4S 4dr All-Wheel Drive Wagon
2021 Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid Sport Turismo

The 2021 Porsche Panamera 4S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo (say that three times fast) is effectively a replacement for the departed Turbo model. Porsche put the 2021 Panamera lineup through a full-scale update, and the Turbo didn’t make it through the wringer. Instead, Porsche added a new Turbo S model, kept the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid and introduced this slightly greener alternative to the V8-powered Turbo. All of the above applies to both the standard sedan body style and the Sport Turismo (wagon), the latter of which we tested for this review. Replacing any Porsche “Turbo” model is a tall task, but the 4S E-Hybrid is starting from a promising place. It combines thrust from both a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and an electric motor. The result is more power than the V8-equipped Turbo it supplants. A total of 552 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque is on tap, which is good for a 0–60 mph time of just 3.5 seconds and an 11.9-second quarter-mile. That 0–60 time is equivalent to the 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant. In practice, the Porsche feels quicker by virtue of its electric smack of torque right off the line. Once underway and at higher speeds, the RS 6 pins your head to the headrest just a little bit harder. The 4S E-Hybrid, like every other E-Hybrid-branded Porsche, is a plug-in hybrid. Porsche’s whole Panamera E-Hybrid lineup gets a more energy-dense battery pack this year. Capacity increases by 27% to 17.9 kWh, which ups the all-electric EPA-rated driving range to 19 miles from the previous 14 miles. Our range test saw the car travel 23.8 miles in mixed driving upon starting with a 100% charge. Acceleration from its 134-horsepower electric motor is slow for a Porsche, but it’s enough to keep up with traffic in most situations. Maybe not for merging onto the highway under electric power — the car will make it to and past 70 mph, but it takes too long to be comfortable. Once the all-electric range was depleted, we saw numbers approaching 27 mpg in highway driving. That compares to the EPA's estimate of 22 mpg combined. In other words, it was more efficient than expected, which is good considering the old Panamera Turbo managed an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined. The single-mpg improvement going from the V8 to the V6 hybrid illustrates how vital it is to use the E-Hybrid’s electric range to make driving this car a “greener” option. Never charge it, and the E-Hybrid’s effective mileage isn’t much better than the fire-breathing Turbo’s. Other changes to the electrics include a new limitation to how high the battery pack will recharge via the engine (which it does in E-Charge, Sport and Sport Plus modes). Porsche now caps it at 80%, citing efficiency losses above that mark, so the only way to a 100% charge is by plugging in. Lastly, the regenerative braking system is revamped to make the transition from regenerative braking to friction braking smoother. The pedal is typical Porsche when …
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