Panamera stands out as the most mature iteration of the nameplate yet.
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Panamera stands out as the most mature iteration of the nameplate yet.
Porsche’s latest generation of Panamera stands out as the most mature iteration of the nameplate yet. Its design is less conflicted than ever, more cohesive in how it flows with Porsche’s broader design language. It’s over 5-metres in length but it’s no limousine, more convincingly a four-door sports car, which it quite simply is. That’s what it was always penned to be, nothing more and nothing less…though it is more. Panamera’s significant differentiator has always been its almost paradoxical purpose, something that could be driven in luxury and comfort to dinner and then serve up a timely reminder of its savagery just after dessert. Not a good idea that.
And yet within that, the Panamera’s packaging and design allow it to swallow considerable amounts of luggage and it can even be optioned to carry three humans in the rear pew now, including a 13, 11 and 9-year old trio of little people that carry my surname.
Its space and practicality is some of that ‘more-ness’ I was referring to earlier, a key consideration as I opted to head for the hills of MP and the royal roads of Eswatini in my evaluation of this car. A full family of five packed to the hilt going on a weekend jaunt to places with equal parts excellent mountain passes and equal parts bad roads, is a worthy test of a car like Panamera. But this trip is more than just another car review. Everyone at home knows what car I rank quite highly, and everyone at home knows I’m coming home with the one.
This particular car is the Panamera 4, an entry-point into the range which is now filled with more e-Hybrids than ever before. This one, like the Panamera GTS and base Panamera isn’t paired with any e-motors and lithium-ion batteries, instead employing a known and trusted 2.9-litre, dual-turbo V6. Its outputs of 260kW are enough to warrant some subdued screams and complaints from certain corners of the cabin but there’s a sense that the car isn’t trying to prove anything. It’s adequately powerful within a driving package that is pure Porsche. Its steering is beautifully weighted and quite direct, perfectly balanced to head onto the N4 and point South-East. Its ride quality is measured and well dampened with a two-chamber air suspension setup. Cabin noise levels aren’t S-Class level but the cruising comfort and refinement is excellent, certainly more calm than the slightly more boisterous GTS and to be honest, it’s just right for what it is.
Further into our journey, off the N4, a number of mountain passes lie before us and the Panamera’s significant competence is surprising. Despite the road surfaces, the car is comfortable even at speed. It rotates well in spite of its size and whilst the steering is sharp, its calibrated to be more in tune with this body. The PDK is almost immediately reactive to throttle inputs, and responsive enough especially in Sport modes but it’s still done within a softer bubble. There’s something to be said about driving a sports car in comfort, as opposed to the more purist view of loud engine noises and cog-swopping. There is a hint of turbo lag but I do stress, a hint, because no lag is what we’ve come to expect of modern Porsches. Also remember that this powertrain is the very start of the power surge in this Panamera line-up. For some perspective, the most powerful Turbo S E-Hybrid delivers more than double the power of this Panamera 4.
This generation of Panamera displays Porsche’s latest generation of interior architecture which means a wholly digitalised experience. From the large curved driver’s display to the 10.9-inch central screen, Porsche has somehow managed to meld technology into a usable and uncluttered space. Buttons on the console are replaced by haptic switches atop the piano black glass surface which we know. Knurled switches for climate control also return as pieces that feel familiar but on the whole, the Panamera is actually quite easy to operate. There are two areas of concern though. For a start, there is a phone cabinet in the centre console, the cover of which feels somewhat flimsy which may not be such a good thing. It gets used a lot and every time my youngest was in the passenger’s seat, I was a little paranoid with that little cover. And then, carried over from previous-generation Panamera, Porsche remains committed to air vents that are operated through the infotainment screen. These too, feel slightly un-Porsche. The cabin is so expectedly solid that even writing this feels almost foreign. And then, who is better at cabin ergonomics than Porsche? This company knows where to place things and how to lay them out…but the air vent thing just doesn’t make sense to me.
That said, rear luggage space of 494-litres swallows quite a bit of stuff even if the boot height is quite short, the length makes it all work. Further forward in the rear pews, the centre piece isn’t as comfortable as some other more normal sedans but remember that this isn’t a 5 or 7-Series. This is intentionally a sports coupe with four doors and four proper seats. The plus one is for people in my situation…trying to force a sports car into the role of family car.
And so we find ourselves asking the same questions as we did with the previous-generation Panamera. What is its direct competitor? It’s not an easy answer. From Affalterbach, one could look at a GT four-door but there is only one variant here, and its price is nearer to the R4M mark which puts it squarely into Panamera Turbo and Turbo S E-Hybrid territory. BMW 8-Series fits the bill but it doesn’t quite compare in resale values and personalisation so in that argument, the Panamera still has the upper hand.
It’s a Porsche after all which means resale values and ownership experience rates very high, and you then have a plethora of personalisation choices within the configurator. This shoots the price up but it also positions the Panamera as the more luxurious option. Paint to sample anyone?
At just over R2,2M, there is a case to be made for more hardcore sportscars. M3 and M4’s? No, a Panamera buyer is not an M3 buyer but that’s the territory that this Panamera 4 plays in. It’s an entry-point into the higher echelons of Porsche ownership.
It’s no secret that I do love the Panamera, right from the first generation. I love how it plays so many roles: luxury GT; family car; sports car – with such a high level of competence, but still without any arrogance to it. The Panamera is the humble Porsche, the quiet one that slips in and out of the room without asking for too much attention…the one that will quietly race you to the next light, wallop you, then politely say ‘thank you for your time.’ After all these years, this new third-generation Panamera feels like it’s finally grown into itself. It’s not trying to justify its shape or its place in the family. It’s grown into its own skin and become this humble, confident and complete character. In some way, I feel like my coming home in this car felt similar. I was confident in its appeal and ability to do the journey without worry or fuss, and I was confident in being able to come home and tell stories of my job…the one that affords me the luxury of coming to show this German machine to many who hardly ever get to see these sorts of cars.
I spent a lot of time doing passenger rides for all of the Eswatini family. The learning and realisation of this car’s breadth of competence hit me when my 77-year old aunt came away just as excited as my 15-year old niece. Both equally enamoured with the car’s humble yet mega character…just as I am. Even Lunar the cat approves. (see gallery 🙂
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