BMW’s X4 is 3-seriesbased, but longer and lower than
its X3 sibling. Porsche and Audi are playing the same game. Who’s winning?
Snuggle into the driver’s seat and you’ll grip a steering
wheel inspired by the 918 supercar, with trick new roller wheels for the
multi-function volume controls, and cut-outs in the spokes for a tantalizing
flash of the tactile paddle-shifters. The rim is small, and your thumbs
instinctively slip over its stitched leather to lock into the quarter-to-three
position. Ahead of it, crisply clear dials that mirror those in a 911 cluster
around a large central tacho.
Snuggle into the
driver’s seat and you’ll grip a steering wheel inspired by the 918 supercar,
with trick new roller wheels for the multi-function volume controls, and
cut-outs in the spokes for a tantalizing flash of the tactile paddle-shifters.
Unlike a 911, however, you won’t be winding the Macan beyond
7000rpm: it’s redlined at 4600rpm and out of puff long before then. But the
Porsche does boast a noticeably smoother and quieter engine than the more
truck-like BMW. That and the fact there’s less wind noise at a motorway cruise
makes the Porsche more refined by a margin.
In fact, I’m surprised how mature the Macan feels in
general. The almost OTT meaty steering weight and superb polish of the damping
really stand out in your first few seconds behind the wheel. You can spec air
suspension for an extra-plush ride, but our car’s steel springs and $1300 adaptive
dampers make that seem an unnecessary luxury, unless you’re doing some pretty
serious off-roading in which case the air springs are more capable.
The almost OTT
meaty steering weight and superb polish of the damping really stand out in your
first few seconds behind the wheel.
Then you drive harder and notice the steering has more
precision than the BMW - the Porsche has double wishbone front suspension, the
BMW MacPherson strut - the front end a bite that makes the BMW’s feel stressed
in comparison, and six-piston brakes that stop the Macan on its nose time and
again; the BMW’s sliding calipers can’t compete.
Like the BMW, the Porsche’s all-wheel-drive system also
feels incredibly adept. You’re not necessarily aware of any intervention, but
the Macan corners so freakishly well that you just know there’s some serious
wizardry beneath the surface.
The BMW is good to drive, but the Macan’s body control and
overall composure ramp it up to another level. But it also feels more grown up
than I was expecting, much more in line with big brother Cayenne. Perhaps
that’s right for this car, perhaps owners want refinement and that feeling of
planted composure while still delivering an incredibly high level of engagement
when the road curls into the distance and the traffic thins out. But if you
want more fizz, you should try the Audi. Seriously.
The SQ5 is the underdog here. It’s based on the Q5, which
came out way back in 2008 and has changed relatively little since. But the SQ5
is only two years old. I like the compactness of it, and while the proportions
are the most conservative here, there’s an inherent rightness to them that
makes the BMW especially appeared contrived. Laughter lines include the neatly
laid out, high-quality dash that looks a generation out of date, and the
stitching on the leather door cards that’s noticeably baggy compared with the
precision of the Porsche. But the leather seats are comfortable and trimmed in
top-quality hide and you’ve still got plenty of room for four big ’uns, despite
the more compact dimensions. Get those rear passengers out of the way and you
can pull a neat little handle at the base of the rear seats to flatten them in
a second, upping the boot from 540 to 1560 litres and giving you a large load
bay to chuck in the two mountain bikes that just smashed their forks through
the X4’s tailgate.
Laughter lines
include the neatly laid out, high-quality dash that looks a generation out of
date, and the stitching on the leather door cards that’s noticeably baggy
compared with the precision of the Porsche.
