2025 Porsche Panamera review

02/17/2025 08:00 AM

2025 Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera is a bit of an outlier in Australia, barely troubling the score keepers on the new car sales charts. Porsche reported just 66 sold in 2024, less than one per cent (0.9) of the German brand's total sales in Australia.

That's in stark contrast to the rest of the world where the big luxury saloon continues to amass sales at a level (over 335,000 between 2008 and 2021) that has prompted Porsche to reinvigorate the model with a new third generation, launched in 2024.

It's no secret buyers of large luxury saloons are thin on the ground these days, flocking instead to large SUVs from any number of high-end manufacturers. Porsche has its Cayenne in the fight, and it sells in good numbers too, certainly in Australia where it trails only the smaller Porsche Macan SUV on the list of Porsche's best-sellers, which between them account for 72 per cent of the German brand's sales.

But propping up the large luxury sedan category, the Porsche Panamera is, a little surprisingly, the best-seller in the segment, its admittedly small 66 sales in 2024 eclipsing category stalwarts like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8.

Porsche has already confirmed that this generation Panamera will be the last to feature combustion engines, to be replaced by a battery-electric range before the end of the decade.

Timely, then, that a new Porsche Panamera has arrived locally, and timelier still that we put the most-affordable model, the rear-wheel-drive V6-powered eponymous Panamera, through its paces to see if there's still a beating heart in a category that was once, before the SUV boom, the pinnacle of luxury motoring.

How much is a Porsche Panamera?

The Panamera range straddles six variants, with a choice of V6, V8, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

The entry point into the range is the rear-wheel-drive Panamera priced from $235,800 before on-road costs and options. It's the car we have on test here.

At the other end of the spectrum, the full-cream, plug-in hybrid Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid offers 575kW and a whopping 1000Nm for its $486,100 buy-in.

While this new third-generation G3 model doesn’t look all that different to the G2 generation it replaces, Porsche says that every body panel is new along with a brand-new interior.

A sharper nose and squarer headlights are the obvious styling tweaks, while the tail-light cluster runs the length of the rear. Returning to the front, a new air vent located just above the number plate holder improves engine cooling.

Around the side, the rear windows behind the door have been reprofiled with a pronounced kink, while inside an all-new interior borrows heavily from the electric Porsche Taycan.

Certainly, in terms of aesthetics, Porsche has resolved the design of the Panamera since the 2009 original that appeared blobby and bloated. Not so the new G3 generation, which features plenty of Porche's design language to leave you in no doubt that the Panamera hails from the hallowed halls of Stuttgart.

Standard equipment abounds, highlights including high-definition matrix LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED tail-lights, four-zone climate control, dual-chamber air suspension, 20-inch alloy wheels, partial leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, 14-way power adjustable front seats with heating and cooling, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, and a premium Bose surround-sound system.

As is the Porsche way, our test car came fitted with a swag of options, over $40,000 worth, bumping the price to $282,800 before on-road costs, or around $302,000 drive-away (in NSW).

The big-ticket optional items include 21-inch alloys ($3400), finished in a luscious shade of Neodyme Gold ($2500), a passenger display ($3140), an $11,200 Burmester 'high-end' sound system, and the $6470 Sports exhaust system with tailpipes finished in Dark Bronze.

Rivals are few, but buyers could look at the Mercedes-Benz S450 starting from $248,815 or BMW's flagship 7 Series that in 740i trim starts at $272,900. Opting for Audi will land a diesel-powered A8 50TDI in your driveway starting from $216,284. All prices are before on-road costs and options.

How big is a Porsche Panamera?

The Panamera's cabin doesn’t stray too far from the Porsche playbook. It's at once practical and functional, but with that inherent sporting flavour we've come to expect from the German brand.

Up front, full leather seats (part of the $7470 optional leather interior pack that swaps out partial for full leather) feel comfortable and supportive. They're power adjustable and with seat heating and cooling, perfect for those super-chilly mornings or sweltering midday summer days.

The seating position is nice and low, giving the impression you're sitting in one of Porsche's sports cars and not a four-door family sedan. Everything falls nicely to hand including the climate controls, a mix of digital and traditional toggles, while a volume dial in the centre console is a welcome inclusion in this day and age where screens dominate the user experience.

The quality of materials throughout is exemplary – from the supple leather of the seats to the subtle yet distinctive Neodyme accents that run along the dash and skirt the centre console – lending the cabin a decidedly premium ambience without straying into blingy fussiness.

Storage options abound with the obligatory cupholders up front, generous door pockets, a cooled compartment for wireless smartphone charging and a central storage bin.

The second row is generously proportioned. For two people. It's important to note the Porsche Panamera is a four-seater in standard trim, although it can be ordered (as is the case of our test car) with the 2+1 rear seat option, which allows for a middle passenger in the second row.

The caveat here is that it's not the most comfortable experience, the seat firm, the seatback firmer still, and foot room – thanks to a massive drivetrain tunnel – non-existent. It's not really a viable option for those needing to transport five people regularly and best regarded as a 'just-in-case' alternative.

Second-row amenities run to individual climate controls, accessed via an integrated screen and physical toggles, for each of the outboard seats. A pair of cupholders live inside a fold-down armrest while, as they do in the front, the door pockets can take bottles.

Those with small children and infants will be pleased with ISOFIX child seat mounts on each of the outboard seats, while the seatbacks are fitted with top-tether anchors.

Lurking under the Panamera's powered tailgate is a decent 466 litres of storage, expanding to 1300L with the back seats stowed away in 60:40 split fashion. There's an additional cubby under the boot floor capable of taking a small backpack or overnight bag. That handy cubby comes at the expense of any kind of spare wheel, the Panamera equipped only with tyre sealant and an air compressor kit, should you find yourself with a flat tyre.

Does the Porsche Panamera have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

A 12.3-inch touchscreen hosts the Panamera's infotainment. It runs the German brand's Porsche Communication Management (PCM) operating system and, as it has been for a long time now, remains one of the best in the new car landscape.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, both wireless and via a cable, and both methods of connection proving faultless during our time with the big sedan.

Satellite navigation is standard as is digital (DAB+) radio, while Porsche Connect offers a range of remote services and functions via the My Porsche App on your smartphone.

The main screen can be configured to taste, with preferred apps and shortcut buttons on the home screen.

Keeping smartphones topped up is a nicely cooled wireless charging compartment. It works a treat, not only in terms of charging, but also in keeping your device cool.

Additional charging options come via two USB-C plugs up front with another two in the second row.

A 12.65-inch digital instrument cluster is highly configurable too, with the option of a traditional-looking instrument cluster or satellite navigation, as well as a number of driving and trip data screens.

And just in case there's not enough driving information, a crisp head-up display projects critical driving data – such as speed and navigation – directly onto the windscreen.

Our test car came equipped with the optional passenger display, a $3140 folly that adds little to the user experience other than to the bottom line.

Is the Porsche Panamera a safe car?

The Porsche Panamera remains untested by Australia's independent safety body ANCAP. Nor has it been tested by the European equivalent Euro NCAP.

What safety technology does the Porsche Panamera have?

The lack of an ANCAP safety rating does not mean the Panamera is wanting for the latest in advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) and safety technologies.

Standard across the Panamera range are autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.

There's also lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, and tyre pressure monitoring. Missing in action is the reasonably common traffic sign recognition, no great loss as these types of systems can be overly intrusive and sometimes inaccurate.

Our week with the Panamera revealed no glaring issues with any of its safety assist systems, the various technologies nicely calibrated and not intrusive to the overall driving experience. A total of 10 airbags cover both rows of occupants.

How much does the Porsche Panamera cost to run?

The Porsche Panamera is covered by the brand's three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is below par in today's new car landscape where five years is increasingly the new standard.

Service intervals are spaced at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Porsche does offer prepaid servicing plans.

One NSW-based dealership provide the following pricing structure for the Panamera's maintenance costs which – at a minimum – run to $3290 over three years or $5685 over five.

The schedule starts with an $895 oil change in year one (or 15,000km), followed by a $1500 general inspection in year two (or 30,000km), the two alternating year-by-year. That pricing does not include consumables such as brake fluid ($350 every two years), spark plugs ($895 ever four years), and transmission oil ($1450 every four years), plus a range of additional as-needed parts.

Comprehensive insurance runs to $5946 annually, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Is the Porsche Panamera fuel-efficient?

Porsche claims the entry-level Panamera will use 9.5 litres per 100 kilometres of 98-octane premium unleaded on the combined cycle, a blend of city, urban and highway running. The fuel tank measures in at 90L, meaning if you hit Porsche's claimed consumption figure, you'll get a range of around 947km between refills.

Our week with the Panamera couldn't quite match that number, with an indicated 11.7L/100km for a theoretical driving range of 769km between tanks.

What is the Porsche Panamera like to drive?

This might be the entry-level Porsche Panamera, but there is nothing basic about it.

Power comes from a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 that's good for 260kW and 500Nm.

It's mated to Porsche's excellent eight-speed Doppelkupplung (dual-clutch) automatic transmission sending drive to the rear wheels.

Porsche claims the big sedan can complete the dash from 0–100km/h in 5.1 seconds, and while that might sound a little underdone on paper, it doesn’t feel like it out on the road. Instead, there's plenty of grunt under the right foot, certainly enough to get away crisply from standstill.

Power delivery is excellent – and effortless – with that delicious dollop of full-fat torque on tap from just 1900rpm in the rev band, ensuring there's plenty of motivation to get the Panamera moving, whether moving away from traffic lights or for an overtake on the freeway.

Three drive modes – Normal, Sport and Sport Plus – change the Panamera's on-road demeanour – from effortless and comfortable suburban daily to something akin to one of Stuttgart's famous sports car.

The ride remains pleasantly composed, even with the dampers in their firmest Sport Plus setting. Underpinning the Panamera's chassis is Porsche's adaptive air suspension set-up that offers a nice blend of ride comfort and performance-enhancing dynamics, even if Stuttgart's family sedan isn't exactly a corner-carver.

In their softest setting, the dampers work admirably to iron out the lumps and bumps of everyday driving while maintaining the chassis's composure over more patchy road surfaces and larger obstacles such as speed humps.

Sport Plus mode dials up the dampers' firmest setting, but it's not so firm as to become uncomfortable. Instead, the connection to the road remains composed, with a harder edge that pays dividends when tackling some twisting sections of rural back roads with a modicum of vigour.

Of course, the Porsche badge on the long-sculpted bonnet of the Panamera might suggest otherwise, but this is, first and foremost, a large sedan weighing in at around 1900kg. Weight, of course, is the enemy of dynamism.

But Porsche should be applauded for ensuring the Panamera remains true to the breed. The chassis engineers, whoever they are, have done a fine job in imbuing its family sedan with enough of that inherent Porsche-ness to not leave you completely wanting.

There's a surprising keenness for the over-five-metre-long Panamera to navigate corners and sweeping bends with tenacity and dignity. It might seem incongruous, but this particular Porsche can be driven – hustled – with a level of enjoyment belying its size and heft.

Crisp steering plays its part, accurate to a point. Only when pushing beyond the limits of physics does the front-end show signs of wandering; a sharp reminder that this is first and foremost a family sedan.

That's not to detract from what the Panamera is trying to do, which is deliver a practical Porsche, an alternative for those not enamoured with SUVs like the brand's own Cayenne or Macan. And by that measure, the Panamera succeeds.

Should I buy a Porsche Panamera?

This new Panamera has delivered on the premise of a large sedan with Porsche-like qualities. It's not a four-door Porsche 911, and not does it pretend to be.

Instead, the Porsche Panamera is an accomplished sports sedan, imbued with enough of Stuttgart's DNA wrapped in a smart and practical package that delivers a comfortable and refined grand touring experience.

How do I buy a Porsche Panamera? The next steps.

If you're in the market for a Porsche Panamera, your next step is to head to the Porsche Australia website to see available stock and delivery times.

You'll also find the myriad ways you can personalise your Panamera, along with pricing, using Porsche’s configurator.

A Porsche Australia representative told Drive that some dealers have current stock of the Panamera available for immediate delivery.

However, buyers placing new orders for specific models with specific options can expect delivery in around May or June, according to Porsche Australia.

You can also search for Porsches for sale at Drive Marketplace.

And if you want to stay updated with everything that’s happened to this car since our review, you’ll find all the latest news here.

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