Tested: 2025 Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid Is Quicker Than Before

• The Porsche Panamera was updated last year, with revised styling, reworked powertrains and more tech than before. 
• For 2025, the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and 4S E-Hybrid rejoin the lineup.
• These plug-in hybrid models deliver sporty handling and relatively fuel-efficient powertrains.

Plug-in hybrid power

Like the Turbo S E-Hybrid, the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid uses a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The main difference is the 4 E-Hybrid makes do with a 2.9-liter V6 in place of the Turbo's 4.0-liter V8. The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid makes 463 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, the powertrain offers an EPA-estimated 28 miles of all-electric range, though I eked out more than 30 miles on one charge. An eight-speed automatic is standard, as is all-wheel drive. 

The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid start at $117,495, including destination. Standard features on the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid include a sport-tuned air suspension, Porsche's Sport Chrono package (includes additional drive modes, launch control and track apps for the infotainment system) and a panoramic sunroof. Our test vehicle was fitted with a handful of options, including rear-axle steering ($1,350), four-zone automatic climate control, 20-inch wheels with summer performance tires ($1,790), and a Bose audio system ($1,600). All in, our vehicle carried an as-tested price of $134,045. 

Hitting the track

We've tested dozens of Porsches over the years, and if you scan through the numbers, there's a general trend of the vehicles overperforming relative to what Porsche advertises. That goes for everything from 0 to 60 mph times for the 911 to all-electric range for the Taycan. That trend continues with the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. 

At the Edmunds test track, the Panamera clocked a 0 to 60 time of 3.8 seconds, slightly quicker than Porsche's estimate. It was also 0.2 second quicker than the last-generation Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, and 0.1 second quicker than another performance plug-in, the BMW XM. It hit the quarter mile in 12.2 seconds at 110.7 mph, slightly quicker and faster than before. Those times are repeatable, too, thanks to the launch control system that comes standard on this car. 

The Panamera is hefty, weighing in at 5,110 pounds, but the big brakes do a solid job of managing all of the weight. This is a big car, but Porsche pulls out a lot of tricks to not make it feel so heavy in a corner. The large brakes certainly help. Braking performance is among the best we've seen for any four-door vehicle, with panic stops from 60 mph coming in a short 104 feet. My notebook is filled with lots of positive adjectives, including "quiet." There was shockingly little tire squeal or pulsing from the antilock braking system during panic stops. 

On our skidpad, the Panamera pulled 0.97 g. That's solid, but we've seen better from past, more sporty Panamera variants. The 4 E-Hybrid leans in corners more than a GTS or Turbo. On our skidpad, I was having to brace against the door to keep from sliding in my seat. 

The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid feels a bit hefty on the track, but its size and soft suspension are a boon on LA's pockmarked streets and freeways. The Panamera rides well everywhere, but it's particularly smooth on the highway. That's German engineering, with the autobahn-focused roots coming through. Like my old Mercedes-Benz, the Panamera rides better at 70 mph than it does at 35.