Two Years and Eight Months with the Panamera

Many people think, “Large sedans are hard for women to drive.” But what is it really like? Today, I want to share my thoughts after driving a Panamera for about two and a half years.

…But before that, let me introduce a bit about my driving history. Readers of this blog might assume I’ve always loved Porsches and driving, but it’s quite the opposite. I only started driving about five years ago, and I only began liking Porsche around three years ago. It’s actually a very recent story.

I got my driver’s license at 18, but between then and when I turned 31, I drove only about five times in 13 years, making me a “paper driver with a gold license” for a long time. Why I was so eager to get my license at 18 despite not driving at all (and even paid for it all myself) remains a mystery to me (-_-).

Driving a Mercedes-Benz SLK350

I married my husband when I was 30. At that time, he was driving a Mercedes-Benz SLK350.

Whenever we went for a drive, my husband would ask, “Want to drive?” But back then, I stubbornly refused, saying, “No, absolutely not.” We lived in a hilly town where a car was essential for everything, yet I used buses and trains daily, didn’t go to the local supermarket on weekdays, and relied on my husband to drive me there on weekends for bulk shopping.

However, when our eldest daughter became pregnant, I started thinking, “I really need to be able to drive in case the child gets a fever or something happens.” My husband also said, “You absolutely have to be able to drive before the baby is born.” So, I finally got motivated and managed to drive back and forth to the nearby supermarket.

Still, I wasn’t keen on driving more than that. Even when my husband said, “Want to drive? Actually, you should drive more!” I insisted, “I’m tired, the supermarket run is enough,” (I was really exhausted even after 10 minutes of driving back then) and stayed firmly in the passenger seat.

One day, when I got home early from work, I found an email from my husband:

Could you come pick me up by car tonight in Umeda?

…

……Huh? (*_*)

The pickup spot was around Hilton Plaza in Umeda (only people from the Keihanshin area would know), right in the heart of the city with heavy traffic. I thought, “No way!” but for some reason, I felt “I can’t keep avoiding this. Tonight’s the night!” So I got ready, got in the SLK, and took the wheel. Motherhood really makes women strong, huh? lol

It takes about 40 minutes from home to Osaka by highway. I managed to get there safely. It was scary, but surprisingly, I was able to drive well even in busy Osaka (maybe because I forced my way in with the SLK and everyone gave way) and gained confidence thinking, “I can drive too!” From then on, I was able to drive anywhere.

Looking back, maybe my husband’s tough love was a bit harsh… but in the end, it was good.

From Audi A3 to Panamera Test Drive

After our child was born, obviously, “a two-seater SLK for a family of three” wasn’t practical, so we bought an Audi A3 as the family car. I mainly drove the A3 but initially kept bumping and scraping it, sending it to the shop repeatedly.

A few months after my husband ordered a Boxster, I went with him to the Porsche Center for the first time to “try out the Panamera.” Seeing the Panamera’s massive size—about 20 cm wider than the Audi A3’s width of 1785 mm and over 5 meters long—I assumed only my husband would test drive it. But midway through, the dealer’s representative, Mr. H, asked, “Since you’re here, would you like to drive it too?”

I said, “No way, it’s too big! And it’s left-hand drive!” but after some persuasion from my husband and Mr. H, I gave it a try. And how was it? I was incredibly, incredibly impressed.

Of course, I was deeply impressed by the Panamera’s driving performance, but what surprised me even more was “how easy it was to drive such a huge car.” Sitting in the driver’s seat, you feel the size, but once you start driving, it feels like you’re in a much smaller car. When taking curves, there was no feeling of being pushed outward by centrifugal force.

Because the car is so well engineered, I felt a sense of protection and was able to handle the steering exactly as I wanted, without feeling overwhelmed by the size. I thought, “This is a car even women can drive easily.”

So, what’s the conclusion?

After two and a half years with the Panamera, I think:

“Wives who feel ‘I’m not good at driving’ or ‘I lack confidence’ should actually drive a Panamera.”

That’s my conclusion. The Panamera is easy to drive, has park assist, and alerts you with sounds about obstacles, so as long as you pay attention, you won’t scratch or bump into anything.

What I want to emphasize most is “the Panamera doesn’t get tailgated or cut off.”

Whether on highways or regular roads, other drivers keep a reasonable distance, and if you signal early, they’re very likely to let you merge safely. You can drive with peace of mind and safety. If you were in a kei car or compact car, that wouldn’t be the case, and you’d need more driving skill.

…Though the Panamera is meant to be enjoyed for its driving performance, so using it just for that purpose might miss the point. But for women who think, “It’s too big, I can’t drive a Panamera,” I sincerely hope you’ll try a test drive at least once—you might be surprised.