A diesel Porsche sounds like a contradiction right up until the first time you use the torque. Then the argument ends, quite abruptly, somewhere around the second gear.

This 2015 Porsche Macan S Diesel is the version that quietly makes the most sense. The 3.0-litre turbo V6 pulls from almost nowhere, the seven-speed PDK swaps ratios faster than you can decide you wanted it to, and all-wheel drive means none of it is wasted. It covers ground the way expensive things are supposed to - without ever seeming to try.

Porsche did not build the Macan to be a soft-road SUV, and it shows. The active suspension leans it into corners rather than away from them, the steering has actual weight to it, and the whole car sits lower and tighter than anything else in the school pickup line. It is a sports car that happens to have a boot and a high seating position.

Open the door and the red leather does the talking. Against the white paint it is a genuinely striking combination, and one you rarely see - most of these were ordered in black. Memory seats, part-Alcantara trim, and the analogue clock sitting dead centre on the dash where Porsche always puts it.

The details are where the money went. A boost gauge in the instrument binnacle, six-piston front callipers behind the 19-inch alloys, bi-xenon headlights, satellite navigation, eleven speakers, a power tailgate and paddle shifters on a sports wheel. Nothing here was an afterthought.

At 74,000 kilometres this one is barely into its stride, and it happens to be the Macan that will not punish you at the pump - real diesel range with a V6 underneath. For a Melbourne buyer who wants a genuine Porsche that works Monday to Sunday, this is the sensible one, which is a strange thing to say about a car this quick.

It seats five, tows a trailer, and will still surprise people who assumed the badge on the bonnet was decorative.

All prices displayed exclude government charges. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, MM Carz recommends you confirm with one of our consultants to confirm specific specifications/features about the car. Please also note our vehicles may not always be on display, as they may be in for detailing—please contact us in advance to confirm availability before visiting our showroom.