The new Porsche Panamera Turbo is a car that comes out incredibly well in the test, but still disappoints a little.
Every facelift, and this is one of them, is different. A decade ago, every facelift increased the number of LEDs in the lighting and sometimes that was it. The Panamera also gets new headlights, but underneath, things have been tackled a lot more firmly. Porsche has made great strides, especially in terms of chassis, but the drivetrains are also completely up to date.
This generation Panamera was also available with wonderful diesel engines in the first years, but after dieselgate Porsche decided to quickly and immediately say goodbye to the self-igniters. It says something about the fact that this Panamera has been around for a while (since 2016).
All on the Panamera PHEV
When you see the prices later, you can be pretty sure that almost every buyer (in the Netherlands) will go for a plug-in hybrid version of the Panamera. The Panamera Turbo is also an e-Hybrid these days and it has a pretty big battery.
The lithium-ion pack works with 400 volts and is 25.9 kWh. It should be good for 91 kilometers of electric range, after which you can recharge the battery via the 11 kW charger on board. There is no fast charging option.
The electric motor is 190 hp and 450 Nm, which is enough to quietly zip through the city. Of course, you don’t buy a Porsche for that, so fortunately there is also a combustion engine on board. Not just any one, it is the well-known 4.0 V8 biturbo. It ensures that the Porsche Panamera Turbo of this test has a pretty ridiculous system power of 680 hp and 930 Nm. Despite the fact that the Panamera quickly goes over 2.5 tons of weight when loaded, it is a ridiculously fast car. According to the factory specifications, the Porsche Panamera Turbo does 0 to 100 in 3.2s, but during our test the Panamera almost went two tenths under that. Really fast. The top speed is also “more than sufficient” at 315 km/h.
Are there any negative points?
I stood there, I looked at it and almost fell asleep. The strange color does not really save the Panamera. The appearance is really too familiar, the only substantial change has been made to the front. The headlights look a bit more angular, just like the new Porsche Macan for example. Furthermore, the familiar recipe and that dates back to 2016…
AND WHERE IS THE SPORT TURISMO? Porsche itself seems to be giving up a bit, it seems. The Panamera Sport Turismo, which is very popular in the Netherlands, has disappeared, those buyers have to switch to the electric Taycan, which is still available as a Sport Turismo and even a Cross Turismo. Quite strange in a world where BMW is actually bringing out an M5 Touring again.
And even then the poisoned chalice is not empty: tall people are better off ordering the longer Panamera Executive, because the space on the back seat of the regular Panamera is not really that big. Of course it’s because of those long legs of mine, but still.
Killer features
The hybrid Panameras, like the Taycan, optionally get the Porsche Active Ride system. It is a hydraulic system connected to shock absorbers, which eliminates the stabilizer bars and allows the Panamera to do all sorts of fun tricks. Porsche Active Ride requires quite a bit of electrical power, which is why it is not available for the regular ICE models.
The Panamera immediately shows its capabilities when you step in: after opening the door, the Panamera rises up to 77mm in no time at all thanks to the Entrance Assistant. So you don’t have to buy a Cayenne for the high entry.
The Panamera also has many extras in store while driving with Porsche Active Ride. With the Curve Tilt function, the Panamera leans against the bend and a similar function is called Dynamic Leveling during braking and acceleration. The suspension comfort is improved by the Active Skyhook function, with a little imagination you can probably figure out what Porsche means by that.
The great thing about Porsche Active Ride is that it increases comfort relatively unnoticed. If you really start scrubbing, the handling can feel a bit artificial, which is why all these functions are switched off in the sport mode of PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management). As with every Porsche, the Panamera is far from a boring four-wheel drive, there is plenty of power to the rear axle.
Alternatives
Somewhere the Porsche Panamera is in a “class of its own”. After all, the 7-series, A8 and S-class come from brands that are just a little lower in the pecking order. Incidentally, the Mercedes-AMG S63 is so good that it potentially beats the Panamera on points.
Within the Volkswagen Group, you could also opt for a Bentley Flying Spur, but you have to be old enough for that. If you are even less interested in the space on the back seat and you like hugging trees, your local Porsche Centre will be very happy if you order a new Taycan.
Conclusion Porsche Panamera Turbo test
The exterior has hardly changed, but underneath it is a different story. Ideal for the Panamera driver for whom it is not convenient to spend visible money. The conversations with your future ex will be a lot easier and the board of directors will not notice that you are driving the newest Panamera ever. I do order the same color, just black again.
The entry-level model is the rear-wheel drive and 353 hp Panamera, which costs 161,000 euros. The plug-in hybrid versions are much more interesting because they have much less CO2 emission-based tax. Porsche is asking 130,100 euros for the 470 hp Panamera 4 e-hybrid. The Panamera Turbo e-Hybrid is 206,500, but with some options the amount easily flies over a quarter of a million. Quite a lot of money, but the new Porsche Panamera Turbo is a hell of a car.
