Item: Porsche Panamera
Rating: 4
Author: Steve Huntingford

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

No Panamera is cheap to buy, and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> dealers don’t do discounts. The 4S E-Hybrid <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-a-plug-in-hybrid-and-should-you-buy-one/n1141">plug-in hybrid</a> (PHEV) should at least be good news for <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/company-car-tax-bands/n1255">company car drivers</a>&nbsp;thanks to the tax advantage of CO2 emissions as low as 45g/km.

The 4S E-Hybrid's official economy figure is an impressive 112mpg, although you'll have to do a lot of electric-only driving and charge up regularly to get anywhere close to that. A&nbsp;long motorway journey with a flat main battery will reduce that to around 35mpg in the real world.&nbsp;

All Panameras come with a reasonable amount of standard equipment, but nothing out of the ordinary at this price level. Yes, you get alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, cruise control and heated front seats, but you’ll need to pay for extras such as privacy glass, a really good stereo and keyless entry. The 4S E-Hybrid, GTS and Turbo models add a sprinkling of extra luxuries, but a five-figure options spend is still easily possible on top.

Porsche finished a disappointing 25th place out of 30 car makers in our&nbsp;2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car Reliability Survey</a>. The Panamera came ninth out of the 10 cars in its class in the same survey. Unlike some brands, Porsche’s warranty isn’t limited by mileage, but it does end after three years unless you extend it at extra cost.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> has not&nbsp;tested the Panamera for safety. It comes with stability control, ABS and the usual selection of airbags, but if you want automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>&nbsp;you have to add it as an option, as part of&nbsp;a package that also includes adaptive cruise control. We consider AEB a crucial safety feature, and even some small cars get it as standard.

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The Porsche Panamera’s engine line-up consists of a pair of V6s and a pair of V8s. They are all petrol-powered, and some have plug-in hybrid&nbsp;electrical assistance. We’ll start with the non-PHEVs.

The cheapest is the 2.9-litre V6 in the Panamera and the Panamera 4. With 325bhp, these models are officially good for a 0-62mph dash of 5.6 and 5.3sec respectively. Next up is the 4S, with 444bhp and a 0-62mph of 4.1sec.

Then there’s the pricier 473bhp V8-engined GTS, for 0-62mph in 3.9sec, and the even more potent V8 Turbo S. The Turbo S's&nbsp;621bhp and 3.1sec 0-62mph time make it more than capable of embarrassing some supercars.

You can have PHEV tech on most Panamera engines. That adds an electric motor to produce more combined power and, naturally, stronger performance, but doesn't significantly affect&nbsp;how progressive and smooth the brakes are (as it does on some&nbsp;electrified cars).

The entry-level 4 E-Hybrid – which is our favourite of all the Panamera engines – produces a hefty 455bhp, which is enough for a 0-62mph sprint to 4.4sec. Its official electric-only range is 33 miles, but you'll have to be&nbsp;very restrained with the accelerator to get close to that.

In Electric mode, it easily keeps up with the flow of traffic, and you have to prod the accelerator hard to wake up the engine. Hybrid mode uses the engine more, but both settings keep you waiting a moment or two for the engine to chime in. A Sport Response&nbsp;button on the steering wheel puts everything on full alert so the car leaps forward the moment you put your foot down.&nbsp;

The E-Hybrid system’s effect on the top-of-the-range V8 Turbo S engine is less significant. Even though it has 69bhp more than the non-PHEV equivalent, it only shaves 0.1sec off the 0-62mpg time (to 3.2sec).

An eight-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">dual-clutch automatic gearbox</a> is standard on all models, with&nbsp;no manual option available. It's smooth under normal use yet is capable of rapid shifts and instant response when in its sportier driving modes. It can be jerky when making slow manoeuvres, though.

All models but the entry-level Panamera come with four-wheel drive as standard, and so far we’ve driven versions with that plus four-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars. With that set-up, it turns in with an urgency that belies its size, cornering with virtually no body lean.

If you’re really driving the wheels off it, you’ll notice that the extra weight of the Turbo S’s big V8 makes it a little less keen to dive into a bend than the V6-powered cars, but those clever systems help to&nbsp;conceal the extra mass of the E-Hybrid models’ battery packs.

All versions are exceedingly capable on a twisty road. You might find the even sharper Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé more entertaining, but that car can't match the Panamera for ride comfort.

On versions with air suspension rather than adaptive suspension,&nbsp;the ride is firm but very well controlled across heavily undulating roads. It’s also calmer at motorway speeds, although it can thump clumsily over really nasty ruts and ridges in town.&nbsp;Wind noise is well contained, but the Panamera’s giant tyres generate road roar on coarse surfaces (not as much as the AMG GT, though).

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

The 326bhp 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 petrol in the entry-level 4 is pokey (0-62mph in 5.3sec) but we suspect keen drivers will prefer the 'proper' performance and rev-hungry nature of the 434bhp 4S. 


http://example.com

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OUR PICK

The 4 E-Hybrid, with its 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds and all-electric range of up to 34 miles, strikes the decent compromise between performance and company car tax. Expect around 30mpg average when the battery has run out, though. 

4 E-Hybrid

Keen drivers will love the 'proper' performance and rev-hungry nature of the 434bhp 4S. It’s not the fastest Panamera but, arguably, the most satisfying dynamically. Why? Well, the engine's lighter than the more powerful V8 versions and the 4S isn't weighed down by any heavy hybrid batteries, either. Lightness means it's nimbler in the corners and still capable of 0-62mph in as little as 4.3sec, which is rapid. The eight-speed PDK auto gearbox is also good and it should average 30mpg (at a push). 

29-v6

If you’re after a hybrid Panamera, we reckon the 4S E-Hybrid, with its 0-62mph time of 3.7sec and all-electric range of up to 31 miles, strikes the great compromise between performance and company car tax. Expect no more than 30mpg average when the battery has run out, though. 

4S E-Hybrid

The GTS might be fractionally slower to 62mph than the 4S E-Hybrid (3.9sec plays 3.7sec) but its 4.0-litre V8 is the more emotive engine. It pulls like a freight train from low revs (excuse the cliche) and delivers a beautiful V8 bellow all the way until it hits its 6800rpm redline. It is pricey, though.


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With 621bhp, a 0-62mph time of just 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 196mph, the Turbo S is face-meltingly fast. In fact, it’s even quicker than the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid – yes, really. The hybrid, despite having more power, can’t overcome the extra weight of its electric batteries. So unless you want lower daily running costs, we’d save the initial outlay and buy this non-electrified Turbo S that handles more sweetly.

Turbo S

The Turbo S E-Hybrid has a combined 690bhp making it the most powerful Panamera. However, it's very slightly slower than the Turbo S because its heavy hybrid battery weighs it down, and that weight also blunts its handling. On the plus side, it'll do up to 30 miles of electric-only running (officially) and save you a heap of company car tax over the Turbo S. 

Turbo S E-Hybrid

Why should you compromise in life? If you have the funds to treat yourself to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-luxury-cars-2022/n17020">luxury car</a>&nbsp;but need four seats,&nbsp;you can have sports car performance too. For proof of that, take a look at&nbsp;the&nbsp;Porsche Panamera.

You see, underneath the Panamera’s sharp four-door exterior is a rather athletic frame, with&nbsp;a choice of V6 or V8 petrol engines and rear or four-wheel drive.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-a-hybrid-car-and-should-you-buy-one/n1290">Plug-in hybrid</a>&nbsp;(PHEV) models are also available, in case you want to reduce your fuel consumption, go very quickly – or both.&nbsp;

There’s no such thing as a sluggish <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a>&nbsp;of course, and even the slowest version of the Panamera does 0-62mph in the mid-five second range. The quickest is, well, very quick indeed. It's not just about straight-line pace, though. This is&nbsp;also one of the most agile luxury cars around.

The driving experience car be improved further with a&nbsp;range of options, including adaptive air suspension with active anti-roll bars, four-wheel steering and carbon-ceramic brakes. That doesn't come cheap, though. Spending a five-figure sum on options for the Panamera is very easily done – even before you’ve considered special paint finishes, bigger wheels or a more luxurious interior.

There’s a wide range of cars you could consider rivals. At the bottom end are four and five-door coupes, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a7/hatchback/review/n151">Audi A7 Sportback</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/cls/coupe/review/n146">Mercedes CLS</a>. The long-wheelbase Panamera Executive models could be seen as sporty alternatives to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a8/saloon/review/n17302">Audi A8</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/saloon/review/n17355">Mercedes S-Class</a>. And the Turbo S and Turbo S E-Hybrid have the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/amg-gt-4-door/saloon/review/n17968">Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé</a>&nbsp;firmly in their&nbsp;sights.

Wondering whether the Porsche Panamera could be the ideal luxury car for your? Well, we've road-tested it, and over the next few pages, we'll tell you what the performance is like, how pleasant the tech-laden interior is, how much it will cost you to buy and run, and much more.

And whatever you choose as your next car, search&nbsp;our free&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car?&nbsp;New Car Deals service</a>&nbsp;for big savings without lifting a finger. It features&nbsp;lots of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/luxury">new luxury car deals</a>.

The driver’s seating position in the Porsche Panamera is fabulous. The pedals and steering wheel line up well and the low-slung seat gives it&nbsp;an authentic sports car feel. Once you’ve set the electrically adjustable steering wheel and seat to your liking, it’s a wonderfully comfortable place to be.

That said, we’ve only tried the 14-way adjustable sports seats. On models without these, you’ll need to add them at extra cost if you want adjustable lumbar support. Visibility out of the rear isn’t great, due to the sloping roofline and large rear pillars, but front and rear parking sensors are standard to help judge the car’s extremities. Powerful LED headlights are standard, for confident night driving.

Instead of providing physical buttons, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> has placed many of the Panamera’s controls in a touch-sensitive panel on the central console. This looks good at first glance but proves problematic to use while driving: you have to look down often to see which function you’re prodding.

We also don’t like that you have to use the infotainment system if you want to alter the airflow out of the front and rear air vents. It makes something that should be a simple, immediate task unnecessarily distracting.&nbsp;

The infotainment system itself is more impressive. Its 12.3in touchscreen is mounted high enough up on the dashboard that you can see it easily and most icons are large enough to find at a glance. Only when you dive deeper into the menus will you find smaller icons that are trickier to find while on the move.

The screen is a high resolution,&nbsp;and never lags like the system in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/amg-gt-4-door/saloon/review/n17968">Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé</a> is prone to doing. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> smartphone mirroring is standard, but you can’t have <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>.

To help deliver even more information to the driver, a pair of configurable 7.0in digital screens flank the traditional analogue rev counter that sits directly in front of you. They’re effective, showing sat-nav and driving information, for example, but the outer edges of the display get lost behind the thick-rimmed steering wheel.

Quality is very impressive. Everything feels beautifully put together and, depending on how much you want to spend, it’s possible to get virtually every surface covered in leather, Alcantara or a veneer of some sort.

Hatchback

Porsche is best known as the quintessential sports car maker, but its line-up is increasingly diverse, interesting and successful, from its SUV family to the Panamera hatchback and shooting brake and, in time, a planned family of electric vehicles.

Whatever your choice, What Car?’s testers rate the cars highly; Porsche has an unusually high percentage of five and four-star cars.

Without exception, its sports cars are class leaders or among the class leaders, standing out for combining driving thrills with surprising luxury and comfort. Likewise, its SUVs are among the sharpest handling, as well as offering high levels of practicality and quality. Meanwhile, the Panamera is a true rival to the very best large executive saloons.

Porsche also sees itself as an electric car pioneer and has already enjoyed sales success with its plug-in hybrid range. Its first all-electric sports car is imminent, signalling the firm’s intent to stay relevant for many years to come.

PORSCHE

PANAMERA

The Porsche Panamera is comfortable, luxurious and superb to drive.

Front-seat occupants won’t have any complaints regarding space in the Porsche Panamera. Head and leg room are both more than adequate for anyone six feet tall or higher.

Storage space is good, too. You get a decent central cubby and a few other nooks and crannies dotted around for your odds and ends. The door bins can swallow a fair amount of clutter or a drinks bottle. People in the back get a central armrest, storage between the seats and reasonable-sized door bins.

Is there enough space for the rear seat passengers, though? Yes, a surprising amount, as it happens. While there are only two rear seats, the head and leg room they offer is better than in&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/amg-gt-4-door/saloon/review/n17968">Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé</a>.

Indeed, a couple of six-foot-plus adults can sit contentedly behind tall adults in the front. There’s a longer-wheelbase Executive model available in case you have very&nbsp;long legs. Electrically adjustable rear seats are an option, but the rear seats are really supportive and comfortable even without these.

The 500-litre boot is big enough to swallow four carry-on suitcases. That’s nowhere near the seven you can fit in the AMG GT, but the Panamera’s wide-opening powered tailgate lets you get bulky items in with ease. The battery location of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-a-plug-in-hybrid-and-should-you-buy-one/n1141">plug-in hybrid</a>&nbsp;(E-Hybrid) models raises the boot floor and reduces capacity to 405 litres (just a bit more than in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17371">Volkswagen Golf</a>).

This ‘base’ Panamera comes with a reasonable amount of standard equipment but nothing out of the ordinary at this price level. Yes, you get alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, partial leather seats, cruise control and heated front seats, but you’ll need to pay for extras such as privacy glass, a decent stereo, the aforementioned adjustable lumbar support and keyless entry.

Panamera

panamera

This is the base mode for the Sport Turismo and comes with a reasonable amount of standard equipment but nothing out of the ordinary at this price level. You get 19in alloy wheels, eight-way powered front seats, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, cruise control, power-folding door mirrors, wireless phone charging, a 10-speaker/ 150-watt stereo, Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, a powered tailgate, adaptive suspension, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and heated front seats. You’ll need to pay for extras such as privacy glass, lumbar adjustment and keyless entry.

Platinum Edition

platinum-edition

The main reason for opting for the 4S is the way it drives, because the equipment is reasonable but nothing out of the ordinary at this price level. You get 19in alloy wheels, composite brakes, eight-way powered front seats, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, cruise control, power-folding door mirrors, wireless phone charging, a 10-speaker/ 150-watt stereo, Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, a powered tailgate, adaptive air suspension, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and heated front seats. You’ll need to pay for extras such as privacy glass, lumbar adjustment and keyless entry.

GTS models get a host of go-faster goodies (besides a potent 4.0 V8 engine) including a Sport Chrono pack, a sports exhaust system, lower suspension and larger brakes. There’s also plenty of visual garnish in the form of black 20in alloy wheels, a Sport Design body kit package, black exterior elements, fancier LED headlights, an Alcantara-wrapped heated steering wheel and GTS logos stitched into the headrests, along with 18-way electrically adjustable front sport seats with lumbar support.

As standard, Turbo S models get massive 21in alloy wheels, ceramic brakes, yellow brake calipers, 14-way electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar support, seat heating front and rear, keyless entry, a head-up display, the roof-lining in Alcantara and a 14-speaker, 710-watt Bose sound system.

turbo-s

The Porsche Panamera is well worth considering if you’re after a sharper-driving alternative to big luxury saloons and plug-in hybrids. It may not ride quite so fluently, but is very agile for such a big car, particularly if you opt for one of the V6-engined models. The V8 versions are extremely fast, but are overkill of the highest order. For excitement alone, the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé is more likely to make you smile, but that car is nothing like as comfortable overall.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plush ride and the ability to cruise in near-silence </li> <li>Powerful and efficient engine</li> <li>Space for passengers to stretch out in the rear seats</li> <li>Exquisite materials and build quality</li> <li>Endless luxuries on the options list</li> <li>Sensible fuel and tax bills</li></ul>

If you’re in the market for a luxury car, you’ll be after a sumptuous interior, a ride that can soak up the worst of the UK’s pockmarked roads and supreme refinement that allows you to travel at speed in near-silence.

Luxury

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No Panamera is cheap to buy, and Porsche dealers don’t do discounts. The 4S E-Hybrid plug-in hybrid (PHEV) should at least be good news for company car drivers thanks to the tax advantage of CO2 emissions as low as 45g/km.,The 4S E-Hybrid's official economy figure is an impressive 112mpg, although you'll have to do a lot of electric-only driving and charge up regularly to get anywhere close to that. A long motorway journey with a flat main battery will reduce that to around 35mpg in the real world. ,All Panameras come with a reasonable amount of standard equipment, but nothing out of the ordinary at this price level. Yes, you get alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, cruise control and heated front seats, but you’ll need to pay for extras such as privacy glass, a really good stereo and keyless entry. The 4S E-Hybrid, GTS and Turbo models add a sprinkling of extra luxuries, but a five-figure options spend is still easily possible on top.Porsche finished a disappointing 25th place out of 30 car makers in our 2021 What Car Reliability Survey. The Panamera came ninth out of the 10 cars in its class in the same survey. Unlike some brands, Porsche’s warranty isn’t limited by mileage, but it does end after three years unless you extend it at extra cost.,,Euro NCAP has not tested the Panamera for safety. It comes with stability control, ABS and the usual selection of airbags, but if you want automatic emergency braking (AEB) you have to add it as an option, as part of a package that also includes adaptive cruise control. We consider AEB a crucial safety feature, and even some small cars get it as standard.For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Buying advice for the Porsche Panamera covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

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