A FAIR few people probably thought Porsche had gone potty when it launched the Cayenne SUV in 2002.

It might have been derided by some purists and so called experts but Porsche was probably too busy counting all the money it was making to notice.

In short the Cayenne proved a runaway success for Porsche and the serious money it made enabled the company to become a big industry player.

Since then it's pretty much become part of the mainstream and given the seemingly endless clamour for SUVs in every possible shape and size Porsche decided to add yet another to the range in the shape of the Macan.

The Macan effectively sits below the Cayenne as a compact SUV and while the Cayenne shares much in common with the Volkswagen Touareg, the Macan enjoys a similar family relationship with the Audi Q5.

That said, it's fair to say it's a family relationship where the cars are more like siblings than twins.

The Macan and Q5 actually share just 30 per cent of their components, including multi-link suspension front and rear.

One of the big attractions of the Macan is that its more compact dimensions allow for the creation of a car that, for want of a better description, is more 'Porsche-like'.

Classic 911 styling cues are evident and curves-aplenty in all the right places, particularly the front end, give it a more sporty profile than the Cayenne. It certainly looks the part and there's little to fault from a design perspective.

The interior is like an exhibition of the evolution of Porsche ergonomics. It's very much premium in every respect, characterised by quality, precision, attention to detail and an overwhelming sense that only the best will do.

You get the cockpit style centre console pioneered on the Panamera which has to be about as good a display of instrumentation one could wish for.

It might look a little daunting at first, with its array of switches, but it really is surprisingly easy to find your way around and despite its apparent complexity there's an essential simplicity to its design.

There's a logical layout to it and everything is easy to operate on the go. From a design perspective it works well too and the distinctive Porsche dials look particularly good.

The Macan has a super-solid feel, evidence, if it were needed, that German premium brands continue to be the pace-setters when it comes to build quality.

As a family car the Macan doesn't match the interior space of the Cayenne and if you imagine the SUV acronym guarantees a spacious cabin then think again.

While sitting in the front one gets a real sense of luxury and the sports seats offer excellent levels of support and comfort, it's a bit more limited in the rear.

Okay, it's not tiny, but there isn't a surplus of legroom for rear seat passengers and while the boot is big enough the curvaceous rear does impinge on its carrying capacity just a little.

Though the Macan might lag a little behind the Cayenne in terms of practicality it has advantages in terms of driving dynamics.

Sure there are some big and powerful Cayennes that almost seem to defy the laws of physics when it comes to delivering blistering performance and excellent handling, but the Macan's more compact dimensions give it a big advantage.

The fact it is smaller all round and sits significantly lower mean it can deliver much as a driver's car.

It has a flat and agile feel and corners with a negligible degree of pitch and roll.

Car makers have always liked to wax lyrical about the car-like handling of their SUVs but in the case of the Macan it's no idle boast.

At present there are four models to choose from the Macan, Macan S, Macan S Diesel and Macan Turbo.

The 233bhp 2.0-litre petrol-powered entry model isn't going to offer the kind of driving thrills someone buying into the Porsche brand might expect but with a pricetag of just over £40,000 represents a tempting option.

While the diesel will undoubtedly shift plenty of units for Porsche, the Macan S has to be the one that offers the most to the purists, at a price that won't break the bank.

Powered by Porsche's own twin turbo 3.0-lite V6 engine it will complete the 0-62mph sprint almost a second-and-a-half faster than the entry-level petrol model, yet costs just £3,000 more.

In addition it performs the same feat just over half a second slower than the range-topping Turbo, which starts at almost £60,000.

Despite this it can still deliver decent enough economy, with a combined cycle return of 32.5mpg.

All Macans come with Porsche's efficient and smooth-shifting seven-speed PDK automatic gearbox and standard equipment levels are fairly generous too.

All come with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and Porsche Stability Management (PSM), 18" alloy wheels, start/stop system, sport and off-road modes, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic tailgate, electric folding mirrors, a multifunction steering wheel, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, climate control, a part leather interior and more besides.

The Macan certainly seems to slot nicely into the Porsche range and I'd imagine is likely to prove just as popular as the Cayenne, if not more so.