My driving consists mostly of “city driving, some highway miles, and the occasional cruise through the countryside.” There’s no way I could be unhappy with the power of a Porsche Panamera 4S, built by one of the world’s leading sports-car makers.
When I need to accelerate unexpectedly and press hard on the throttle, the sound changes dramatically and the car surges forward like a raging storm. It reminds me of Honda’s VTEC engines.
Its speed brings to mind the slogan for a famous racehorse: “Speed: freedom or solitude?” I’m impressed by it every day.
I’m thoroughly satisfied with the Panamera 4S and the fierce, exhilarating roar it produces every time I turn the ignition control to start the engine, drive normally, accelerate, downshift, switch to Sport or Sport Plus, or press the throttle a little harder.
After buying the car, I came across the claim that although both engines are V6s, the Panamera 4’s 2,995 cc engine is made by Audi, while the 4S’s 2,894 cc engine is made by Porsche. That might have influenced my choice, too. Details may vary by model year, but that’s apparently how it was for MY2018.
I’ll compare it with the DCT in my M3. When accelerating from low speed, the DCT tended to hold lower gears and wouldn’t shift up readily. The PDK shifts smoothly and promptly, with virtually no noticeable jolts.
When slowing down, the DCT would quickly select a lower gear, seemingly keeping the engine response right at the point where it could put the power down. (It felt ready to accelerate at any time, wherever I was.) By contrast, the PDK downshifts gradually and smoothly, which I think makes for a very comfortable ride for passengers.
As for shift response, the DCT was so quick that “lightning-fast” seems the right description, while the PDK feels just a little more relaxed.
The DCT’s rev-matching blips also sounded rather aggressive, whereas the PDK seems more refined (that’s just a relative comparison). These are my impressions in Normal mode; I expect things to feel different in Sport and Sport Plus.
The model is different, but the post “Welcome Home, PORSCHE goes into detail on PDK response” covers this topic well.
Driving the Panamera, I genuinely feel—without exaggeration—not so much “horse and rider as one,” but that “the driver and car have become one.” It makes no unnecessary movements and follows the line I intend, responding precisely to every turn of the steering wheel. All I can say is that it’s remarkable.
I’m always impressed by the Panamera’s agility and speed.
I get around 6–7 km/L in town and 10–12 km/L on the highway. The tank is large, so it’s hard to say for sure, but I don’t get the impression that I have to refuel particularly often. Considering the engine output and the car’s weight, I’d say its fuel economy is excellent.
“Supple” is the perfect word for the ride. Whether it’s highway expansion joints, minor bumps, or the rough snow-covered roads we get in the north, the way the tires stay connected to the road feels wonderful.
That’s right—this might be a clumsy way to put it, but it really does feel “good.”
The Panamera is certainly a large car, as people often point out. But I was surprised by how easy it is to judge its width and how straightforward it is to check for hazards all around the car. It really shows Porsche’s attention to practicality as well as performance.
The rear seats are much more comfortable than those in our previous car, and my family—especially the kids—have been full of praise for the improvement.
They particularly like the snug feel, generous foot space, and heated seats. They also get excited every time the start-up animation appears on the four-zone automatic climate control screen (they’ll probably get used to it eventually…).
My wife can’t understand why anyone would spend so much on a car, but she seems to have reluctantly accepted it on the grounds that “if it motivates my husband at work, I suppose it’s worth it.” (laughs)
The combination of the Saddle Brown / Luxor Beige color scheme, the feel of the smooth leather, and the richly detailed instrument cluster creates a luxurious atmosphere that I can’t help but admire. The displays look especially beautiful around dusk, just as it starts getting dark…
Speaking of light, the rear view with the taillights on is simply breathtaking. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say, “Could there be another sedan this elegant and graceful?”
It does get dirty easily, but I chose it thinking, “Surely I can keep it clean with the right cleaner and conditioner.” In practice, whenever it gets dirty, I clean it right away with Porsche’s own cleaner, and it’s stayed in good condition.
I think it’s essential for a car as big as the Panamera. It was an extra I hadn’t originally planned to get, but it’s proved extremely useful.
On the car I bought from inventory, the air outlet grilles were finished in High-Gloss Black (standard), while the lower part of the door mirrors was painted to match the body. The air outlets looked out of place, so after delivery I had them refinished in the exterior color using a Tequipment accessory.
The paint and labor cost as much as the parts, but I’m glad I had them painted to match the body.
I assumed that what we commonly call keyless entry would be standard on a modern car (it is standard on the Turbo). But this is a Porsche, where you turn the ignition control to start the engine. Some owners may actually like the ritual of inserting and turning a key, but personally, Comfort Access is a must-have.
One feature I’d been looking forward to was the “ability to adjust the passenger seat from the driver’s seat,” mentioned in an earlier blog post. I wish I’d known beforehand that the standard 4S seats don’t support this feature—you need to choose the optional 14-way power seats with memory (front).
The shock of going to “Vehicle” → “Control” → “Vehicle” → “Seat Settings” on the touchscreen and realizing that “Passenger Seat Position” wasn’t there was pretty significant.
The 14-way seats also come with an electrically adjustable steering column, so I imagine the easy-entry function is more comprehensive, too. (With the standard seats, easy entry only opens and closes the windows; neither the seat nor the steering wheel moves… (~_~;)) If I buy another one in the future, I’ll definitely add this option.
Ideally, I wanted a 40:20:40 split rear backrest. But I wasn’t sure it was worth choosing this option just to get that feature, so I decided the standard rear seats in the car I bought from inventory would be fine. Now, I’ve realized that the 60:40 split is a little inconvenient for the way I use the car.
Next time, I’ll definitely insist on the 40:20:40 split.
Highway signs are certainly easy to see, but overall, I don’t feel I’ve benefited much from them. LED headlights with PDLS would be enough.
No matter how many times I tell her, my wife still slams the doors shut with a bang, so perhaps this feature was a little ahead of its time for our family. That said, I like how refined it feels when I’m helping someone into the car: I gently guide the door almost closed, then it shuts itself with a quiet click.
This was another extra I hadn’t planned on ordering. With a white car, the standard taillights would have been perfectly fine.
It’s been a few months since delivery, but I still haven’t had a chance to use it. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions, but for now, I consider it unnecessary…
My Carrara White bodywork sometimes takes on a bluish tint in certain light, and every now and then I wonder if it’s quite to my taste. I’ve always bought white cars almost automatically, but Panameras in black or blue look great, too.
Next time I buy a Porsche, I’d like to consider a wider range of colors.
To quote the catalog, the Panamera is “a four-seat sports car that combines a luxurious atmosphere with agile, dynamic performance”—an apt description. It is, just as Porsche says, “a true sports car with outstanding practicality.”
To me, Porsche is
“a teacher who showed me what a sports car should be and what it really means to enjoy driving,” and “a wonderful partner.”
I’d like to keep building my knowledge and experience with cars and enjoy a life behind the wheel filled with excitement and memorable moments. I’m deeply grateful to the Porsche Panamera for inspiring me to feel that way.
Six months after this article was published, Mamma sent us the following update. Compare his first impressions after delivery with what he thinks after six months of ownership. [Update: July 10, 2019]
After thinking it through more calmly, I realized that there’s no way I was making full use of all the power in my former M3 Sedan. I’m no expert behind the wheel, so choosing the 4S on the basis of power made little sense. The Panamera or Panamera 4 would have been more than powerful enough for me.
There’s no denying that the Panamera 4S accelerates like it’s bending space and time when you press the throttle. But, to be honest, its performance is more than I need, since I rarely take the car to a track or a mountain pass.
The thought “The M3 Sedan and the Panamera 4S are both monsters” sounds like something out of a comic book, and it keeps running through my mind.
Besides, one of the main reasons I bought the M3 Sedan was how it looked. I don’t think I ever spent much time worrying about its power. I would probably have bought it even if it had a straight-six instead of a V8.
We’re now well beyond the days of Japan’s 280-horsepower limit, and even the S4’s 333 horsepower was more than enough for me. It’s strange how the horsepower kept climbing every time I changed cars. Looking back, I think I may have been a little shallow in my thinking…
Another thing that makes it hard to work out where the Panamera 4S fits is that the price of my heavily optioned Panamera 4S is almost the same as that of a Panamera GTS with a reasonable number of options (and the GTS comes with plenty of standard equipment).
In short, I’m no longer sure what the benefit is of paying a premium for the 4S. If I were considering a Panamera again, I’d carefully choose the model and options.
The right model depends on each buyer’s needs, so I’ll leave that decision to you. But I’d like to share my personal thoughts on the options.
I still think the 14-way seats are essential, and I strongly recommend them. There are plenty of times when I want to recline the seat of a child who’s fallen asleep in the passenger seat, and I can’t help wishing I could adjust it from the driver’s seat.
It also seems a shame for a car this expensive to have manual steering-wheel adjustment. The 14-way seats include easy entry, too, so if there’s a next time, I’ll definitely choose them.
On the other hand, I’d put the Matrix headlights on the list of options to skip. They might be useful if the high-beam setting activated the Matrix function, but to turn off Matrix mode, you have to pass through the regular high-beam position. When I drive in Matrix mode, oncoming drivers sometimes flash their lights at me, too. (laughs)
Maybe my driving habits aren’t ideal for them, but I’m pretty sure regular PDLS headlights would be more than adequate.
I initially thought adaptive cruise control was an unnecessary option, but I’ve found it useful on the highway. That said, I feel the deceleration can be rather abrupt. I haven’t had much experience with systems from other manufacturers, so Mina, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!
(→ From the blog editor: I find it a little better with the longest following distance, but when the gap is shorter, it seems to brake later than I would and the deceleration feels quite abrupt.)
As for the soft-close doors, I couldn’t see the point at first. But after using them, I’ve come to like them so much that I can hardly imagine owning a car without them. I love how refined it feels when the door closes without a sound.
By the way, the Panamera’s doors stay exactly where you leave them, regardless of how far they’re open. I don’t know what this feature is called, but most doors stop at set positions, sometimes with a slight clunk. That’s perfectly fine, of course, but being able to leave the door at any angle is a wonderful feature—you don’t have to worry about hitting a neighboring car or a wall.
I don’t think other German cars have this feature, at least not the ones I’ve owned. Do other manufacturers offer it?
Finally, the four-zone climate control is another option you have to weigh against choosing the five-seat configuration. In my opinion, a huge storage compartment in that spot would be impractical and unattractive.With a five-seat Panamera, you’d inevitably have to compare it with the AMG GT 4-Door Coupé.
As far as I know, the four-seat version hasn’t been confirmed for Japan—or perhaps it won’t be offered at all. If you want a four-seater, the Panamera is the only choice.
I’m frustrated by how shallow and small the trunk is. The AMG GT 4-Door Coupé seems to have a deeper, roomier trunk, so the Panamera may fall short here. In my case, even though the car is larger, there are many things I could fit in the M3 Sedan that I now have to arrange carefully—or can’t fit at all. That was a bit disappointing.
A 40:20:40 split rear backrest might solve some of the problem, but overall, the trunk is still shallow and small.
This may be true of Porsche cars in general rather than the Panamera specifically, but for better or worse, I really notice the attention I get from other people (maybe I’m just imagining it! (laughs)).
When I drove it to work, the female staff were so excited that I couldn’t help being impressed by the magnetic appeal of the Porsche name. Ah, if only I were a little younger…
The description “a four-seat sports car that combines a luxurious atmosphere with agile, dynamic performance” is no exaggeration—it’s absolutely true. I felt that way when the car was delivered, and I still feel that way now.
The claim that it’s “a true sports car with outstanding practicality” is also spot on. All four members of my family can get in and out without any stress, and once we’re on board, we can relax in great comfort.
My comments about the trunk, value for money, and so on are based on how I use the car and my personal preferences. I’m a typical office worker in my late forties, and my car is mainly for family outings and the occasional drive.
I think the Panamera’s exterior design is superb, and it outshines its commonly compared rivals by a wide margin. If you fall in love with the design, that alone is a good enough reason to buy one. Sorry for the long, rambling post. I hope my experience is useful to anyone considering a Panamera.
〘Editor’s thoughts〙
Reading Mamma’s report taught me that even within the Panamera range, there are quite a few options and specifications that vary by trim. If you’re going to buy a Porsche, you want to make a well-informed choice and be happy with it. It may seem like a small detail, but I’d like to keep covering the options and specifications that differ between trims on the blog. Thank you, Mamma!
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