Porsche has already launched the second-generation, all-electric Macan SUV with the twin-motor 4 model and the high-performance Turbo flagship. Now it is expanding its range, both with another dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version called the 4S, which sits between the 4 and the Turbo, but more intriguingly there’s a new base-spec variant which just goes by the plain name of ‘Macan’. And this is the first two-wheel-drive Macan yet seen, whether talking about the old combustion-powered Mk1 or this zero-emission line.

So, with much going in its favour - it’s rear-wheel drive, it’s cheaper than all the other Macans and it has the most potential range with up to 641km theoretically possible from a single charge - is this single-motor, entry-level SUV the leading choice? To find out, we’ve driven the Macan on roads in the countryside surrounding Porsche’s home city of Stuttgart at its international media launch.

How much is the 2024 Porsche Macan in Ireland?

The single-motor rear-wheel-drive Macan is now the most affordable car Porsche sells in Ireland, superseding the twin-motor Macan 4. But the price gap between them isn’t huge, as spec-for-spec they have the same kit - the only difference being the 4 has the extra propulsion unit, of course.

So, at €88,746, the new Macan is the entry-level point to the current four-strong model range, although the gap between it and the €92,609 Macan 4 is therefore only €3,863. We’ll delve into these figures in more detail later on in the review, but what you’re paying the extra for on the Macan 4 is a 0-100km/h time which is half-a-second quicker, at the expense of 30km of outright range. And, in our eyes, that makes the base Macan all the more appealing.

What’s the styling like on the Porsche Macan?

With its exterior appearance heavily influenced by the existing Porsche Taycan SUV, the Macan is a smoothed-off and slightly unusual-looking thing, although its styling is growing on us with every passing moment. And if you opt for the lowliest Macan in the range, the only things that will give it away are its standard-fit 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and a boot badge that simply reads ‘Macan’, with no suffix. Naturally, Porsche owners tend to upscale their wheels and de-badge models when they’re ordering, so in essence what we’re saying here is that the single-motor Macan looks almost every bit as edifying as a fully specced-up Turbo, and that’s a bonus.

A look inside the Porsche Macan

In terms of fit and finish, the interior of the Macan is also as sumptuous as any other model in the range. Of course, as the entry-level SUV, certain features are optional extras - as standard, buyers won’t enjoy a leather interior and some of the more opulent trim finishes, while the front seats are ‘Comfort’ items with eight-way electric adjustability from the off; more advanced 14-way electric seats and sportier buckets will cost extra.

To be fair, though, the Macan’s front seats are heated as standard. Perhaps our main criticism is one levelled at all electric Macans, in that space in the back of the SUV is at a premium and the centre-rear footwell has a small hump in it, so it’s not the most practical of vehicles in this class. It does, however, have a large boot (540 litres) and an 84-litre ‘frunk’ for good measure.

The Porsche Macan’s on-board technology

The digital ‘Curved Display’ from the Porsche Taycan forms the Macan’s instrument cluster, while the 10.9-inch Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system is also included in the price. If you want things like the 10.9-inch passenger screen and the augmented-reality head-up display, they’re extras, but at least Porsche makes them available to the base Macan.

Beyond this, a 15-watt wireless smartphone charging pad, dual-zone climate control (with a pad of physical command interfaces on the centre tunnel), cruise control and a heat pump are among the more useful items in the standard equipment list, which is reasonably generous - yet, as with any self-respecting Porsche, there is a huge selection of options available to the Macan which can significantly increase its price if you’re not careful at ordering time.

How many child seats can I fit in the Porsche Macan?

There are two full ISOFIX mounting points in the outer seats of the Macan’s rear bench, while all three positions have top tethers as well. Weirdly, in other markets (including the UK), there’s a cost-option to have another ISOFIX installed on the front passenger seat, but it doesn’t appear to be showing on the Irish configurator. Nevertheless, the second row is the place for children, although the door apertures in the back of the Macan are not that huge so loading in big, bulky car seats might not be the easiest task in the world.

How safe is the Porsche Macan?

Euro NCAP hasn’t yet tested this generation of Macan, but as the original combustion version picked up five stars (admittedly, in 2014 and the regulations have become much stricter since then) and this new electric model is full of advanced driver assist safety technology, it ought to do the same when it is eventually put through its paces. As a better indicator of the Porsche’s potential five-star status, the Audi Q6 e-tron - with which the Macan shares an awful lot of its structure and technology - has been tested and has picked up full marks already.

Driving the Porsche Macan

Like the Macan 4, the standard suspension set-up here is steel springs with passive dampers, with either Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adjustable shocks or full air suspension on the options list. We were lucky enough to try the Macan with its steel springs still in place, albeit allied to PASM.

And it drives brilliantly. The Macan, as a range, is one of the sharper-driving EVs, but getting it to shed weight and send drive to the rear axle alone only makes it all the more capable. Granted, with a kerb weight of 2.3 tonnes, it’s not purporting to be a sports car like, say, a Porsche 718 Cayman, but there’s an agility and adjustability to the single-motor Macan’s chassis that’s most surprising in an electric SUV like this, and a reflection of the fact it is a substantial 110 kilos lighter than a Macan 4. Is it as sharp or as enjoyable in the corners as the original, petrol-powered Macan? Maybe not, but it gets very, very close.

The steel springs with PASM maybe don’t have quite as much operating bandwidth as the air suspension, but the Macan doesn’t feel lost in the corners thus equipped and, thankfully, it also doesn’t falter in terms of ride and rolling refinement. If anything, its comfort levels can sometimes be better over washboard surfaces than the air suspension, although that might be because we drove this rear-drive Macan back-to-back with a 4S sitting on larger wheels. Anyway, for the suppression of wind and tyre noise, and the general suppleness of its suspension, the Macan is a real winner.

It's also in the ‘Goldilocks zone’ when it comes to pure performance: fast enough to feel suitably different and more muscular than a similar-power combustion vehicle, yet not so dementedly quick that it feels like it is trying to scramble your pituitary gland like an egg. With 340hp in regular operation and 360hp on a time-limited overboost, the Macan accelerates with a smooth, linear surge, helped in its potency by a robust 563Nm of torque.

While 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds might not look that fast on paper these days, it’s more than enough speed for a 2,295kg SUV like this. And, as you’d expect from a Porsche, both the accelerator pedal mapping and the feel of the blended brake pedal (balancing regenerative forces from the motor with bite from the friction brakes) are exemplary.

Yes, to drive, even in its (almost) fully basic specification, the Macan is one of the best electric vehicles out there, SUV or not. It really is remarkable what Porsche can do with chassis tuning.

What’s the electric range of the Porsche Macan?

Officially, the maximum range of the Porsche Macan 4 is 613km. By stripping out the front motor for this Macan model that increases to 641km, although the full spread is 536-641km. Nevertheless, officially or whatever you get from it real-world, this promises to be the longest-range version of the entire SUV line-up, as it has the same 95kWh battery pack as any other Macan. Furthermore, we got a genuine 14.8kWh/100km out of it, which would return exactly bang on the official 641km if you can maintain it for a distance; no reason why you shouldn’t, as we were hardly driving the Macan in the most economical manner.

Charging times, as with the other Macans, are rapid thanks to a 270kW maximum DC speed and 11kW AC capability. On public hook-ups, a 10-80 per cent charge of the battery would take 21 minutes at its fastest rate, 33 minutes at 150kW and 46 minutes at 120kW. A complete charge on AC would take as little as ten hours at 11kW, although a more typical 7.4kW domestic wallbox would require nearer 13 hours for the same job.

The reasons you’d buy a Porsche Macan

Not only is Porsche’s electric SUV already one of the best zero-emission cars out there, this single-motor, rear-driven Macan looks good inside and out, has a fair amount of standard equipment, it comes with the lowest purchase price and the highest amount of one-shot driving range. With superb performance, handling and ride comfort all added in on top, it’s hard to see any major flaws with this excellent latest addition to the second-generation Macan family.

Ask us anything about the Porsche Macan

If there’s anything about the Porsche Macan we’ve not covered, or you’d like advice in choosing between it and other cars, you can avail of our (completely free) expert advice service via the Ask Us Anything page.