Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Review 2024
Written by Andrew Brady
Quick overview
Pros
- Hugely engaging driver’s car, in any guise
- You gain a little bit more headroom in the rear over the standard Panamera
- Looks are more appealing in Sport Turismo guise than the divisive style of the saloon
Cons
- Not massively more practical than the saloon in reality
- Silly ventilation controls are under touchscreen sub-menus
- You need a lot of option box ticking to make it as good as it can be
Overall verdict on the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
"In this 2022 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo review we are looking at a niche within a niche, as Porsche took its decidedly coupe-looking saloon and turn it into shooting brake-style estate. It adds some additional space to to the rear, but it's not as spacious as a traditional estate of this size. However, it's arguably better looking as a result and doesn't compromise the sensational driving experience in the name of practicality."
The Porsche Panamera had been around for seven years before Porsche added a larger estate-style rear end to it to create the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.
Adding to the already decent practicality of the fastback hatchback it’s based on, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo also had the additional effect of improving the Panamera’s looks, the big saloon not so wedded to the rakish-backed style that defines the standard car, with the obvious benefit not just to luggage space, but also rear seat headroom.
When it was introduced in 2017 Porsche additionally added the option of 2+1 seating in the rear, which brought five-seat (if you’re small and friendly for the rear three passengers) to the Porsche Panamera for the first time, Porsche subsequently offering the 2+1 seating option across the entire Porsche Panamera range.
It might seem like an obvious thing to do, giving more space and practicality to a luxury saloon, but the luxury saloon marketplace is a traditional one, which is why you’ll not find rivals for the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo from many rivals. There’s no Mercedes-Benz S-Class estate, likewise no BMW 7 Series or Audi A8 estates, instead you have to look a class down, at cars like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series, as well as the Audi A6 Avant.
Like its saloon relation it’s powered by a choice of engines with outputs ranging from 330PS up to over double that in the range topping, take a breath, Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, which as its lengthy name suggests uses plug-in hybrid power to boost not just economy, but performance from its 550PS petrol V8 twin turbocharged engine. For the record, that plug-in is a 680PS load-hauler.
Not that any Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is slow, all offering pace that will keep sports cars honest, and not just on the straights, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo’s chassis hugely adept at meting out the prodigious power. It’s very agile, particularly given its size and weight, making it a very appealing choice for those used to the speed and engagement of sports cars, but needing the space of something a bit more usefully-sized.
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo has that angle covered, then, though inevitably its focus on performance does mean some compromises over some of its luxury car rivals. They’re few though, and mostly centred around the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo’s relatively snug rear passenger area, which pretty much rules it out if you’re after an upmarket, classy and expensive car to be chauffeured in.
But in every other respect the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo offers a desirable proposition, adding some practicality into the Porsche Panamera saloon’s already pleasing mix of pace, style and driver appeal, with that oh-so-desirable badge on the bonnet.
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Is the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo right for you?
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is something of a niche within a niche, taking an already driver focused sporting take on the traditional luxury saloon, and adding some practicality. It’s not an estate car in the sense that you’ll be able to stick a Chesterfield sofa in it, but it does gain some usefulness over its Porsche Panamera saloon relations, as well as its standard luxury car rivals.
If you’re after the maximum load-carrying capacity in your Porsche you’d be better served by its Cayenne SUV, but the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo does actually fit the needs of a sector of buyers wanting pace and space but not bowing to the current fashion for high-riding SUVs - with all the negativity weighed on them. If you’re that person, then the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo might just prove the perfect choice.
What’s the best Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo model/engine to choose?
Which Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo your pick will be defined by a number of factors, as while they’re all very good, some are better in particular areas than others. City dwellers with driveways might want either of the two plug-in hybrids for their ability to cruise on electricity alone for around 20 miles, yet having all the long-legged ability and pace to get you to your weekend bolthole with no range worries. You’ll carry a bit less in them, thanks to the battery taking up a bit of the boot’s volume, though.
The Porsche Panamera 4 Sport Turismo and the 4S offer 330PS or 440PS respectively, and are able all-rounders, but the GTS adds more driver appeal, sharper looks, standard air suspension and a V8 for not much more (relatively here, these are Porsches) than the 4S. It’s very good indeed.
If you want the fastest, then the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is the pick, but, the Turbo below it delivers much the same speed, without the weight and complexity of that flagship model, which is to the benefit of its agility.
What other cars are similar to the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo?
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo might widen the Porsche Panamera’s bandwidth, but in doing so it narrows the choice of potential rivals. There are no other cars in the luxury segment that are tourers, or estates, so you need to look at rivals like the Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon, Audi RS6 Avant and, really, that’s about it.
You could, of course, consider a huge choice of high performance SUVs, but as the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is an obviously anti-SUV choice then the chances are you’ve already discounted them from your list of potential buys. Indeed, if you’re even looking at the Sport Turismo as a potential car, then the chances are you’ve found exactly what you’re after.
Comfort and design: Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo interior
"The Porsche Panamera’s interior, with one notable exception, is a paragon of usability and desirability in the luxury, sporting class it competes in, and the Sport Turismo model is no different to that."
You sit low inside, the cockpit feeling enhanced thanks to the high centre console between the front seats, with haptic control buttons there for the many different means of configuring the way the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo drives, the number of them depending on how busy you’ve been with the options ticking.
The feeling isn’t too dissimilar to that of sitting in a 911, indeed, ahead of you the view is all but identical, with a large rev-counter dominating the instrumentation, the entire cabin architecture being very similar to that of Porsche’s most iconic sports car. That’s very deliberate, as the Porsche Panamera Sports Turismo might be a bit more practical than its rear-engined relative, but Porsche still touts it as a sports car.
A sports car that has to live up to some expensive luxury car competition, though, which means the interior is beautifully designed throughout, and comes with a decent, if not overly generous list of standard equipment – the expectation in this class being you’ll spend more (a lot more) to specify your car exactly how you want it.
As a minimum though, all Porsche Panamera Sport Turismos come with 8-way electrically adjusted comfort seats, with plentiful choices to have more power adjustment and things like ventilation added at cost too.
The front seats on all come with seat heating, it's possible to specify the rear seats with heating and ventilation too, as well as 8-way electric adjustment to amuse the children when their iPads run out of power and the cable to charge it is broken. Two-zone climate control is standard, but four-zone can be had too, you’ve guessed it, optionally.
Quality and finish
There might be a huge variety of options to personalise your Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo, with everything from the stitching to the seatbelt colours able to be chosen to suit, but as standard the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo passes muster in the luxury class.
It seems a bit stingy that Porsche doesn’t equip the Porsche Panamera 4 with full leather seats, the 4S model and above gaining these, while you’ll definitely want to tick the extended leather interior options that covers things like the dash and door tops, giving the Porsche Panamera a feeling of luxury buyers in this class expect.
Elsewhere around the interior the materials all feel of very high quality, whether its wood, carbon or metal trim pieces, the plastics, where used all feeling substantial too. It’s a pleasing, high quality place to sit, than, whatever seat you’re in.
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
The standard infotainment offering in the Porsche Panamera 4 entry model comprises Porsche Communication Management with an online navigation module, mobile phone connection, voice control and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen with supplementary screen to the right of the instruments displaying a variety of configurable functions.
All come with Apple CarPlay as standard – Porsche not fitting Android Auto as it says all its customers use Apple devices – there’s DAB radio and a 10-speaker system, Bluetooth connection and a pair of USB sockets in the rear compartment.
Somewhat unsurprisingly there are plentiful options to upgrade the infotainment, with 14-speaker BOSE surround sound offered (and standard on some), likewise a 6 disc CD/DVD autochanger, or if you love your HiFi, a high-end Burmester 3D surround sound system is available.
That top spec system sounds absolutely incredible, but so it should do at £5,063. There’s the option of rear seat entertainment with two 10-inch touchscreens with wireless headphones and streaming services and more besides. The standard touchscreen works well for entertainment and information functions, but Porsche’s decision to put the ventilation controls within the touchscreen’s menus is a rare moment of madness, it's frustratingly fiddly to operate, even with familiarity.
Space and practicality: Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo boot space
An estate car in the luxury segment means ultimate practicality isn’t really a concern here. Indeed, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is not a car that’s going to immediately be pressed into service doing runs to the local tip, or loading flatpack furniture outside Ikea – you’ll have someone collect your rubbish, and likely not shop at IKEA (for furniture at least, but not even the wealthy can resist the design simplicity of IKEA’s cheese graters).
No, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is an estate car in shape, it's as likely to be bought because people prefer its longer roof line and truncated rear, as they might for its ability to carry a bit more stuff. It’ll look great with skis or bikes on that longer roof, too.
Exactly how much more you can carry depends on the model, as well as whether you’ve optioned the best audio equipment – with the sub-woofer taking up a bit of boot space if you have – while those battery assisted hybrids do impact negatively on the Sport Turismo’s outright carrying capacity.
In its most capacious form, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo has 520 litres of boot space volume with the rear seats in place, or 1,390 litres with them folded. That’s up from the 500 litres and 1,340 litres of the Porsche Panamera saloon (which is actually a hatchback). Not huge gains then, but the space provided is more usefully shaped for larger objects, and the big, daft chocolate Labrador will have more space for its head, too.
That’s true for rear-seat passengers too, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo’s biggest gain being in rear headroom. It’s still not exactly what you’d describe as generously proportioned in the rear, but a pair of adults can fit in the deeply sculpted rear seats in relative comfort, though you’ll not be stretching out back there, the perception of space is greater too, thanks to the void behind the rear passenger’s heads.
The Sport Turismo did introduce the option of a fifth seat to the Porsche Panamera, with the offer of 2+1 seating in the rear. You gain a fifth seatbelt for the middle, but other than that there’s little concession for the fifth passenger, who’ll sit high, perched on the cushion between the outer rear seats, with precious little foot space due to the large transmission tunnel between their legs.
An occasional rear seat, then, or one for children, though it does so without ISOFIX mounts, like the outer rear seats. Elsewhere around the cabin there’s plenty of cubby storage, cup holders and suchlike, making the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo usefully fit for its intended purpose.
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo dimensions are 5049mm long, 2165mm wide and 1428mm tall.
Handling and ride quality: What is the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo like to drive?
"The morphing of the Porsche Panamera from a mere sports saloon to an estate car has not dented its prowess on the road one bit. It’s pitched as a sports car, and even though it’s not exactly small, or light, that billing is lived up to on the road."
The 4 and 4 S models do without the fancy multi-chamber air springs that the rest of the line-up receives. But, thanks to standard, smaller, 19-inch alloy wheels as well as the standard fitment of PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) - which if you’re not up on Porsche’s lexicon translates to active dampers – with differing modes from Normal through Comfort Sport, Sport+ and Individual settings (Sport+ only coming if you option the Sport Chrono Package), the balance of ride comfort and handling is commendably good.
If you’ve not already spotted it, just how agile your Porsche Panamera is depends on a lot of option box ticking. Even so, in standard guise it’ll not disappoint, but a few choice options do elevate the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo’s ability to levels that are genuinely impressive for such a big, weighty car. All are four-wheel drive, which helps with traction and stability, but adding Torque Vectoring Plus, which comes as part of Porsche’s physics-defying PDCC Sport (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control) adds incredible agility to the mix.
Tick that, and the box for Rear-Axle steering – which also usefully shortens the turning circle around town - and you’ll have a Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo that turns in with the enthusiasm of a sports car and steering feel to boot, yet mixes it with a ride comfort that shrugs off all but the worst surfaces under the sizeable rubber contact patches.
All that, allied to any Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo’s abundant power, makes for a hugely able, stable, capable and enjoyable to drive luxury car, which lives up to the badge on its bonnet. If there’s a but here, it’s with the hybrids, which when pushed to extremes do reveal their greater bulk earlier, but, in reality, if you’re doing this on a public road you shouldn’t be.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo?
Powerful, more powerful and ridiculously powerful, that pretty much covers the engine line up for the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo. The entry point is the turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 with 330PS in the Porsche Panamera 4, adding an S to that upping the output to 440PS, which pitches it up alongside the 4 E-Hybrid, which uses the 4’s less powerful V6 mated to an electric motor.
The GTS above that is more driver-focused again, so it gains a couple of cylinders to feature a turbocharged V8, with the Turbo above that gaining more output at 550PS and the Turbo S E-Hybrid adding some charge to that with its plug-in system for a combined total power output of 680PS.
All then are quick, with the Porsche Panamera 4 Sport Turismo managing a 5.5 second 0-62mph time and a 160mph top speed – down just 2mph over its saloon relation. The range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid is in the sphere of other-worldly quick, able to reach 62mph in 3.4 seconds and onto a top speed of 192mph, where it’ll be using both its motors to maximum effect. In EV mode alone those hybrid choices can drive up to 86mph too.
When measured in isolation you’d be happy with the 4’s 330PS and the performance it brings, but try the 110PS gain in the S, or the electric fill of the 4 E-Hybrid and you’ll likely be seduced by the greater ease they offer. If it’s V8 power you’re after, then the performance and sounds from the GTS are very appealing, while the Turbo above it only adds even more shocking power.
All drive all four-wheels and all are fitted with an eight-speed PDK automatic, which for the most part offers clean, slick shifting, but can be confused if you’re hesitant with the accelerator, though that’s only occasionally. It’s a driver’s car, so really you should be using the paddle-shifters anyway, which the gearbox responds to with speed, the ferocity of which, is like the engine’s and chassis’ response, configurable via the driving modes, and Sport Chrono.
Refinement and noise levels
A car that has a wide range of ability, but one that has to live up to the expectations of buyers in the luxury segment. That relates specifically to refinement, and the Porsche Panamera delivers here, being quiet on a cruise, but sounding good if you’re enjoying it as it’s meant to be.
To do so at its best you’ll be ticking option boxes again, notably the one for the sports exhaust, which really is a must-have option. For those wanting the best serenity then look at the plug-in hybrid models, which default to E-Mode on start up, meaning you glide away silently from your house without any mechanical noises to upset the neighbours. It’s similarly hushed on the move too.
There’s a bit of road noise at speed in rougher surfaces, a legacy of the Porsche Panamera’s sizeable wheels and tyres, but in reality it’s no worse than any of its rivals in this respect.
Safety equipment: How safe is the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo?
Along with the Porsche Stability Management there’s ABS brakes, traction control, that standard four-wheel drive and brakes that, in all, offer incredible stopping power.
All come with Porsche Side Impact Protection System (POSIP) with side impact protection elements in the doors and thorax airbags integrated into the side bolster of each front seat. It’s a shame that Porsche leaves side airbags in the outer rear seats on the options list (costing £308), but there are the usual driver and passenger front and side airbags, as well as a full-length curtain airbag, with a knee airbag for the driver and front passenger too.
There’s an active bonnet to help protect pedestrians, while a pair of ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard on the rear outer seats, with a third possible option in the front passenger seat. There are a number of assist systems available optionally, with various parking options – the Porsche Panamera coming with sensors as standard – Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Porsche InnoDrive (including that Adaptive Cruise Control), a head-up display and Night View Assist all offered on the options list across the entire line-up.
Maximum EV range
Two plug-in hybrid choices with the Porsche Panamera, with the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo and the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid offering twin turbocharged V6 and V8 power mated to an electric motor.
They are performance as much as economy aids, boosting power significantly, but also benefitting mpg, and adding electric only range of as much as 22-27 miles in the 4 E-Hybrid and between 20-24 miles in the Turbo S E-Hybrid. Around 15-20 miles is genuinely possible in either, if you’re sensible, both able to drive in electric only mode at speeds up to 86mph, and defaulting to E-Mode on start-up too.
MPG and fuel costs: What does a Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo cost to run?
"As a minimum the Porsche Panamera is powered by a twin turbocharged petrol V6 with 330PS and 0-62mph in 5.5 second capability. The Sport Turismo loses out a little bit on economy over its saloon relation, but it’s marginal. You’ll get 25.9mpg officially from that Porsche Panamera 4, though, and it should be achievable on a longer run."
The plug-in hybrids offer the best compromise, with excellent performance mated to good potential economy, the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid quoted at 85.6mpg, and the Turbo S E-Hybrid at 76.3mpg. In reality both will be a good deal less, but use its battery power wisely and you’ll get excellent economy, particularly when you consider the performance on offer.
Insurance groups and costs
The Porsche Panamera in any guise is expensive and fast, so the insurance groups are correspondingly high. Even the Porsche Panamera 4 Sport Turismo is up in group 49, with every other model in top group 50. You’ll be more than au-fait with this though, it's likely you’ll have other, similarly expensive, or more expensive cars to insure too.
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo?
All are high emitting and above the £40,000 VED threshold, with the exception of the plug-in hybrids, which emit 77g/km and 83g/km respectively for the 4 E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid. They’ll be your most tax efficient choices, then, particularly, as is likely, you’ll have your, and that means the your own, company paying the bills for it.
How much should you be paying for a used Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo?
"Used prices for the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo start from around £60,000 in the classifieds for a 2017 and onwards V6 model, with around 20,000 miles on the odometer."
There isn’t much choice out there, with most remaining in the hands of Porsche dealerships, but if you’re prepared to buy a higher mileage Turbo, you can make significant savings over the new price.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Porsche Panamera 4 Sport Turismo – 8-speed DSG automatic, 19-inch alloy wheels, DAB, partial leather upholstery, 2-zone climate control sat nav, Apple CarPlay, Park Assist, Cruise Control, heated electrically adjusted comfort seats
Porsche Panamera 4 S Sport Turismo – in addition to Porsche Panamera 4 Sport Turismo – full leather upholstery. Porsche Panamera GTS Sport Turismo – in addition to Porsche Panamera 4S Sport Turismo – 20-inch alloy wheels, Sport Chrono Plus, Electrically adjusted sports seats, adaptive air suspension, GTS styling
Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo – in addition to Porsche Panamera 4S Sport Turismo – Sport Chrono package with E-Drive, adaptive air suspension. Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo – in addition to Panamera GTS Sport Turismo – 20-inch alloy wheels, 14-way powered, heated front seats with memory package, heated rear seats, BOSE Surround sound stereo
Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo – in addition to Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo - Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC Sport) including Porsche Torque vectoring Plus, 21-inch alloy wheels, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB)
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