Although it's undeniably a Porsche performance car, the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is more tapped into a luxury-car vibe than any of the maker's other products. It's less hard-edged than GTS and Turbo models of the Panamera, balancing a relaxed demeanor, perky acceleration, and sharp handling to surprising effect.
A 300-hp twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 thrums away under the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid's hood, but unlike its nonhybrid siblings, it's assisted by a 187-hp electric motor and a 22-kWh battery pack. Total system output is a stout 463 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, and with the low-down grunt of the electric motor, throttle response is satisfyingly immediate.
Performance is more robust than the standard nonhybrid Panamera we tested. That 348-hp model managed a 4.4-second 60-mph time, but the 4 E-Hybrid did it in 3.6. The electrified model was ahead at the 100-mph mark too, registering a time of 9.5 seconds to the gas-only model's 11.3.
The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid definitely knows how to have fun, but it's also a comfortable cruising companion. On its standard air-spring suspension, the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is composed and steady, but ready to bust a move should you encounter a twisty road. The ride is also almost unnaturally smooth, despite our test car not being equipped with Porsche's trick Active Ride suspension.
It did, however, have the optional rear-axle steering system ($1350). So equipped, the Panamera's low-speed maneuverability is like that of a car half its size. The rear-wheel steering probably did not contribute much to the 4 E-Hybrid's 0.96-g skidpad result, but the optional 20-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires certainly did. In terms of braking, our test car's 151-foot stop from 70 mph is nothing to scoff at.
EV range is EPA-estimated at 28 miles per charge, but the hybrid system can draw power from the V-6 to recharge itself if you want to juice up the battery without stopping at a charging station. When plugged in, Porsche says the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid will charge to 100 percent in a little over three hours on an AC outlet.
Fuel economy is decent here, but it's not quite as high as you'd expect for a plug-in hybrid with this large of a battery. Still, our observed fuel economy over two weeks of heavy-footed driving was 22 mpg, which is is 1 mpg better than its EPA combined estimate.
The area where the Panamera's luxury chops are questionable is inside the cabin. While rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz S-class coddle passengers with thickly cushioned seats, fragrant leather upholstery, and massaging seats, the Panamera takes a different tack. You can still spec some of those things here, but it's all still done in the Porsche way, which is to say it's expensive to add them, and everything is still locked into a performance-like look rather than outright luxury.
Our test car was dressed in $830 worth of Ice Grey Metallic paint with a two-tone black and Bordeaux red leather interior (a $4330 upgrade). The overall look and feel was that of a sports car that just happened to have a pair of rear bucket seats. Not overtly luxurious, but certainly premium.
When the 4 E-Hybrid's underway, the cabin also lacks the quietude of a true luxury car, although its 70-decibel sound measurement at 70 mph is not excessively noisy. Some tire slap over expansion joints on the highway is audible inside, but it's nothing too raucous.
So, Porsche's version of luxury doesn't align with the ultra-cushy nature of more traditional premium automakers, but that doesn't mean this doesn't qualify as a luxury sedan. The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid's performance itself is a luxury, and the car's day-to-day livability is enhanced by its comfortable ride and upscale features.
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