BMW M135i vs Porsche Macan

What's the difference?

When the iPhone first appeared just over a decade ago, I can remember thinking a phone without buttons would be a giant pain in the neck. Until I used one, and now the idea of a keypad phone sounds akin to starting a car with a crank handle.

The new 1 Series is likely to offer most buyers a similar revelation, with its move from the BMW-traditional rear-drive layout to more conventional front and all-wheel drive. That is assuming you gave a damn in the first place, as I suspect it’s only hardcore BMW traditionalists that care about a rear-drive premium hatchback in 2020.

And that’s not who is buying the 1 Series, with the Bavarian brand’s cheapest model intended to appeal to younger buyers who are more likely to care about connectivity, practicality and personalisation options than the excitement of losing grip from the rear. It certainly hasn’t stopped plenty of people from buying 1 Series-rivalling A-Class and A3s from Mercedes-Benz and Audi over the years.

This might be the biggest gamble in Porsche's history. It's the latest version of its best-selling car, the Porsche Macan, only this one has a very big difference.

You see, this time, it’s all-electric. There is not an internal-combustion engine (ICE) in sight. And that makes climbing into an entry-level Macan significantly more expensive than ever before.

So, will this bold shift help or hinder the Macan in Australia? And is this the country’s best all-electric SUV?

There’s only one way find out.