Skip advert
Advertisement

Porsche Panamera

Four-door supercar makes a big impression on the road

One thing you are guaranteed to get if you own a Panamera is attention. The five-door Porsche is taller and wider than the BMW and Mercedes, and is imposing to look at and sit in. Combining supercar-style details with brutal proportions, it’s not for those who like to blend into the background. However, in a market where sleek styling and sophistication are key factors, the Panamera doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Porsche’s desire to be different extends to the cabin, where the Panamera stands out from the crowd in a number of important ways. Given the car’s larger dimensions, the interior feels bigger and more accommodating, with a greater glass area allowing more light in. The rear seats mirror the designs of those in front, and give decent amounts of head and legroom.

Up front the seats are supportive but narrow, and while they do without gadgets like the Mercedes’ pneumatic bolstering, they proved the most comfortable of our test trio. 

However, travelling in the Panamera isn’t quite as relaxing as it could be. By shunning a central control system for the car’s infotainment devices, Porsche has been forced to pebbledash the centre console and steering column with an array of buttons, sliders and dials. As a result, many are obscured by the chunky gearshift or clustered under the sat-nav screen.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre diesel engine that develops 247bhp and 550Nm of torque. Sourced from the vast Audi parts bin, it serves up solid performance without ever feeling too strained. We covered 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds, although the in-gear times were no match for the muscular BMW’s.

Our testers also called into question the manual gearbox controls. Instead of paddles, the car features large rocker buttons located on the steering wheel. Not only are these fiddly to use, they defy conventional gearchange wisdom by requiring the driver to push to change up. Fortunately, one area where the Panamera does shine is chassis refinement. Although the car’s sheer bulk makes it unwieldy on narrow country roads, the steering is accurate and perfectly weighted.

The Porsche also rides surprisingly well. Adaptive dampers (which come as part of the £1,052 PASM option) deliver a firmer feel if you want a sportier set-up, while in Comfort mode the car glides across poor surfaces with ease.

With a £62,134 price tag, the Panamera undercuts the Gran Coupe and initially looks decent value for money. However, dig a little deeper and you’ll soon discover that the list of standard equipment is far from generous. For starters, there are those expensive adaptive dampers, while the arch-filling 20-inch wheels fitted to our test car will set you back a further £2,249. Even a rear wiper – pretty essential on a car with a hatchback tailgate – adds £235 to the total. Factor these in, and the case for the Panamera isn’t quite so solid.

Details

Chart position: 3Why? Big and bold Panamera claims Porsche dynamics and affordable running costs. But can it deliver on its promise?

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Porsche Panamera

Porsche Panamera

RRP £78,295Used from £60,000
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,075Avg. savings £1,664 off RRP*Used from £14,990
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,155Avg. savings £2,019 off RRP*Used from £15,299
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £15,940Avg. savings £2,827 off RRP*Used from £9,000
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?
BMW X3 and Lexus NX - front tracking

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?

BMW’s much-lauded new X3 is one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market – but is it good enough to topple the cheaper hybrid-powered Lexus NX 35…
Car group tests
8 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month
Mazda CX-5

Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month

The Mazda CX-5 is fun to drive, features a driver-focused, premium interior and is our Deal of the Day for 9 February
News
9 Feb 2025
New Kia EV2 baby electric car due in late-2025 with a low, low price
Kia EV2 - spyshot front

New Kia EV2 baby electric car due in late-2025 with a low, low price

Kia’s EV electric car range will grow again with the arrival of the EV2
News
10 Feb 2025