The luxury sedan and full-size sports sedan markets are shrinking in popularity. But Porsche is not deterred. While its competitors go bigger, boxier and more isolated from the road, the third-generation, 2024 Porsche Panamera is a sports sedan first and a luxury car second, even though it gets more lavish with each passing iteration.
This new Panamera, going on sale this spring, has comfort and convenience features, a fuel-sipping version, and impressive drive dynamics in its pluses column.
It is the most comfortable version of the Panamera yet, with a new active air suspension that keeps the car flat around corners and when accelerating and braking to keep passengers and their belongings undisturbed. It also uses that new electrified, single-chamber, two-valve air suspension to raise the car more than 2 inches when entering and exiting, making it easier for drivers of all ages to get in.
Porsche is also adding yet another hybrid model to the lineup for a total of four. That the brand put the new Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid at the top of the line, replacing the gasoline-powered Turbo S, is also telling. From the Panamera to the Taycan to the upcoming Macan EV, Porsche is leading its customers towards electrification.
And it's doing that without losing what made the brand iconic in the first place, starting with curb appeal.
"Design plays a key role at Porsche and underscores the quality, sportiness and elegance of our vehicles. The Porsche 911 always serves as inspiration here – this is true for the Panamera as well. The proportions and lines of the Panamera are therefore carefully and intentionally defined by the design team at Style Porsche," a Porsche representative told Newsweek.
Despite generational differences, the Panamera is instantly recognizable as part of the Porsche family and a Panamera.
The cabin is full of new technology to make driving easier, more comfortable and more convenient. The main switch for navigating through infotainment options joins the drive mode dial on the steering wheel.
Porsche moved the gear selector lever to the dashboard next to the steering wheel, opening up space on the center console for a new climate control panel that combines touch surfaces and physical switches.
The new 12.6-inch driver cluster screen is curved and is divided into three customizable sections. An optional head-up display projects relevant info onto the windshield while improved seat materials make the bolstered, cockpit-like seats even better. And for the first time, Porsche buyers can spec a Panamera with leather-free materials. A central touchscreen infotainment system complements the optional 10.9-inch passenger side screen that is also controlled through taps.
Approaching the sleek, low sedan, buyers will notice new wheel designs, frameless rear windows and a nose section with a large central intake feeding air. The Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid has fresh V8 engine that, when combined with an electric motor, the delivers 670 horsepower (hp) and 685 pound-feet of torque. The standard gas-powered Panamera 4 delivers 348 hp and 368 lb-ft from a 2.9-liter six-cylinder engine.
Though power would seem to be the most impressive part of the new Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, during a short, rainy test drive it was the new suspension that astonished the most. Starting with unlocking the vehicle, it rises in less than a second to make ingress easier.
Accelerating hard from a stop, the rear end of the Panamera stiffens and raises a bit, keeping the passengers almost unnaturally upright when Porsche Active Ride is engaged. It's the same during sweeping curves. The outside (in relation to the curve) of the vehicle stiffens up, again keeping the body flat. And in hard braking the front end immediately stiffens, staying level to the road.
As with Mercedes-Benz SUVs with a similar curve-compensating suspension, it's hard to notice until the function is turned off. In that case, drivers and passengers will feel light pitching on acceleration and braking, and rolling side-to-side through curves. Any gear in the trunk or backseat will go back to sliding around.
Because the test drive was short, there wasn't a lot of time to explore the interior technology but the infotainment layout with both digital and analog is easy to understand and use.
The seats are highly bolstered and hold occupants tightly, with or without the Porsche Active Ride engaged. The rear area is separated by a center console with another touchscreen, only offering seating for two.
That four-place seating is shared with the legendary 911, though the rear seats in that smaller coupe are nearly impossible for adults to squeeze into, as opposed to this large sedan.
The Panamera, starting at $99,900, has that Porsche-like feeling that all Porsches exhibit. From the grip of the wide rubber tires on the pavement to the sound of the engine to the steering effort that makes the driver feel like they're actually controlling the machine, the Panamera is the purest full-size luxury sports sedan on sale today.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
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