Porsche Macan GTS Review: Rewriting The Guide Book

The first thing you need to know about the Porsche Macan GTS is that it weighs close to 2.4 tonnes. And the second thing you need to know? It demolishes 100 km/h from rest in just 3.8 seconds.

Now read that again; physics should be filing a formal complaint.

With Launch Control engaged, the dual-motor setup unleashes up to 563 hp and a monumental 955 Nm of torque. Porsche quotes 0-160 km/h in 8.5 seconds, and 0-200 km/h in just 13.3 seconds. More impressive than the figures themselves is how effortlessly the Macan GTS delivers them.

Unlike some high-performance EVs that seem determined to rearrange your internal organs every time you prod the accelerator, the Macan GTS behaves like a well-bred gentleman instead. A very fast gentleman, admittedly, but one who still remembers his table manners.

Even in Sport Plus mode, acceleration arrives with authority rather than violence. The car never feels like it is trying to embarrass or intimidate its driver; instead, it simply gathers speed with such ease that you occasionally find yourself checking the speedometer and muttering something unprintable under your breath.

Driving It

This all-wheel drive Macan GTS offers three distinct driving modes: Normal, Sport and Sport Plus.

Normal is where most owners will likely spend their time - ride quality remains impressively supple, road imperfections are dispatched with maturity, and NVH suppression is excellent.

Sport sharpens responses noticeably, while Sport Plus turns everything up several notches. Yet even in its most aggressive setting, the Macan GTS never becomes tiresome or unruly.

This balance is what separates great performance cars from merely fast ones; Porsche's engineers clearly understand that, in the long term, speed alone is not enough. The experience must remain enjoyable, after the novelty of acceleration figures has worn off.

Now, straight-line speed is easy and plenty of EVs can do that. The real magic begins when the road starts to bend…

Thanks to a revised suspension setup and a ride height that sits lower than the standard Macan, the GTS possesses handling that borders on, well, witchcraft. Fast sweeping corners, tight hairpins, awkward off-camber bends, it attacks all of them with enthusiasm.

And yes, the steering deserves special mention. In an era where many electric SUVs communicate with the driver using all the emotional engagement of a programmed customer-service chatbot, the Macan GTS actually talks back; there is genuine feedback through the wheel, allowing you to place the car precisely where you want it.

More remarkably, there is virtually no sense of the vehicle's considerable mass - turn in hard and the front end bites cleanly. Mid-corner composure remains unshakeable; push harder and harder, and the chassis simply shrugs and asks, “That's all you've got, bruh?”.

Understeer? Barely noticeable. Oversteer? Not unless you're actively trying to upset it. This is, without question, the most sorted electric SUV I've driven this year. Kudos, Porsche.

Equally impressive are the brakes: They deliver reassuring stopping power with excellent modulation, helping to inspire confidence when pressing on.

How can I forget: The gorgeous 21-inch wheels complete the visual package perfectly. They look exactly as a GTS should.

On A Separate Note

Which brings us to the one aspect of the Macan GTS that feels strangely out of character: The synthetic exhaust note, called the ‘Porsche Electric Sport Sound’.

Look, we understand why manufacturers do it. Electric vehicles are inherently quiet, and some drivers enjoy a bit of auditory theatre. But every time the Macan GTS generates its faux combustion soundtrack, you cannot help but wonder: Why?

More specifically, why didn't Porsche build an ICE-powered sporty Macan to sit alongside this? Because beneath the batteries, motors and software lies a chassis that petrolheads would absolutely adore. There remains a sizeable group of enthusiasts who have graduated from sports sedans and now require something larger for family duties, yet still crave genuine driver engagement.

They are still out there, these fine gentlemen.

The Macan GTS feels so accomplished dynamically, that it occasionally makes you wish there were six cylinders singing somewhere under the bonnet instead of speakers attempting an impression…

Range Anxiety?

Officially, the Macan GTS offers up to 513 km of WLTP range.

In Singapore's real-world conditions, factoring in traffic, air-conditioning usage and daily driving habits, a more realistic figure is around 460-480 km; which still remains highly respectable for a vehicle with this level of performance.

Should you need to recharge quickly, a DC fast charger can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 percent in approximately 33 minutes, when charging at up to 150 kW. In other words, just enough time for coffee, a snack and a brief argument with the missus over where to have dinner…

The Inside Story

Inside, the Macan GTS immediately establishes itself as something special. The combination of leather and Alcantara strikes exactly the right balance; it feels premium without becoming ostentatious.

The sports seats are superb, cocooning occupants securely without becoming uncomfortable during longer journeys. Porsche's driver-focused cockpit remains one of the industry's best examples of ergonomic design, with controls falling naturally to hand and minimal distraction from the task of driving.

Despite its sporting credentials, practicality has not been sacrificed.

Rear passengers enjoy genuinely generous accommodation, while the sizeable luggage compartment ensures family duties are handled without complaint. It is entirely possible to spend a week enjoying spirited drives and still have enough room for school runs, grocery shopping and the occasional furniture purchase.

Uhhh, small furniture.

In A Nutshell

It is tempting to compare the Macan GTS with alternatives with smaller price tags such as the Zeekr 7X Performance or BYD Sealion 7 Performance. On paper, those cars may appear to offer compelling value propositions.

But numbers alone tell only part of the story.

The Porsche delivers a depth of engineering, sophistication and dynamic polish that becomes apparent only when you drive it. The steering, the body control, the composure, the confidence it inspires - these are qualities that cannot be fully appreciated from a specification sheet.

The fake exhaust sound remains a curious misstep in an otherwise exceptional package. Yet, it is but a small blemish on what is otherwise a masterclass in how a performance EV SUV should behave.

The Porsche Macan GTS doesn't merely justify its premium positioning - it explains it.

Photos by Azfar Hashim (@azfar.talks).

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