Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Porsche Panamera review – a tech-packed sports saloon

"If you’re not put off by its steep price tag, the Porsche Panamera offers performance worthy of its badge, and yet offers space for four”

Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

5.0 out of 5

Read owner reviews

Pros

  • Beautifully designed and finished interior
  • Great to drive
  • Brilliant, grippy four-wheel drive system

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Rivals are more comfortable and refined
  • Size makes manoeuvring tricky

Verdict – is the Porsche Panamera a good car?

The latest Porsche Panamera is even better thanks to a refreshed new look and an impressive level of build and material quality inside and out. It feels just as good to drive – there’s even a little more steering feedback than before – and there’s now more tech on offer than in the previous model. The Porsche Panamera was already a desirable car, and its status has only increased, although if comfort is your top priority, some rivals are more cosseting.

Porsche Panamera models, specs and alternatives

While the Porsche Panamera caused quite a stir when it was released as the second four-door Porsche following the Cayenne SUV, it’s since become a well-established model in the lineup. The latest version has undergone a thorough overhaul for 2024 – it’s virtually a new model – with Porsche keen to keep its combustion-engined sports saloon competitive against rivals.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The latest Panamera gets a new look that brings it more in line with Porsche’s electric models in terms of design. The headlights have been redesigned with a slightly squarer look incorporating individual LED elements within the clusters a-la Porsche Taycan. While the rear light bar on the outgoing Panamera got thinner towards the middle on the bootlid, the latest update stays a consistent length along the whole width of the car for a less fussy, more minimalist look.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Like with the latest Porsche Cayenne facelift, the interior has been reworked, too, with the option of a 10.9-inch touchscreen display on the passenger side, a fully digital gauge cluster as standard, rather than the individual digital gauges from before, and a redesigned centre console. The latest Panamera is well equipped, but undeniably expensive.

The Panamera range starts from just under £81,000 with the standard 348bhp V6 twin-turbocharged model, with a four-wheel drive option badged Panamera 4 sitting above this as the sole petrol offerings. The three other models are plug-in hybrids: the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, 4S E-Hybrid and top-spec Turbo E-Hybrid – it’s likely other models will be added to the lineup over time.

No matter which version you plump for, you’re likely to find the Panamera a very easy car to live with. Its hatchback boot opening puts it at an advantage over the saloon-style bootlids of cars such as the Mercedes CLS. The only other large high-performance hatchback is the Audi S7 Sportback. None of these can match the Panamera for its unique selling point, though – truly stunning performance and handling. If you need even more space, a Sport Turismo estate version is also available with a less coupe-like roofline and more upright rear windscreen.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The Porsche Panamera’s unique selling point is its impeccably sporty driving feel, even for a four-door saloon car – if comfort’s the main priority you’d be better off with a Mercedes S-Class.

Even in entry-level, rear-wheel drive guise, the standard Panamera is no slouch. It uses a turbocharged 2.9-litre petrol engine producing 348bhp, enabling 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds, while specifying the four-wheel drive Panamera 4 cuts this town to 5.0 seconds, and commands a £3,000 premium. Our experience with the Panamera 4 confirmed it as an impressive sports saloon, though the petrol V6 feels more sedate in the Panamera compared with its application in Audi RS models. 

The three plug-in hybrid cars, badged E-Hybrid, are all capable of up to 57-58 miles of electric driving from a single charge. There’s a Panamera 4 E-Hybrid with a 2.9-litre V6 and electric motor producing a healthy 464bhp, or the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid which features a tweaked version of that same combustion engine for a total output of 537bhp. The current range-topper as of early 2024 is the Turbo E-Hybrid, which combines a 4.0-litre V8 engine with the motor for a whopping 671bhp, with a similarly eye watering circa-£141,000 price tag.

It’s expected more versions of the Panamera will join the lineup as the facelifted range matures, though it’s unclear how many of these will be petrol or plug-in hybrid models.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Charlie writes and edits news, review and advice articles for Carbuyer, as well as publishing content to its social media platforms. He has also been a regular contributor to its sister titles Auto Express, DrivingElectric and evo. As well as being consumed by everything automotive, Charlie is a speaker of five languages and once lived in Chile, Siberia and the Czech Republic, returning to the UK to write about his life-long passion: cars.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Volkswagen T-Cross review – a well-equipped small SUV
Volkswagen T-Cross 2024
In-depth reviews
18 Mar 2024

Volkswagen T-Cross review – a well-equipped small SUV

SEAT Ateca review - good value SUV that's fun to drive
SEAT Ateca SUV front 3/4 tracking
In-depth reviews
14 Mar 2024

SEAT Ateca review - good value SUV that's fun to drive

New Volkswagen ID.7 GTX Tourer – more speed and style for electric estate car
Volkswagen ID7 GTX Tourer front quarter
News
13 Mar 2024

New Volkswagen ID.7 GTX Tourer – more speed and style for electric estate car

New Maserati Grecale Folgore: 550bhp Italian electric SUV on sale now
Maserati Grecale Folgore front quarter
News
12 Mar 2024

New Maserati Grecale Folgore: 550bhp Italian electric SUV on sale now

Most Popular

Hot car deal: stylish Peugeot 2008 small SUV for £120 a month
Peugeot 2008 front quarter
Deals
12 Mar 2024

Hot car deal: stylish Peugeot 2008 small SUV for £120 a month

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
15 Mar 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Skoda Superb Estate review – a near-faultless, practical family car
Skoda Superb Estate Carbuyer drive
In-depth reviews
15 Mar 2024

Skoda Superb Estate review – a near-faultless, practical family car

More on Panamera

Top 10 best luxury cars 2024
The best luxury cars
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best luxury cars 2024

If money is no object and your tastes run to extravagance, read on for the 10 best luxury cars on sale today
New 2024 Porsche Panamera – new looks, interior, and Turbo E-Hybrid model
2024 Porsche Panamera front-quarter static view
News
24 Nov 2023

New 2024 Porsche Panamera – new looks, interior, and Turbo E-Hybrid model

Four-door luxury Porsche gets a makeover for 2024, with new engines, tech and styling
Top 10 slowest-depreciating cars on sale
Porsche 911 GT3
Best cars
16 Jun 2022

Top 10 slowest-depreciating cars on sale

Here are the cars that hold their value best in the UK - the slowest-depreciating models you can buy
Skip advert
Advertisement
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo estate review
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
In-depth reviews
12 May 2022

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo estate review

“The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is an estate version of the rapid executive car with more space and the option of a plug-in hybrid”
New Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition arrives
New Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition arrives
News
8 Nov 2021

New Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition arrives

The Panamera 4 Platinum Edition features styling tweaks and extra equipment, with prices starting from £83,510
690bhp Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid sprints in
Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid front view
News
20 Oct 2020

690bhp Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid sprints in

Flagship Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is most powerful version yet and claims 31-mile electric range
2020 Porsche Taycan makes public debut at Frankfurt
Porsche Taycan - Front 3/4 at Frankfurt
News
10 Sep 2019

2020 Porsche Taycan makes public debut at Frankfurt

Porsche shows off the £115,858 electric Taycan
New Porsche Panamera GTS 2019
News
15 Oct 2018

New Porsche Panamera GTS 2019

454bhp Porsche Panamera GTS joins the range as a sporty, driver-focused option
Skip advert
Advertisement
New Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid launched
News
2 May 2018

New Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid launched

Up to 88.3mpg claimed for plug-in Cayenne E-Hybrid
Skip advert
Advertisement
Porsche Panamera hybrid (2016-2018)
In-depth reviews
23 Nov 2017

Porsche Panamera hybrid (2016-2018)

"The Porsche Panamera hybrid is fast, comfortable and relatively economical – but you have to pay for the privilege"
Porsche launches Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo
News
26 Sep 2017

Porsche launches Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo

192mph range-topping Panamera adopts plug-in hybrid power
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo debuts in Geneva
News
1 Mar 2017

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo debuts in Geneva

Improved practicality for Porsche’s large hatchback
New 2017 Porsche Panamera revealed
News
28 Jun 2016

New 2017 Porsche Panamera revealed

All-new Porsche Panamera revealed ahead of November launch
Lexus GS F blasts in with 467bhp
News
6 Jan 2015

Lexus GS F blasts in with 467bhp

The Lexus GS F promises 467bhp and a 0-62mph time of around 4.5 seconds
New Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid revealed
News
23 Jul 2014

New Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid revealed

Hybrid Porsche Cayenne unveiled alongside a selection of subtle tweaks to the range
Skip advert
Advertisement
Smaller Porsche Panamera planned
News
16 Jan 2014

Smaller Porsche Panamera planned

As Porsche plans to increase sales, a smaller saloon model could be on the way
Porsche Panamera hatchback (2010-2016)
In-depth reviews
20 Dec 2013

Porsche Panamera hatchback (2010-2016)

"The Porsche Panamera certainly isn’t a beauty, but it’s surprisingly good to drive for a luxury four-seater."
Skip advert
Advertisement
Tokyo Motor Show 2013: all you need to know
News
18 Nov 2013

Tokyo Motor Show 2013: all you need to know

All the details on the new cars set to be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
19 Dec 2023

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
12 Apr 2023

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
The best electric cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024