Porsche Macan vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

What's the difference?

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.

Let’s make one thing clear from the very beginning - this new Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S E Performance is technically superior to the model it replaces. Whether it’s actually better or not, is the real question at the heart of the matter.

Why? Because, like the C63 sedan stablemate, AMG has opted to replace the previous model’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. It was a move brought about in part because of increasingly stricter emissions standards in Europe, but also ties-in with the German firm’s success in modern Formula One racing.

While the new hybrid system offers more power, more torque and better fuel economy, as the lukewarm response to the C63 has demonstrated, the hard reality for AMG is that its buyers associate it with V8 and even V12 engines. That emotional pull is hard to replace with logic, even if the new model offers technical superiority.

But how does the new powertrain suit the GLC63 - is it just technically better or is it holistically improved?