The Car Guide’s 2020 Best Buys: Porsche Panamera
Every year, The Car Guide publishes its Best Buys in nearly 30 different vehicle categories. Today we continue our review of the 2020 winners with a look at full-size luxury sedans. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the same German trio occupies the podium.
The Porsche Panamera (MSRP from $99,300) successfully defends the title it earned last year.
- Also: 10 Years of Porsche Panamera Celebrated with a Special Edition
- Also: 2019 Porsche Panamera GTS Sport Turismo: The Character it Needed
While a bit overshadowed by the addition of the fully electric Porsche Taycan, the Panamera remains a star that you can order in various shapes, including a hatchback sedan, an Executive long-wheelbase sedan and a wagon-style Sport Turismo. In fact, the lineup boasts no fewer than 18 variants.
There are six different powertrains, as well: turbocharged V6 (326 hp), twin-turbo V6 (434 hp), twin-turbo V8 (453 hp or 541 hp), plug-in hybrid with turbo V6 (456 hp) or plug-in hybrid with twin-turbo V8 (680 hp). Rear-wheel drive comes standard, while all-wheel drive is optional.
We love the Panamera’s practicality and its ability to take good care of the entire family on weekdays while turning into a corner-carving beast on weekends—even on a track. Kudos for the high-quality finish and Porsche’s reputation for reliability.
This year’s runner-up is the BMW 7 Series (MSRP from $120,300), which continues to offer a variety of powertrains, from a 322-hp plug-in hybrid system to a 600-hp twin-turbo V12, along with a competent xDrive AWD system. It gets more points for its lavish cockpit, comfortable ride and dynamic handling.
As for third place, we picked the Audi A8 (MSRP from $99,000). Once again, the design and overall finish of the cockpit are brilliant, while the level of on-board technology is impressive, including a semi-autonomous driving system. You can choose between a 335-hp V6 and a 453-hp V8, the latter with a 48V mild hybrid system, but don’t forget the 563-hp S8 model.
The Car Guide’s 2020 Scores
- Porsche Panamera – 84%
- BMW 7 Series – 83%
- Audi A8 – 81%
