LIKES
- Massive power
- Massive lineup
- Near-perfect ride/handling balance
- Unique style
DISLIKES
- Wildly expensive
- Not all that spacious inside
- Perhaps too many choices
- Some stingy options
BUYING TIP
The 2021 Porsche Panamera is one of the finest cars money can buy, as it should be for the prices its maker charges.
What kind of vehicle is the 2021 Porsche Panamera? What does it compare to?
The 2021 Porsche Panamera is a full-size hatchback that is mostly unlike any other performance-oriented passenger-hauler. Shop it against the BMW 8-Series and Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class as well as the Tesla Model S.
Is the 2021 Porsche Panamera a good car?
The 2021 Panamera is a fabulous car that blends a sporty personality with a luxurious, upmarket feel. It scores 7.4 out of 10 on the TCC scale.
What's new for the 2021 Porsche Panamera?
This year, the appealing hybrid versions of the Panamera have more battery capacity, and there’s a more powerful V-8 for the top-line Turbo S.
The lineup is dizzying in its complexity, with anywhere from 325 to 690 hp spread across 15 different models. Don’t get too wrapped up in the numbers game, though. First consider your bodystyle of choice: standard, long-wheelbase executive, or daring Sport Turismo. We like the latter for its added dose of practicality.
No matter the Panamera, all boast a supple ride, excellent handling, and thrilling acceleration. Hybrid versions can cut tailpipe emissions from a typical commute, too. The 8-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox doles out rapid shifts, though it can be a bit busy at low speeds. All-wheel drive is optional on the base car, standard otherwise.
Inside, Panameras have a busy but well-wrought interior with gorgeous materials and advanced infotainment with screens on the dash and framed by the grippy steering wheel. Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto) is standard fare, while the options list never seems to end. Block off at least an afternoon to place your order when you’ve finally narrowed down the Panamera that suits your needs.
Among those myriad options, make sure to select adaptive cruise control since it comes with the automatic emergency braking system that really ought to be standard on a car with this price tag in 2021.
How much does the 2021 Porsche Panamera cost?
The Panamera can be had for just under $90,000, but good luck finding one with fewer than six figures on its window sticker.
Our money would be on a GTS, preferably in Sport Turismo guise. Its 473 hp suits this chassis perfectly, and it includes just the right combination of performance-enhancing bits.
In Germany.
Styling
The 2021 Porsche Panamera isn’t a traditional beauty, and yet it’s striking all around.
Is the 2021 Porsche Panamera a good-looking car?
Hardly conventional, the Porsche Panamera is a gorgeous choice—especially in Sport Turismo form with its extended roofline. We award it a 9 out of 10.
The Panamera pioneered the low-roof, curvy shape now seen in several Porsche models, and its look is even more refined today. The real looker in this lineup is the Sport Turismo for the way it blends practicality with style.
Porsche offers numerous paint hues, body kits, and wheel choices for the Panamera. The clean look of the GTS is a winner in our eyes, though there’s something playful about the highlighter green brake calipers on hybrid versions.
Inside, the Panamera follows Porsche norms with a button-heavy center console and a wide screen that dominates the center of the dash. Digital instruments sit in front of the steering wheel. The effect can be overwhelming, so plan on reading the manual before you set off. Custom trim choices give drivers a wide range of leather, wood, and aluminum to dress the cabin; spend time with Porsche’s configurators to get a sense of how dramatically the Panamera cockpit can change with all the choices.
Performance
The 2021 Porsche Panamera lineup offers unprecedented performance options.
Is the Porsche Panamera 4WD?
Almost all 2021 Panameras are all-wheel drive, though base cars can be had with rear-wheel drive.
How fast is the Porsche Panamera?
Hybrid versions appeal, but the GTS strikes us as the ideal version thanks to its twin-turbo V-8 and its buttoned-down chassis. If that’s not enough, the Turbo S churns out 620 hp, poured on like very fast, very smooth syrup. Plan on hitting 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package.
All engines are bolted up to an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox that fires off some of the fastest shifts in autodom either in automatic mode or through the standard paddle shifters.
Underneath, the Panamera includes adaptive dampers as standard fare that can be adjusted for a noticeably stiffer but still comfortable ride regardless of wheel sizes. The optional Porsche Active Suspension Management system drops the car slightly and adjusts each wheel independently.
Overall, we score the Panamera at 9 out of 10 thanks to the breadth of performance offered by this astoundingly complex lineup.
Comfort & Quality
The 2021 Porsche Panamera is spacious and comfortable, and it can even be practical.
The 2021 Porsche Panamera is as close to a 911 sedan as we’re likely to ever see. Three versions offer good space in every form, especially the long-wheelbase Executive and the wagon-like Sport Turismo.
Overall, we score the Panamera at 8 out of 10, with points for its luxurious feel and its comfy front seats.
Standard and Sport Turismo versions have just so-so rear-seat space, though front-seat riders will find supportive thrones. Options include more bolstered seats that are worth a try if you’re broad-shouldered.
Sport Turismos have 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space, a small improvement on paper over the standard car but the available room is a little taller and boxier to better swallow larger items.
For the most part, materials inside are top notch, aside from a few shiny black plastic bits that don’t quite live up to the hefty price. Myriad luxury options can offset those—for a price, of course.
Safety
The 2021 Porsche Panamera has not been crash-tested.
How safe is the Porsche Panamera?
The 2021 Panamera has not been crashed by the NHTSA or the IIHS, and we wouldn’t hold our breath waiting for an evaluation.
Standard gear includes automatic emergency braking and a slew of airbags, while active lane control, adaptive cruise control, and even night vision are on the options list either as individual or packaged features.
Features
This broad lineup is expensive at every step of the way, but the 2021 Panamera somehow justifies its exorbitant price tag.
The 2021 Porsche Panamera doesn’t win any points for value, but this lineup offers tremendous customization options and lots of high-tech features. Its 4-year/50,000-mile warranty doesn’t come with free service. We rate it at 7 on the TCC scale.
Which Porsche Panamera should I buy?
Picking a Panamera is like sorting through the menu at a high-end steak restaurant. One person’s filet mignon is another’s T-bone. And don’t forget the lobster.
A popular option is the Sport Chrono package, which adds a Sport mode that slices about 0.2 seconds off of the zero-to-60 mph sprint. We’d also consider spending for the rear-steer system, and audiophiles will appreciate the 21-speaker Burmester audio setup.
How much is a fully loaded 2021 Porsche Panamera?
If you have to ask… a Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive costs $200,000 before $50,000 or so in available customization options.
Fuel Economy
Hybrid versions of the Porsche Panamera can slice fuel entirely out of a typical commute, though no version is truly eco-friendly.
Is the 2021 Porsche Panamera good on gas?
The E-Hybrid versions of the 2021 Porsche Panamera offer low-guilt driving thanks to more than a dozen miles of electric-only range on a full charge, though none of these big cars is truly eco-friendly.
Still, most versions should hit at least 20 mpg in mixed driving, while base cars may come close to 30 mpg on the highway.
0 comments:
Post a Comment