Like a hunting lioness in the African savanna, Sport Utility Vehicles started sneaking up on us in the 1990s. They did it quietly, precisely yet with firm intention. Back to 2019, many a car buyer wants to own an SUV.

But why do SUVs bring this much fascination to motorists and would be car buyers. Well, it is a no brainer that SUVs bring with them the freedom of more lifestyle advantages such as travelling in comfort, commanding driving position and the fact that you can take and driver your car almost anywhere in the country without worrying about road conditions.

SUVs are the greatest phenomenon of our lifetime. There was a time when you would not say Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche and SUV in the same breath. Today, every sports car manufacturer is fighting for its place in this fast growing segment.

Porsche entered this space with the Cayenne back in 2002 and the model went on to do well for the German car maker. This surge in sales from both traditional and new Porsche buyers is what motivated Porsche to enter the compact SUV segment in2014, a segment where the likes of BMW X3 has dominated for years.

Built on a shared platform with cousin products the Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Tiguan, the Macan still feels like a Porsche.

Last week, saw the launch of the new second-generation Macan with only one model available on launch. The 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 185kW of power and 370Nm of torque, ensuring that the

Macan can hold its own on the road. The Macan S is powered by the 3.0-litre V6 engine with power output of 260kW and 480Nm.

We had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the baby Cayenne, as some refer to it, and came back satisfied. It offers a Porsche-like drive, meaning it sits on the road like a sedan and handles like a sports car, attacking the Franschhoek pass corners like they were its natural habitat.

At R850 000 the Macan is a perfect entry into the Porsche brand. The Macan ticks all the boxes of what a Porsche compact SUV should be, it handles well, with almost zero body roll on corners, it is well equipped with modern technology and safety features, it is good looking, well not in the way of drooling over it. Though it was not available on launch, the Macan S is available to order to customers.

The future may be self-driving cars or electric cars but it certainly has an SUV element to it, and I say the now is SUV.

Model and Pricing:

• Macan: R849 000
• Macan S: R1 099 000