It’s not as sexy, powerful or as desirable as its Turbo bigger sibling, but even with an as-tested price of $264,120 it’s an almost $120K cheaper way of getting into one of the nicest car interiors on sale today. Well insulated from tyre and wind noise, and with an amazing ride on its three-way air suspension, this is a very comfortable car.
It’s also surprisingly fast. Open the taps and the 4 E-Hybrid unleashes a meaty V6 soundtrack, the electric motors contributing to the oomph in max-attack Sport and Sport Plus modes with the ever-responsive eight-speed PDK.
On a twisty road, this is also an engaging and very polished handler with agility that somewhat defies its not inconsiderable size, also with strong traction thanks to its all-wheel drive system.
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If not in the mood for such things, the 4 E-Hybrid delivers up to 50km of plug-in electric range, taking 5.8 hours to fully charge, or 3.6 with an optional charger. Porsche has done a great job to ensure seamless switching between electric and petrol power under acceleration, although we were disappointed with a wooden and inconsistent brake pedal feel at stuck-in-traffic speeds.
That’s no deal breaker though, and the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is almost two cars in one: an eco-minded, ultra-comfortable commuter in its electric-only modes. And a luxurious, fast, fun and growly V6 grand tourer on weekends.
Of course, being more interested in the latter, we could justify the extra cost for the brilliant V8 Turbo.
10 Little Things of the Porsche Panamera Turbo
2018 PORSCHE PANAMERA 4 E HYBRID SPECS:
Engine: 2.9-litre v6, twin-turbo
Power: 340kW
Torque: 700Nm
Weight: 2170kg
0-100km/h: 4.7sec
Price: $248,500
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