WHEN we first drove the Porsche Macan T, we reckoned that a four-wheel-drive hot hatch was a closer rival than any other quick SUV. The fact that it shares its 2.0-litre in-line four with various Volkswagen Group hot hatches, including the Golf R, certainly helped, but our opinion was also down to the way it drives; we were pretty confident that it was a true dynamic adversary for these lower, lighter cars.
To see if we were right, we brought the Macan T together with one such vehicle - the BMW M135i. Once a name associated with a rear-wheel-drive, sixcylinder hooligan, these days the badge is fixed to a four-wheel-drive car powered by an in-line four. This means the M135i isn't the unique proposition it once was, but arguably it's now a more complete car, offering all-weather ability, slightly more practicality and improved fuel economy - in other words, all the things that make a hot hatchback such a great all-rounder.
It's also lighter and more powerful than the Macan T, meaning that the Porsche will have its work cut out if it's to prove capable of taking the fight to another segment. So has Porsche worked its magic, or is the BMW simply too strong?
BMW M135i xDrive
Price: £40,595
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol, 302bhp
0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Test economy: 32.4mpg/7.1mpl
CO2: 177g/km Annual road tax: £520
Porsche Macan T
Price: £55,800
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol, 261bhp
0-62mph: 6.2 seconds
Test economy: 27.4mpg/6.0mpl
CO2: 229g/km Annual road tax: £520
Denne historien er fra February 08, 2023-utgaven av Auto Express.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 08, 2023-utgaven av Auto Express.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
PEUGEOT E-2008 GT
Our Peugeot EV and classic BMW may be the perfect two-car garage
SHOW 'N' TELL
Our 2024 Performance Car of the Year, Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N EV, takes on the revamped Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
F1 EXHIBITION IS GO GO GO
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill shows us around a celebration of the greatest sport on Earth
BYD Dolphin Active
Lower power means a more affordable price, but the new entry-level Dolphin is left wanting in other areas
Mercedes-AMG CLE Coupé
FIRST DRIVE We get behind the wheel of new CLE that aims to offer both comfort and a scincillating driving experience
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Ergonomic improvements are a welcome enhancement to VW's iconic hot hatch, but there's still no manual version
Toyota Prius
FIRST UK DRIVE Toyota's hybrid pioneer finally returns to these shores in fifth-generation guise and exclusively as a plug-in hybrid
INSURANCE SCAMS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
INSURANCE FRAUD BUREAU EXPERT GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON THE LATEST SWINDLES
Honda's updated HR-V sports sharp new look
Brand's best-selling model in Europe has also received some interior revisions and extra safety kit
Audi sets £70k start price for new A6 EV
ORDER books for the new Audi A6 e-tron are open now, with prices from just under £70,000 and deliveries starting next February.