For sports sedan enthusiasts, the new Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid is one of the best driver’s luxury sports sedans currently available. The Panamera comes in four plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) trims and three gas-powered trims. The Panamera 4S E-Hybrid we drove represents the best value because its drivetrain produces a maximum of 536 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, consumes less gas and its standard all-wheel drive system is ideal for Canada’s climate.
2025 Porsche Panamera 4S E-Hybrid, Starting at $165,700 ($194,500 as-tested)
The drivetrain includes a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 engine, a 21.8 kilowatt-hour battery and a smooth 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that can launch the car from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds when equipped with the Sport Chrono package (this package includes a racing stopwatch, Sport Plus drive mode and Sport Response, a feature that gives you a 20-second boost of extra power at the push of a button).
When fully charged, you get about 75 km of all-electric driving range. The battery can be fully charged in as little as 3 hours using an 11-kilowatt Level 2 charger. Saving money on gas is always good, but if you want a louder, meaner-sounding Panamera, choose the gas-powered GTS trim.
One highlight of this vehicle is Porsche Active Ride, which is an available active chassis system exclusive to the PHEVs because the system is powered by the battery pack. Active Ride quickly raises the vehicle by 2.1 inches when you open a door for easier ingress and egress. When driving, the system enhances ride quality and minimizes body motions by individually controlling the forces of each shock absorber.
Individual hydraulic pumps at each corner make the shock absorbers push against the road or compress more as needed. For example, if you brake hard, the front shock absorbers will quickly react by pushing back so the front end won’t dive as noticeably. If you corner hard, the outer wheel shock absorbers will push against the road to minimize body lean.
We noticed the improved body control, and even if you won’t drive hard, this high-tech feature will still be helpful each time you get in and out.
Despite being known as a high-performance brand, Porsche can also soundly execute on interior luxury and comfort. The Panamera 4S E-Hybrid’s cabin looks superb, feels substantial and is well-soundproofed. A tall, sloping centre console cocoons front passengers, and the climate control switches, heated/ventilated seat controls and radio knob are all within easy reach.
You also get electronically adjustable dashboard air vents, which require you to access an app on the 10.9-inch screen to adjust the air flow. Even though these vents look premium, adjusting them is needlessly complicated, but we respect Porsche’s efforts in making ordinary features extraordinary.
As a PHEV, if you have adequate charge, you can pre-condition the interior’s environment by setting a departure time. The climate control will turn on automatically in advance of you leaving so the interior will be comfortable as soon as you get in.
Cargo space is adequate at 430 L, and you get split-folding rear seats to make more space if needed (up to 1,264 L).
A configurable 12.6-inch curved instrument cluster displays a wealth of driving information, but the dash-mounted shifter lever is not a favourite of ours since you need to reach forward to shift, and must also look at the bottom right of the instrument display to know what gear you’re in.
Other notable infotainment features include:
- An available 10.9-inch front passenger screen that lets users access the infotainment, navigation and more
- YouTube access right from the centre and front passenger screens (requires an internet connection)
- A crisp and remarkably powerful 14-speaker BOSE® premium audio system
- A wireless phone charger that does not heat up the phone excessively
Rear passengers enjoy heated seats, ample leg room and dual-zone climate control with side pillar vents. They can even get overhead sunlight by retracting a ceiling-mounted power sunshade at the touch of a switch; the panoramic sunroof extends to the rear, a rare feature among sports sedans.
The Panamera will always be a niche vehicle, so should you choose the 4S E-Hybrid which we recommend, you will enjoy exclusivity, significant fuel savings without a compromise in performance, and frequent compliments from strangers as we did when driving our test vehicle.
