayenne inside?
Macan deviates from the modern Porsche architecture of
Cayenne, Panamera and now 911. Is that a bad thing? If you
like sturdy rows of buttons either side of the gearshift, the
Macan is perfect for the on-the-move functionality. Prefer
buttons smothered in glossy surfaces that by contrast slip
under your finger? Then the Macan Turbo is not the coolest
SUV out there. Both designs have their strengths; sometimes
I look at the Macan’s interior and wonder if a separate button
for air fragrance was necessary. Other times the
straightforwardness is a technological release. Driving
modes via the rotary dial on the steering wheel make other
systems look clumsy.
In the past we’ve been standing in a choir that sings about
screen size – not pausing to question that bigger is usually
better - and sure the Macan’s 10.9 does a reasonable job of
squeezing in there without expensively rearranging the
Macan’s interior design - but surely a configurable display
ahead of the driver is just as, if not, more important? On that
thought, the Macan’s lack of head-up display and basic dials
overshadow the Turbo’s standard equipment upgrades to
include Bose audio, wireless charging and Wi-Fi hotspot.

Thought there would be more
It’s common knowledge that the new Macan will have a
similar platform as the Taycan – in other words it will be
electric. This has put a freeze on all development into the
Macan’s existing platform and architecture but assuming
that you haven’t been driving the rivals, I doubt you’ll be all
that concerned by Porsche’s beleaguered evolution of Macan.
This is a fast competent SUV with all of Porsche’s genes to
savor from a familiar cockpit. Luxury or tech are not the
headlines; fast practicality is. In which case, why not buy an
Audi RS4? I would.

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