Porsche Macan Turbo Electric First Drive Review

I never thought I'd say it. A fully-electric SUV is a shining example of what the future of motoring can be. The all-new second model generation Porsche Macan, now fully-electric, has proven that sustainability and performance can co-exist harmoniously, and driving remains to be its ultimate expression of enthusiasm, exhilaration and enjoyment.

This is the fully-electric Porsche Macan Turbo

But before you bang your palms down on the table and storm out, hear me out.

What?!? Have you lost your mind?!?

The Macan Turbo, as it's called, is absolutely bonkers. It's the juicer version of the Porsche Macan 4 that we also tested and a word like "juicier" needs to be reiterated constantly because that's really just what it is. Or was it "bonkers"?

With all that power and massive torque that can make your head spin, the Macan Turbo is capable of blistering acceleration

The car will spit out 630bhp and a mountain-moving 1,130Nm of torque faster than the regular kopitiam uncle spitting his phlegm out with his beer in his left hand and cigarette in his right. The car, as such, hits the 100km/h mark from nought in just 3.3 seconds. And, mind you, such a figure enters the supercar realm, but such a figure also makes no sense to me because it feels more like a sub-2 second. Again, may I remind you it's 1,130Nm. Yes. 1,130.

But just like the Macan 4, the car doesn't just market itself on how fast it can go from nought to 100km/h, nor does it constantly boast about its whopping figures. Instead, it's about the entire wholesome experience of owning and driving one. From the time you unlock the car and start it, to the time you park and leave it, there's a very good chance the all-electric SUV will leave you grinning from ear to ear. And isn't that what car ownership should be? Isn't that the kind of experience we should be getting when these machines are so expensive in our country?

Around town, it will behave like a luxury machine, but put pedal to the metal and it becomes a different animal altogether

Elaborate, please

Take for instance, during my first 30 minutes with the Macan Turbo, traffic was heavy and I had to navigate around really narrow roads - something that's quite similar to Singapore. Yes it's a relatively stiff car, but never to the point of needing a chiropractor.

Sure, during this 30 minutes I did feel like the car was under-utilised and it wasn't given the chance to perform to its 'full potential', but that'll be like most cars around the world in the city centre, no? So as I patiently navigated out of the city and unto highways and twisty tarmacs around magnificent mountain tops towards Monaco, the Macan Turbo started shining more.

Every prod of the right foot needs to be controlled, not unless you want the insides of your stomach to churn and forcefully exit through your mouth. This must be how Formula One drivers feel every time they accelerate. Floor the pedal and even a G-force meter reading appears on the heads-up display, while you struggle to stay focus on traffic as your entire body (and belongings at the back seat) gets thrown back to the seat.

The massive brakes help to shed speed whenever you need them to

It's fun, of course, and arguably addictive to keep doing it, but as you'd come to expect, the Macan Turbo is a little more than just its ability to make you feel like you're on a roller coaster every time you put pedal to the metal. It's an electric car that will not suck the joy out of driving even like a Tesla on steroids.

It manages to confidently dish out whatever you ask of it. From overtaking and manoeuvring through tight corners, to the tight turns and thrilling twirls, there is never a moment where you'll doubt the Macan Turbo's abilities. That's the sort of assurance the car bestows on the driver. 

And I'll admit, I'm not exactly a good driver, but being able to blast the Macan from one corner to the next before gunning for the horizon on the straights without over or understeering really goes to show just how convincing and satisfying the EV is. 

480 litres of luggage space is readily available for you and your family in the Macan Turbo

Is it even functional?

Also satisfying is knowing that while you've got all these power on tap, the Macan Turbo will easily furnish you with the space you need for your family. For instance, you get 480 litres worth of hauling capacity and sufficient legroom if you need to shuffle your lengthy relative from A to B, thanks to an increased wheelbase of 86mm.

Additionally, you get to enjoy a cabin that reminds you that's luxurious yet driver-focused, the kind of cockpit that says, "Let's enjoy the drive, nothing more". And that's even when there's a fair bit of tech staring at you, with that 12.6-inch instrument cluster and not one but two 10.9-inch infotainment systems begging you to meddle with them.

More than just driving, the cabin is a lovely place to be in, with an impeccable attention to detial

You'll shed a bitter yet conflicted tear thinking about how much time you've lost with these tech, but you won't feel like you've missed anything once you've driven the car proper. 

And that's what the Porsche Macan Turbo sort of feels. The weighty and meaty steering gives you a proper sense of connection - and the lovely balanced suspension keeps everything beautifully flat. You can hustle this machine like a Jack Russell or a Boston Terrier, and it just begs for more.

So in a way, it handles, and quite well, I must say. Chuck it into a corner, and the Macan Turbo grips the tarmac with ample communication the way my four-year old kid would do to a packet of Haribo gummy bears. There's just no letting go, which makes it great for hooliganism when the radio suddenly plays some nice rock and roll tunes.

Juice this up in just 20 minutes and the Macan Turbo will stay alive for 591km

Any issues with range, since it's a Turbo?

Driven thus, it's only natural that you get some form of concern with the range. It's a fact of life, now, when it comes to battery capacity and there's no escaping it. Thankfully, with the 100kWh battery that gives it some 591km of range when it's fully charged, no such fears are needed.

Plug it in whenever necessary and you're good for another decent chunk of road between 10 to 20 minutes.

The Macan Turbo's charging prowess is something that will leave a lasting impression 

I want one. When can I get it??

Of course, all that's said and done, I get the fact that electric cars aren't exactly the kind of cars that will set the world on fire, nor will they align with the word "fun". But there's a darn good chance the fully-electric Porsche Macan will change just that. It's a proper Porsche that's distilled into a battery-powered package. It's fast, it handles and, most importantly, it puts a smile on your face. And in a world filled with all these EVs, it's something to celebrate. 

So, yes, I never thought I'd say it. A fully-electric SUV like the Porsche Macan is exactly a shining example of what the future of motoring can be. Anyone still wants to bang your palms down on the table and storm out? The car is available for order now in Singapore but it'll only arrive at the end of this year.