The engine in the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid isn’t the V8 found in the GTS or Turbo, but the 2.9L V6 shared with the 4S. Perhaps because of this, the front end feels light and turns in sharply.
Also, with the heavy battery located under the trunk, it might have a somewhat rear-weighted (RR-like) feel.
Porsche surely applies the secret know-how they developed with the 911 to control rear-heavy cars. I believe they have thoroughly refined the tuning of this hybrid model using that expertise.
It’s honestly a level of refinement that commands respect.
At some point, I switched to “SPORT” mode. The V6 engine instantly wakes up, synchronizing with the motor’s rotation, matching RPMs in an instant, smoothing out torque fluctuations, and delivering power seamlessly.
Here, the Cayenne’s Tiptronic is impressive, but the Panamera’s PDK offers equally excellent control. The engineer who programmed this PDK control must be extremely talented. It’s almost indistinguishable from Tiptronic.
At least during normal driving, you can’t tell when the motor and engine switch. If you deliberately drive jerkily, you might notice it a bit more than with Tiptronic, but the smoothness is outstanding.
The V6 engine assisted by the motor feels very powerful. Even when manually shifting with paddle shifters, the PDK’s quick shifts remain impressive. The Cayenne’s Tiptronic is also quite fast, but the PDK really stands out here.
As the engine revs climb, the motor’s boost kicks in, significantly increasing torque. It doesn’t quite match the brutal acceleration of the Panamera Turbo, but it feels on par with the 4S and GTS.
The engine sound is also wonderful. This particular car doesn’t have the sports exhaust, but the sound of the 2.9L V6 with the standard exhaust is very pleasing. The higher the revs, the louder and more engaging the sound becomes, making the normal exhaust quite enjoyable.
By the way, although the Cayenne E-Hybrid’s 3.0L V6 is similar in displacement, it’s a completely different engine. Comparing the 2.9L V6 to the 3.0L V6, the 2.9L feels sportier in sound and character. The 3.0L is a very good engine too, but it seems more focused on torque and practical usability.
Approaching a corner, I applied the brakes to slow down. The strong braking performance worthy of the Porsche name remains intact here. In hybrid models, most braking is regenerative, with physical brakes stopping the car at the end, but I feel the braking feel differs slightly between the Cayenne and Panamera.
Specifically, the Cayenne’s regenerative braking is stronger. It’s probably tuned to recover more electricity. As a result, the Cayenne’s brakes are quite strong, though not quite at the PCCB level. In contrast, the Panamera’s regenerative braking isn’t as intense.
You can think of it as having braking feel more like a regular Porsche.
According to the owner, “The Panamera’s tuning focuses more on improving fuel efficiency by maintaining speed rather than heavy regeneration.”
Still, it’s truly a sporty sedan. The Panamera naturally feels like a much smaller car on winding roads, and this hybrid model does so even more.
It delivers a lightness reminiscent of the 992-generation 911, with torque and handling characteristics that make it easy to drive anywhere, even in town.
This is likely thanks to the instant maximum torque from the motor, offering a driving experience and feel that the engine alone can’t achieve.
I really liked this test drive. My wife also praised the car highly, and if we had driven this before buying the Cayenne, I honestly think we would have been torn. If we didn’t need to think about seating five, we might have chosen the Panamera. It’s that well-made a car.
If anyone is considering buying a Panamera, I highly recommend the E-Hybrid model. It’s affordable, fast, and fun—the perfect combination. If I ever buy a Panamera again, the E-Hybrid would be my first choice.
I can say with confidence that it’s truly an outstanding car.
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