PORSCHE’S Macan has long been one of the very best mid-sized family SUVs on the market - its appeal to just about every market made it a true Swiss army knife of a car.

Being big enough to swallow a few kids and the never-ending amount of equipment they seemingly require on every outing, the Macan’s party piece has always been that it’s not as gargantuan as its Cayenne bigger brother, meaning it retains more of its intrinsic Porsche DNA.

However, given manufacturers are now being squeezed by regulations across the globe, Porsche’s decided to make its new Macan fully electric.

Although that means no more throaty V6s and turbocharged mid-range grunt, what electric brings to the table is a huge bonus: instant pace, zero emissions and much more affordable running costs.

All variants sit on the same platform, co-developed with Audi, and whether you spend big on the Macan - which of course you can - or go for something lower down the range, you get the same 100kWh battery pack and 270kW peak charging speed, meaning charge-up times are eye-openingly good.

This car’s the middling version in 443bhp 4S guise which, as its name would suggest, gives it four-wheel drive and a handy chunk of extra power over the standard, entry-level Macan. At just shy of £100,000 in this spec, it’s most definitely costly, but what you get for that is something that manages to retain every ounce of Porsche magic.

Looks-wise, to me it’s a little less sharp than its predecessor, but that’s down to its smoother lines - as we’ve seen on other EVs - which make it more efficient at punching through the air despite its considerable size.

Open the door and it feels its price - you get a huge panoramic roof, swathes of leather and that brilliant, model-wide steering wheel that just feels right to grasp thanks to its utterly perfect size. Sure, the touchscreen will irk OCD sufferers, as will the glossy centre console. There are a few traditional buttons, however, which are handy and control the in-car temperature. As ever with Porsche, the driving position is millimetre perfect for me and you can hunker the driver’s seat down.

Get the Macan Electric out onto a challenging road and this is where it shines. Some EVs - although remarkably fast point-to-point, often fail to mask their weight when the going gets tough but the Porsche is the stark opposite, feeling way less than its 2,000kg-plus bulk. It steers well, its stops on a sixpence and Porsche’s class-leading nous comes to the fore. You trust it and it’s a formidable partner to have by your side - its four-wheel drive means you’re able to explore its capabilities with absolute faith.

Compared to a Polestar 4 or an Audi Q6 E-Tron, it’s just so much more dialled in. Sure, its main rivals will match the Macan’s range - about 250 to 270 miles in the real world, I found - but that Porsche badge will always win the day because of the extra things it brings to the party to cater for keen drivers.

You get space, luxury and a phenomenal, truly sporty drive. Jack of all trades it most certainly is, and it might just be the best electric SUV on the market.