At the end of last year, thanks to the kindness of a blog reader, I had the opportunity to test drive the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. I recently shared my own impressions, but my husband also wrote a review, so please take a look if you’re interested.

Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid

In late December, as cold rain gently fell, a striking sapphire blue Panamera appeared.

I had seen sapphire blue Panameras twice before, but seeing it again, it looks incredibly cool. When I bought my Panamera Turbo, I seriously considered this color, and now I slightly regret not choosing it—it’s that good-looking.

Though it’s a sports sedan, it radiates a supercar-like aura and might even stand out more than some supercars. The owner told me that many people in town can’t help but stare, sometimes making them wonder, “Is there something on the car?”

I immediately sat in the driver’s seat to get a feel for it. This car is the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, which shares almost the same system as our Cayenne E-Hybrid, so I’ll focus on the differences between the two.

Driving the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid

I turned the ignition switch and confirmed the “READY” display before pressing the accelerator. This part feels just like the Cayenne E-Hybrid.

When I evaluate a car, I pay close attention to the ultra-low-speed feel from the very first roll of the tires. A car with a good suspension setup lets you feel solid contact with the road even at very low speeds, with minimal drivetrain roughness, revealing the high precision of its engineering.

It allows you to experience the sensation of smooth, perfectly round tires beginning to roll.

The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is a prime example of this. Especially thanks to the thick torque from the electric motor right from the start, it accelerates very smoothly. I’ve experienced the Panamera Turbo, Panamera 4S, and Panamera GTS before, but this hybrid model stands out as the smoothest of them all.

Our Cayenne E-Hybrid also starts smoothly, but the Panamera feels lighter and more nimble when it pulls forward. I believe this is partly due to the difference in vehicle weight and also the difference between the PDK and Tiptronic transmissions.

First, I continued driving in “E-POWER” mode. It climbed the Royu Driveway uphill effortlessly, even with three adults on board. There was no feeling of the motor lacking power. Of course, you can’t experience explosive acceleration on electric power alone, but it has more than enough power for everyday driving.

Taking a curve, the body moves with astonishing lightness. It’s hard to believe this vehicle is nearly 300 kg heavier due to the battery and motor. This feeling is truly remarkable.

Trust me when I say this comes from an owner who has owned and driven the 970 Panamera and 971 Panamera Turbo extensively.

Trying hard to find any downside to the added weight, I sharpened my senses at every curve, paying close attention to steering feel and body roll—but I couldn’t detect any difference. In fact, the handling on winding roads feels even more agile than the Panamera GTS or Turbo.