Rocket Off Into the PHEV World: 2025 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Review

With my foot firmly on the brake, I stab the throttle of the Panamera 4 e-Hybrid and listen to revs climb to 4,800 rpm. I release the brake, and the Porsche seemingly lifts its front axle off the ground as it bolts off, pulling hard to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds.

Launch control and plug-in hybrids don’t often go together, but the Panamera 4 elegantly integrates the two to make an efficient, yet highly effective sport sedan. The base hybrid of the third-generation model just started arriving on U.S. shores with 463 horsepower, a standard air suspension, and soft-closing doors. Intriguing.

I happily accepted a several-day-long, self-guided tour of Southeast Michigan while getting to know Porsche’s latest plug-in hybrid creation. With 55 MPGe and an official EPA 28 miles of electric driving range, it’s clearly efficient. But will it deliver Porsche-worthy levels of driving fun? I needed to find out.

In short: The 2025 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid makes use of a large battery pack and powerful electric motor to easily travel around town and on the highway without burning any fuel. Yet, when you add fuel to the mix, you get immense performance. The air-spring chassis, combined with adjustable shock absorbers, provides athletic handling as well. Not to mention the plethora of comforts inside. It’s not cheap, certainly, but the few lucky enough to own one are in for a heck of a ride.

2025 Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Review: Hyperactive Hybrid

Porsche now builds four levels of Panamera hybrid: the Panamera 4, 4S, Turbo, and Turbo S. The latter two make use of a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V-8, the first two — including my test car — swap in a twin-turbocharged 2.9L V-6.

Conversely, all four use the exact same eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with an electric motor built into the casing, which draws power from a 25.9kWh battery pack.

That electric motor contributes a healthy 187 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque to the system output. That’s fewer ponies than the V-6’s 300 horsepower, but actually, more torque.

The V-6 only twists out 309 pound-feet. And, critically, that electric torque helps from effectively 0 rpm and provides instant response to your inputs — especially if you first twist the steering wheel-mounted drive mode dial to Sport Plus.

Altogether, you get a total of 463 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque sent to all four wheels. Granted, that pales in comparison to the 771 horsepower of the Turbo S E-Hybrid, but proves enough to enjoy 3.9-second 0-to-60-mph runs and a 174-mph top speed. The 4 E-Hybrid always eventually accelerates mightily. But, response varies.

Playing With Fire & Electricity

In the E-power or Hybrid driving modes, Porsche gradually ramps in electric propulsion to complement the V-6 as the PDK kicks down to a lower gear. In Sport and Sport-plus driving modes, on the other hand, the electric motor starts pulling straight away to give a hearty nudge and two bursts of acceleration.

The second burst hits once the V-6 is fully engaged, kind of like an encore from your favorite band. For the quicker response, I defaulted to the Sport driving mode.

For what it’s worth, I found myself happily moseying in E-power mode in the city. By the way, officially, the EPA says you’ll get 28 miles out of the 25.9kWh battery. But with a full charge, the instrument cluster actually read 54 miles of range.

City driving helps elongate range, in fairness, as the Panamera absorbs up to 88 kW of energy from braking — but only when you press the brake. No one-pedal driving here. Porsche likes to keep your foot busy, whether or not the friction brakes do any work.

Sensational New Chassis

Porsche fitted all third-generation Panamera hybrid models with air suspension. Additionally, standard equipment also includes adjustable shock absorbers that bear the name Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). Moreover, the shocks use two valves to independently tune compression and rebound motions.

That means the Panamera adjusts its own ride height, spring stiffness, and shock force, and that gives even bigger variation to the different drive modes. Despite its inherent sporting intentions, the Panamera feels downright plush in the hybrid driving mode, wafting over all the imperfections the real roads of Michigan offer.

Yet, twist the dial to Sport plus and not only feel the steering weight up and the PDK shift faster, but the whole car lowers itself and firms up. As a result, you get a fast-reacting, athletic sport sedan that belies its over-5,000-pound curb weight (5,016 pounds).

Though, one option aided this feeling: $1,350 rear-axle steering. Run through your favorite set of canyon roads, and the Panamera rewards you with a fast-acting front-end, minimal body roll, and mega grip from a staggered set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. As you turn in, the front-end darts toward the apex, with the rear following suit in a nice and tidy fashion.

That said, push too hard, and the front end gives up first, with tire-squealing understeer. But you feel the grip all the way through. The Panamera never gets unsettled or intimidates the driver.

The Luxurious Insides

Things get interesting as you open any of the doors on the new Panamera hybrid. Actually, as you close them, standard equipment includes soft-closing doors. Something I’d expect on, say, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but not here. I admit, I enjoyed it.

My hands also quite enjoyed the standard heated steering wheel, and my backside the standard heated seats. However, on warmer days, you’ll need to spend more for ventilated seats, which surprised me, given the included soft-close doors.

In back, my test car also included the $1,320 four-zone climate control system, which added its own screen to adjust temperature, fan speed, etc. Those controls sat ahead of two USB-C ports, a couple of cupholders, and other odds and ends.

Porsche provides enough space for adults in the back of the Panamera. But I would avoid any long trips back there, and stay around town. 

Head across country in comfort up front, on the other hand. Porsche installed 14-way adjustable seats to make it easy to settle in just so. They also provide plenty of support courtesy of large lower and upper bolsters.

My seats included a beautiful and soft red leather. But, that increased the price by another $4,330.

Back to standard equipment, Porsche installs a fully digital, 12.6-inch instrument cluster and a 10.9-inch center display. The latter connects wirelessly with your smartphone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and generally operates quickly and intuitively. Underneath, you find the first two zones of climate control, two more USB-C ports, and a wireless smartphone charger.

I love the front seats in the Panamera and would happily plop my tuchus on one for hours on end, especially if the destination involved a nice set of twisty roads.

One tiny gripe: For a car at this price, I wish the Panamera muted road noise a bit more. You get low-frequency thrums from the tires slapping pavement. It’s quiet, just not quite as quiet as I hoped.

2025 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Review Wrap-Up

The 2025 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid starts at $117,495, including the $1,995 destination charge. Not cheap. And the generous set of options on my test car raised that price to just under $132K!

Not just a sports sedan, equal money goes deep into large luxury sedan territory. Then again, when it comes to inherent athleticism and driving joy, the Panamera brings, it all starts to feel like a bargain.

The third-generation Panamera looks similar to the second, albeit more modern and sleek. I like the added narrow air intake sitting well below the LED matrix headlights, just above the lower grille. Porsche also nicely cleaned up the rear end with a frameless rear windshield and sharp, narrow full-width taillights. 

Porsche developed its baseline Panamera hybrid into a high-performing sport sedan. It’s much quicker than the base ICE (internal combustion engine) powered equivalents, more luxurious, and — of course — more efficient too. Other than price, I see no reason not to go hybrid. You get all the aforementioned benefits, and you still get all the intrinsic driving qualities of a Porsche.