2014 Porsche Macan S Diesel : When The Going Gets Tough (Part 3)

A Range Rover Evoque, incidentally, has a superior departure angle and ramp angle even when the Porsche’s ride height is raised, and its ground clearance and approach angle are better when the Macan sits at normal ride height, too. But it’s unlikely that the Range Rover would get out of this situation, either. The earth beneath the rear wheels – and the driver’s brain – is just too soft.

This is a car of surprisingly deep and pleasing sporting reserves

Porsche Macan S Diesel Rear View

The Macan unsnagged, we head deeper into the Atlas Mountains, leaving behind some verdant lowlands to enter terrain that’s almost vegetation-free. But it looks less unforgivingly barren than it might because of the inviting, pink-orange hues of these boldly undulating, sometimes jagged hills. The roads are remarkably empty and you can often see far enough ahead to use plenty of this diesel Porsche’s amazingly refined thrust, to reveal a car that feels impressively at home being slung about along twisting roads, despite its scale. And that steering system once again reveals itself to be the key to your enjoyment of this car, its precision and feel encouraging you to commit to some satisfyingly incisive swoops through this spectacular topography. Just as important, though, is the excellent body control – which almost compensates for a sometimes pattery air-sprung ride – and the balance afforded by a rear-biased torque split.

The Macan S is impressively refined through out, the cabin doesn't suffer from excess road noise at speed

This is demonstrated to more dramatic effect the following day on some wind-smoothed, sand- crusted hills stretching for miles in every direction. Here it’s safe to indulge a low-speed unleashing of the Macan, every traction control and drift-reining electronic device turned off, second gear engaged and the accelerator sunk. If you have any doubts that this SUV behaves like a decidedly game rear-wheel-drive sports car, get ready to see them extinguished beneath a sub-Saharan sun. It takes no more than half a turn of lock, 20mph and a stab of the throttle to get the Porsche drifting and your hands darting to contain it. It feels like an ultra-refined rally car with a view.

The Macan's 500-litre boot is beaten by the Q5's 540 litres, but is still usefully big

Few Macan owners will drive their cars like this – although if you ever get the chance, take it – but it does demonstrate that this is a car of surprisingly deep and pleasing sporting reserves. It is also an SUV of quite some ability off road – and has the fundamental toughness to underpin it – although it’s not quite an ultimate off-roader. But for the mission that Porsche – and, more important, the vast majority of would-be Macan owners – have in mind, it’s pretty much ideal.