2022 Porsche Panamera

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Review

Ever since the launch of the Porsche Taycan, it feels like that’s the only Porsche model people can talk about – besides the most potent Porsche 911 variants, of course. It’s easy to understand – Porsche effectively redefined the rapidly growing market segment that is all-electric luxury sedans, and the Taycan has proven itself the world over both in terms of consistency and longevity.

But spare a thought for Porsche’s first four-door sedan – the Porsche Panamera. This is one of the models that, along with the Porsche Cayenne, helped to carry Porsche forward through times when sports car sales alone wouldn’t help to fund the company’s research and development activities. The Panamera deserves a place in Porsche’s history, and will continue to be sell in high volumes until the world is forced to stop consuming fossil fuels.

The first generation Porsche Panamera came to life in 2010 and ran until 2016, with a mid-life facelift along the way. Now in its second generation, the Porsche Panamera has retained the same front-engine, four-door formula of the first generation, but addressed many of the small issues while significantly improving the overall experience both inside and out.

Most recently, the mid-life facelift for the second generation Porsche Panamera was launched locally, and for the time being it is only available in a singular base variant. That being said, there are plenty of Panamera variants on offer – and even those not officially available can be ordered via a Porsche dealer if you’re willing to put the money down. There is also the Sport Turismo wagon variant that was offered with the pre-facelift model, though there’s no word on when this will be introduced here.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Specifications

The sole variant of the Porsche Panamera on offer in Malaysia is its simplest and most basic – which means front-engine, rear-wheel drive, and a twin turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine up front pushing a not insignificant 330 PS and 450 Nm of torque – essentially a slightly detuned variant of the engine found in the current generation Audi RS4.

A variant that may also come in the future is the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid which sees that same engine turned up to 440 PS and 450 Nm of torque, working in tandem with a 136 PS electric motor for a total system output of 560 PS and 750 Nm of torque – which is more than the Panamera GTS that runs on a singular twin-turbocharged petrol V8 motor.

Drive is delivered exclusively to the rear wheels for our local base variant, through an eight-speed dual-clutch type automatic transmission known as PDK. This transmission family, regardless of which drive layout it sits in, is known for blisteringly quick shift times as well as incredible robustness in operation – Porsche likes to do launch control starts numerous times in a row just to show how much abuse they can take without requiring a service or throwing a fault code.

Dimensionally the Porsche Panamera measures in 5,049 mm long, 1,937 mm wide, and 1,423 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,950 mm. These are surprisingly long and large dimensions, though they are a result of the incredible exterior design of the Panamera that maintains its presence on the road, despite having comparably meagre interior space.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Exterior

What was once an option for the Porsche Panamera is now a standard feature: the Sport Design package comes equipped with every new Panamera sold locally, and that includes items like LED daytime running lights, matrix LED headlamps with dynamic lighting, and a revised rear end with Led tail light clusters. Buyers can choose from ten different wheel options, split across 20 or 21 inch wheel choices in different designs.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Interior

Quite nearly every Porsche Panamera that gets sold here will have an interior unique to the tastes of the owner, although the broad strokes are still the same. The cabin is still set up to hug occupants – lightly, but still noticeably more than your regular luxury sedan. The high-rise centre console separates the two front occupants, but as the generations have passed it has gotten thinner and sleeker, employing minimalism to avoid the clutter of a million different buttons to control a million different functions. The haptic feedback system for the climate control panel remains, as does the infotainment system sitting front and centre on the dashboard.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Safety Features

As is the case with most Porsche models, safety systems can be optioned and added on as owners see fit – but what every Porsche Panamera gets as a standard feature are items like lane keep assist with road sign recognition, night vision assist, lane change assist, and park assist with surround view – essentially a bird’s eye view of your parking area. There’s also a heads-up display to help you keep your eyes on the road, but beyond this there aren’t any items like autonomous emergency braking or radar-guided cruise control.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

When it comes to luxury sedans, there’s no real way to put it – you’re not going to find something that out-handles a Porsche Panamera. Other European manufacturers do an excellent job of producing luxury sedans with sporting aspirations, but with the Panamera it’s almost as if Porsche put driving dynamics ahead of everything else, and decided to fill in the rest later.

This naturally comes with some downsides – for one, the interior space isn’t really comparable to any other mid-sized luxury sedan. Occupants, both front and rear, feel like they’re more cocooned in something designed for speed and aggression than a relaxing drive from home to work. It’s part of Porsche’s character, and for those who love the connotations it certainly works well.

There’s also the issue of the price, with the base model Porsche Panamera starting at over RM 1,000,000 before options, or nearly double the price of a comparable European luxury sedan.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Price

The singular variant of the Porsche Panamera on offer in Malaysia goes for RM 1,026,736, before you start ticking off the options on Porsche’s long and extensive item list. Practically every Porsche product sold locally can be customized to fit an owner’s tastes, from the interior trim colours and materials, to the exterior paint options, and of course what kind of luxuries you may find to make life that little bit sweeter on your journey.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Features

Features are the first thing that a Malaysian buyer will look at when cross shopping, and unfortunately for the Porsche Panamera it doesn’t come with these options listed. Power steering plus, as well as a BOSE surround sound system, and electrically adjustable seats are required options, but you can add Sport Chrono elements piecemeal, or items like a panoramic sunroof, rear axle steering, and even different steering wheel choices.

Porsche Panamera 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

The manufacturer quoted fuel consumption figure for the Porsche Panamera with the local variant being powered by the turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine is 11.4 to 11.1 litres per 100 kilometres, translating to roughly 8.8 to 9.0 kilometres per litre. Like any turbocharged vehicle, this consumption figure is contingent on owners driving in a relatively sedate, relaxed manner – get the turbocharger spooling and you’re likely to burn through your fuel reserves rather quickly.