Like the Cayenne before it, the Macan has been a huge hit for Porsche. It鈥檚 the marque鈥檚 most popular model, with more than 97,000 delivered in 2017 alone. Having been introduced for 2015, the Macan is now at the midway point in its life cycle, and to keep sales brimming Porsche has given the small SUV a substantial update. Porsche unveiled the updated Macan in July in Shanghai鈥攁lmost one in three of the SUVs are sold in China鈥攂ut we'll get our first look on local soil during next week's 2018 Los Angeles auto show. Porsche said the updated Macan will start deliveries next summer as a 2019 model. The 2019 Macan benefits from standard LED head and taillights, with the latter adopting the wraparound look seen on the Cayenne and Panamera. There have also been little tweaks made around the body to give the vehicle a more athletic look. In particular, the front has been made to look wider and lower. The designers also added new 20- and 21-inch wheel patterns similar to those found on Porsche's sports cars. There are also the new colors Mamba Green Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic, Miami Blue, and Chalk.
The base engine in the 2019 Macan is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 generating 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and will spirit the Macan to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, or just 6.1 seconds when using the launch control function of the available Sport Chrono package. Top speed is 142 mph. Specifications for other Macan models are yet to be announced for the 2019 model year. For 2018, the Macan S came with 340 hp, the Macan GTS with 360 hp, the Macan Turbo with 400 hp, and a Macan Turbo with Performance Package with 440 hp. Porsche said it tuned the chassis of the 2019 Macan for improved handling and comfort. New tire designs are also said to improve dynamic performance, and just like on Porsche's sports cars the tires now feature a staggered arrangement with a wider pair used at the rear compared to the front. For the interior, the biggest change is a new 10.9-inch touchscreen display for the infotainment system, which features customizable menus. The system includes improved voice activation as well as navigation with real-time traffic updates all as standard. One of the key elements of this system is the Here Cloud connection, which offers swarm-based traffic data. There's also a new Offroad Precision app, which off-road enthusiasts can use to record off-road driving experiences. Apple CarPlay is available but not Android Auto. Porsche also upgraded the Macan's suite of electronic driver aids. Included is a new Traffic Jam Assist that handles acceleration and braking at speeds of up to 40 mph. It can also handle mild steering functions during slow-moving traffic. Finally, Porsche has made available its GT steering wheel with integrated driving modes selector. The order books for the 2019 Macan are currently open.
This is partly why the car sits up high and partly why it鈥檚 so heavy, at 2,490kg. Weight is the enemy of efficiency, so this seems slightly at odds with the e-tron鈥檚 ethos. The car uses two electric motors, one on each axle, for a total of 402bhp and a different take on Audi鈥檚 quattro four-wheel drive. Like pretty much every electric car, there鈥檚 a single-speed automatic gearbox. Air suspension is also standard, unlike on the Jag. It鈥檚 linked to the car鈥檚 drive mode select set-up, offering Offroad, Allroad, Comfort, Auto, Efficiency and Dynamic. This is integrated in the lower of the two touchscreens. It鈥檚 an 8.6-inch unit that mostly controls the climate settings. The upper 10.1-inch screen is used for the infotainment, while there鈥檚 a 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit, too. It鈥檚 nice tech, but not very different from that found in more conventional Audis, with positives and negatives to this. You get lots of kit even in this base spec, although that鈥檚 a relative term.
This entry-level e-tron does without the car鈥檚 trademark virtual door mirrors, but it has nav, phone integration and lots of safety equipment. There are also 20-inch alloys, climate and adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, heated leather seats, LED lights, DAB, wireless charging and keyless operation. It鈥檚 all integrated into a cabin that鈥檚 executed with the usual quality we鈥檝e come to expect from an Audi. Materials and build quality are good. EVs are characterised by their relaxing driving experience. An instant and fat swell of torque means many are smooth and serene, and sharp, responsive performance is another common trait. While the Audi is definitely relaxed, acceleration isn鈥檛 anywhere near as impressive as in the I-Pace. It鈥檚 partly due to the weight. The Audi is very heavy, and this dulls the punch when you hit the throttle. It鈥檚 far from slow, but it could be more rapid. It took 5.4 seconds to sprint from 0-60mph compared with 4.4 seconds for the Jag, but EVs are as much about easily exploitable acceleration at any speeds.
At least the e-tron has enough urgency here; it took 1.7 seconds to go between 30 and 50mph, although this was still slower than the I-Pace. It鈥檚 not as quick, then, and also not as comfortable. Despite the e-tron鈥檚 standard air suspension, on these 拢950 21-inch wheels the Audi鈥檚 alloys rebound aggressively over harsh bumps. It鈥檚 more settled on the motorway, where the car鈥檚 weight means the damping feels smoother at higher speeds. But then its near-2.5-tonne bulk means it鈥檚 not very agile. The steering has even less life than in most other Audis and you sense the weight trying to tear the e-tron off your chosen line. Special mention should go to the torque-vectoring system, though; this shuffles power to help it turn better. You can feel it working unobtrusively to improve the car鈥檚 handling. Thanks to where the e-tron鈥檚 battery is located in the chassis, there鈥檚 a useful 660 litres of boot space.
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