Driven | Porsche Macan T

The Porsche Macan T is one of the slickest ways to transition into family SUV life. It’s a step above the entry-level Macan, indicating that you’re not just here for the badge and that you are after something a bit more, well, Porsche.

The Macan T strikes the perfect balance between value and practicality. The ‘T’ stands for Touring, which in Porsche terms means it’s not a high-performance flagship but has tuning enhancements and select equipment to elevate it above the entry-level model.

While it may not win over die-hard Porsche purists, being a four-cylinder SUV rather than an air-cooled rear-engine sports car, Porsche still dubs the Macan T a sportscar, marking it as the first four-door vehicle to wear the ‘T’ badge.

The cabin combines style, technology, and quality and one glance at the steering wheel badge reminds you that you’re in something special.

Even as this Macan generation approaches its ten-year mark, its looks hold up well. Some facelifts have kept it looking fresh, but there will be no more Macan as we know it as the all-new Macan is an electric-only affair.

The Macan T includes the Sport Chrono Package and PASM, which are not found in the base Macan. The chassis, traction control, and AWD system are all specifically tuned for the T but if you are after performance, thrills, and outright speed, you must look elsewhere.

This midsize SUV will primarily be used in cities, highways, and the daily drive. Here, the Macan T excels. It’s docile and efficient enough for everyday duties, yet has plenty of guts and talent when you find the right road for playtime.

Porsche has extracted 261 hp (195 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) from the turbocharged in-line four-cylinder allowing it to hit 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds which is pretty impressive for the 1,865kg SUV.

Weight is crucial here. The four-cylinder engine is 60kg lighter than the V6, offering agility, response, and nimbleness gains thanks to less mass on the front axle. This makes it ideal for tackling the tighter curves. While it may be the same engine as the base Macan, Porsche has tuned the T’s traction control and active all-wheel-drive system, fitted stiffer anti-roll bars, and Power Steering Plus for a better steering feel, and lowered the ride height by 15mm.

The speed you can carry through turns is remarkable, and there’s definite athleticism when quickly changing direction. While you’d still prefer a true sports car on your favourite twisty, this offers ample agility, and the whole family gets to enjoy it too.

The Macan T’s Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Sport Chrono are reason enough to upgrade from the base model. On the highway in comfort it is solid, quiet, and effortless but to really wake up the PDK and responsiveness, it needs to be in Sport or Sport Plus mode.

Drive modes are selected through a steering wheel dial, and the exhaust makes a racy enough note. In Sport Plus, it crackles and there’s a satisfying blip on downshifts.

Gears are held longer in the more aggressive modes, and as expected with Porsche’s PDK, the changes are lightning-quick and effortlessly smooth. Even if the engine might be underwhelming for some, the Macan T’s drive is enjoyable and rewarding in every condition.

The driver display is a mix of analogue and digital. It’s not as flashy and high-tech as the trend for giant screens everywhere, but there’s charm in its simplicity and easy navigation.

There’s ample room for front occupants, but back-seat passengers have it tougher. The rear doors don’t open very wide, which is fine for older kids but challenging if you’re installing a car seat or lifting a baby seat in and out.

The Macan T starts from R1,524,000 and so it finds itself costing about R130k more than the base Macan and R130k less the V6-powered Macan S. The four-cylinder engine, enjoyable as it is, won’t deliver the performance and wow factor many Porsche enthusiasts demand but if you forget the V6, you save yourself a bit of money and you still get the excellence of how well these Macans ride and handle.

It’s a car that enthusiasts will engage with and a daily driver that won’t disappoint. Porsche has crafted a truly unique machine with the Macan T.