Review: New Porsche Macan GTS adds some heat to the compact SUV range

SUVs are big business for Porsche and the brand’s latest addition is sure to draw in buyers. And the German brand believes this particular version is its sportiest.

To suggest SUVs are important to Porsche is an understatement. The company that built its reputation on the 911 — then got exposed to the fickle nature of sports car sales — now sells four times as many high-riding soft-roaders as it does two-door sportsters.

Porsche says the GTS is the “sportiest” Macan.

The German giant hasn’t forgotten its DNA is bound together with race tracks, potent acceleration and driving excitement. That’s immediately evident in the Macan GTS, the purest variant of the mid-sized SUV that’s still the brand’s top seller nearly six years after its launch.

Slotting between the Macan S and the Macan Turbo, the GTS is pitched as the “sportiest” in the range and gets the styling updates lavished on the rest of the line-up. GTS-specific additions include black highlights, darkened lights, black wheels and revised grille.

The GTS can accelerate extremely fast.

Gone is the grunty but formulaic 3.0-litre engine and in its place is a sportier 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. It’s a detuned version of the engine in the Macan Turbo, though predictably with greater outputs than the outgoing GTS, by 15kW and 20Nm for totals of 280kW and 520Nm.

It’s brisker, too. The sprint from standstill to 100km/h takes 4.7 seconds, putting it in the hunt with the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GLC43, BMW X3 M40i and Audi SQ5.

The price of $109,700 also brings it into the mix against those German rivals, although standard gear looks skinny. The GTS comes with satnav, three-zone aircon, leather seats and power tailgate.

Porsche skimps on the standard equipment.

Active cruise control adds $2070, bringing with it emergency braking functionality, something now common on mainstream cars such as Mazdas and Toyotas. The likes of seat heaters and smart key entry are left to the options list and there’s no Android Auto connectivity, Porsche fitting only Apple CarPlay.

Delve beneath the bodywork, however, and little has been overlooked. Even if the V6 lacks some of the fizz of the Turbo, it is up for multiple tasks.

Its free-revving nature matches the GTS’s demeanour and it produces stout torque over a broad rev range. It’s an engine well suited to the occasional spirited blast, the sports exhaust upping the noise as evidence of its feistiness.

In the regular Normal mode there’s occasional laziness, then Sport mode adds fervour to the throttle response while keeping in lower gear ratios. Sport+ holds gears even more aggressively.

The GTS has a new engine which is more powerful than the previous version.

There may be marginal deficits in the engine bay but suspension tweaks compensate, adding to the athleticism. The GTS brings its centre of gravity down with 15mm lower ride height and the steering, occasional dull patches apart, is beautifully responsive and fluid for confident cornering.

Cementing the dynamic prowess are the 20-inch wheels shod with broad tyres, wider at the rear.

Adaptive dampers allow the suspension to be stiffened on command. Overall there’s thoroughly respectable compliance, although in the firmest setting there’s the occasional protest against smaller bumps at low speeds.

The Macan, of course, ticks most of the practicality boxes. The boot is broad and spacious and there are metal tie-downs to secure loads.

The Macan GTS ticks a lot of practicality boxes.

Alcantara trim on the doors and seats adds a race car-inspired touch and the front seats are suitably bolstered for terrific cornering support. Black highlights abound in the cabin, in keeping with the exterior theme — speaker grilles and black brushed aluminium are an elegant touch.

In the split-fold (40-20-40) rear seat, things are more basic. There are ventilation controls and USB ports to keep the tribe content but it’s better suited to smaller folk.

A rare oversight: storage is marginal, with just a compact glovebox. The cupholders are the most obvious location for phones or other gadgets.

Attention to detail elsewhere and slicker dynamics make the GTS a tantalising part of the Macan line-up, without the full Turbo punch.

Porsche Macan GTS vitals

Price: From $109,700 plus on-roads

Warranty/servicing: 3 years/100,000km, $3550 for 5 years/130,000km

Safety: Not rated, 8 airbags, AEB, rear camera, lane keep assist, 360-degree parking aid, driver monitor

Engine: 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbo, 280kW/520Nm

Thirst: 9.6L/100km

Spare: Space-saver

Boot: 488L