2023 Porsche Panamera Reviews, Pricing & Specs

When you go shopping for a Porsche Panamera, you’ll have several decisions to make. First, you must decide between the standard Panamera, the extended-wheelbase Panamera Executive model, and a sport wagon called the Panamera Sport Turismo.

Next, you select a drivetrain. Within each model lineup, Porsche offers multiple variants with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and a range of engines spanning from a 325-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6 to a 690-hp plug-in hybrid model (PHEV) based on a twin-turbocharged V8 combined with an electric motor.

In Canada, 24 different Panamera models are offered, from the base to the Porsche Panamera 4S, Porche Panamera GTS, the Sport Turismo configurations, and on to the Panamera Turbo S e-hybrid PHEV, and that’s before you even start digging into options. To keep things simple, this 2023 Porsche Panamera review focuses on the standard body style in its base trim level, equipped with the twin-turbo V6 and RWD. Our test car arrived in Platinum Edition specification, which commands nearly a $17,000 premium over the standard base model. In exchange for the extra cash, you get exclusive detailing, unique 21-inch wheels in a thin-spoke design with a satin finish, a sport exhaust system, and a Premium Package.

The Premium Package equips the 2023 Panamera Platinum Edition with 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear seats, a four-zone automatic climate control system, and a Bose premium sound system. It also installs adaptive LED headlights that can help the driver to see around corners and curves after dark, and a blind-spot monitoring system to ensure safer lane changes.

In addition, the test car came with an extra-cost Luxor Beige interior with a matching centre tachometer, a Sport Chrono Package (includes a Sport Plus driving mode, performance displays, analog and digital stopwatches), and rear-wheel steering. With these upgrades, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) rose to a new car price of $121,030, including the $2,850 destination charge plus extra charges and the estimated luxury tax.

Dipped in Cherry metallic paint, our test car looked terrific sitting on its multi-spoke 21-inch wheels. You can immediately identify the Panamera as a Porsche because it resembles a stretched 911 coupe with an extra set of doors. The signature four-point LED running lights and bold Porsche lettering between the taillights assist in this endeavour.

Interior quality, including the materials and construction, is impeccable. Here again, 911 themes define the cabin, from the engine ignition switch located to the left of the steering column and the five-gauge partially digital instrumentation cluster to the infotainment screen and angular centre console sweeping down from the middle of the dashboard and between the seats.

Furthermore, if you have the extra money to do so, you can endlessly customize a Panamera’s appearance to create a car that might well be unlike any other one on the road. That way, if you don’t like the way it looks and feels in standard specification, you can direct Porsche to make changes.

Naturally, the most affordable versions of this Porsche are also the least powerful. The base Panamera and Panamera Platinum Edition have a twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 engine generating 325 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 331 pound-feet of torque between 1,800 rpm and 5,000 rpm.

It pairs with an eight-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission. That translates to double-clutch transmission, or more commonly, a dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). Panameras come with standard RWD, but you can get AWD.

With 1,860 kilograms (4,100 pounds) of curb weight to motivate, it’s not surprising that Porsche claims our moderately powered, RWD Platinum Edition test vehicle accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds (5.4 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package). In addition, Natural Resources Canada says it should return fuel economy of 11.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. On our mountainous testing loop, the Panamera Platinum Edition averaged 12.2 L/100 km.

The 2023 Panamera has an adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that’s included with the Sport Chrono package, and the Platinum Edition rides on P275/35R21 front and P315/30R21 rear all-season performance tires. Speed-sensing Power Steering Plus is standard, and our test car had optional four-wheel steering to make the Panamera easier to maneuver at low speeds and feel more stable at higher speeds.

Drivers can choose between Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes, which adjust the powertrain, suspension, and steering accordingly. With the Sport Chrono Package, the Panamera adds a Sport Plus driving mode. Separately, you can adjust the suspension if you prefer a softer or firmer ride.

The point of a Porsche Panamera is to provide sports car performance with four-passenger seating and enough cargo space to make it a viable choice for a long road-trip. It excels at its mission.

Despite the Platinum Edition’s unimpressive power specs, it is far too easy to drive well over the speed limit in this car. At 130 km/h on the highway, it effortlessly loafs along, masking your true velocity, all occupants enveloped in luxury car silence. During our test, a family of four used the Panamera for a road trip, and we had no choice but to use the cruise control to keep speed in check because the car feels like it’s traveling at half its actual speed at any given time.

The PDK is a terrific example of a DCT, and though it occasionally lacks smoothness, it almost always exhibits a sense of meticulous engineering through its decisive shift action. The electronic shifter is easy to use, but it requires focus each time you engage Park. We double- or triple-checked every time just to make sure we’d pushed the button instead of absentmindedly moving the lever into Reverse.

In the Normal driving mode, the Panamera can feel soft and lazy. That’s fine for daily driving, but not what you want for spirited travel. Porsche provides a handy knob on the steering wheel to quickly access Sport mode, which firms up the ride and improves drivetrain response. Sport Plus mode is perfect for ripping down mountain and canyon roads.

Outward visibility is good in every direction, and you can see the Panamera’s fenders to help place the car on the road and when parking. Thin windshield pillars, large side mirrors, a relatively unobscured view to the rear, and a panoramic sunroof make it easy to see out of the Panamera. Unfortunately, the reversing camera distorts the view to the rear, and our test vehicle did not have the optional surround-view camera. Instead, we had to rely on parking sensors.

Traveling at a brisk pace across the mountains, the Panamera was a joy to drive. The twin-turbo V6 supplies quick acceleration, but the Platinum Edition isn’t what you would call fast. And while it sounds terrific when revved, the exhaust doesn’t provide engaging accompaniment unless you put the car into Sport Plus mode. Otherwise, the cabin is so isolated that it can be difficult to hear the rising and falling of engine revs.

We tried the car’s effective paddle shifters, but preferred to let the PDK do its thing because it was far more adept at knowing which gear to choose, and when. Also, despite the test vehicle’s lack of AWD, the Panamera’s tail remained properly planted at all times.

Unless you require outright acceleration speed, the twin-turbo V6 and PDK make a fantastic powertrain. Also, grip is astoundingly good, the steering is perfection, and you feel like you’re barely moving the wheel when hustling the car on a back road. The Panamera exhibited zero unwanted or unexpected weight toss or transfer, the car proving utterly composed at all times.

Unfortunately, we weren’t as impressed with the Panamera’s standard brakes. Porsche installs a quartet of 350 mm internally ventilated discs clamped by six-piston fixed front and four-piston fixed rear calipers, which should have no trouble hauling the car down from speed. However, the pedal lacked bite at the top of travel and required quite a bit of muscle to access the necessary braking power.

To be clear, heating and fade were not problems. Instead, the brakes consistently required more effort to use than expected, and even then the response felt unpredictable. This situation made it difficult to determine how much pedal pressure to apply in order to scrub enough speed to safely navigate the next curve, ultimately becoming a distraction and negatively impacting our confidence in the test car.

But, to its credit, the Panamera is very easy to bring to a smooth, clean stop in traffic and at intersections. Usually, performance vehicles have brakes that are grabby and hard to modulate during the daily drive.

Though rakishly penned and equipped with seating for four people (unless you check the option box for a centre seating position), the Panamera’s interior is deftly packaged and exceptionally comfortable for everyone aboard.

As you might expect, getting into and out of the low-slung Panamera is not as easy as with the company’s Cayenne SUV. However, once you are seated, you’ll be happy, though we found the sharp radius on the forward edge of the steering wheel uncomfortable during longer stints in the driver’s seat. Storage space is stingy, with the glove compartment and lower door panel bins the only locations offering useful size.

The Panamera Platinum Edition has a four-zone automatic climate control system, keyless entry, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats. A large console separates the rear seats and includes individual climate functions, cupholders, USB ports, and a centre armrest with storage underneath.

Though our test car had the standard-wheelbase body style, the rear seat easily accommodated a six-foot-tall adult. Furthermore, the Panamera might have the most comfortable back seats we’ve ever experienced. Leg support and the backrest angle are absolutely perfect, the side bolsters hug you, there is good legroom and foot room, and decent headroom. Granted, the Panamera doesn’t provide much space for spreading out, but comfort front and rear is outstanding.

Open the Panamera’s power rear hatchback-style liftgate, and you’ll find a 495-litre trunk. To use all of that volume, you’ll need to remove the cargo cover. Also, the load sill is high and there isn’t any underfloor storage space. However, when you fold the back seats down, the Panamera offers 1,334 litres of cargo space, giving it impressive utility.

There is no shortage of technology aboard the 2023 Porsche Panamera. However, though it runs broad and deep, Porsche makes it accessible through intuitive interfaces.

Residing to either side of the large analog tachometer, configurable information screens preserve the appearance of five traditional gauges unless you choose to display the navigation system map. A 12.3-inch centre touchscreen infotainment system lives in the centre of the dashboard, equipped with the company’s Porsche Communication Management (PCM) technology. Together, they blend modern technology with a subtle retro flavour.

The infotainment system features Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Connect Plus connected services. Through that platform, you can access online navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a car finder function, and a vehicle tracking system, among others. In addition, the Panamera has a wireless smartphone charger.

During testing, the voice recognition system worked well, and proved useful while traveling in an area unknown to us. We found the on-screen menus intuitive, and though Porsche provides haptic-feedback touch-sensing buttons and other infotainment controls on the centre console between the shifter and air vents, we didn’t use them. Instead, stereo volume and radio tuning buttons on the steering wheel proved helpful.

Our Platinum Edition test car came with an adequate 14-speaker Bose sound system. You’ll likely expect better at the Panamera’s price point.

Porsche fortifies the Panamera Platinum Edition with numerous advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). These active safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring with a lane-change assist function, and parking sensors.

In addition, you can pay extra for an Assistance Package that adds a head-up display, a surround-view camera, and Porsche InnoDrive with Traffic Jam Assist. InnoDrive pairs the adaptive cruise control with a lane-centring assist system for active driving assistance on highways and in traffic. The test car did not have InnoDrive or the separately available night vision technology.

Adaptive cruise control is available. You activate it using a stalk that branches out from the steering column, mounted low underneath the turn signal stalk. It is hard to see and use while driving, so it takes practice before operating the system becomes second nature.

When engaged, the adaptive cruise control operates in a smooth and refined manner, though during this evaluation the tech faced no significant challenges like slow vehicles cutting into the gap ahead or sudden slowdowns.

We did discover that the lane-departure warning system can struggle to discern between pavement seams and lane markings. Also, like with other German vehicles, the lane-keeping assist system operates transparently until it determines that you’re not paying close attention. At that point, it can intervene in dramatic fashion to prevent a lane departure.

Buying a Porsche is not cost-effective. Despite its impeccable engineering and quality, rewarding driving dynamics, impressive technology, and the added utility of its sportback design, our Panamera Platinum Edition’s price tag is difficult to justify given the engine’s performance.

For example, for $25,000 more, the Audi RS6 Avant supplies all-wheel drive, 266 more horsepower, 259 more lb-ft of torque, and acceleration to 100 km/h in roughly 3.7 seconds.

Meanwhile, a BMW M5 Competition starts at about the same price as our Panamera Platinum Edition, but gives you 617 horsepower and a 3.3-second run to 100 km/h. All you’re giving up is the Panamera’s utility.

At the Mercedes-Benz store, you can get an AMG GLE 63 S Coupe for about $140,000, but it’s not quite as quick as the RS6 Avant or M5 in a straight line. It beats the Panamera V6, though.

Still, aside from outright performance for the money, the 2023 Porsche Panamera is a near-flawless execution of a luxury performance sedan. In addition, it marries the utility and convenience of an SUV with the athleticism of a sports car.

Exuding style, quality, sophistication, luxury, comfort, and capability, the Porsche Panamera might not represent value, but you may find it worth the price of entry anyway.

Note: Images show a US model.