Used 2012 Porsche Panamera Sedan Review & Ratings

When you think about Porsche, you might not envision a sporty, luxury sedan. Instead, you may gravitate towards the Porsche 911 coupe sports car line. However, there's no reason to overlook the 2012 Porsche Panamera sedan. Its powerful personality, nimble feel, and luxurious interior will have you regretting you ever envisioned a Porsche coupe as the brand's staple. The four-door Porsche Panamera sedan has been produced since 2009 and was first revealed at the Shanghai International Auto Show in the same year. By 2011, diesel and hybrid variants of the vehicle were launched as well.

The Porsche Panamera sedan's was derived from the Carrera Panamericana race (as was the Porsche Carrera's name). While its name harkens back to this race, its design is regarded as the long-awaited product of the late 1980s Porsche 989 concept. The Panamera is generally considered a higher performance alternative to other brand's luxury sedans like the Audi A8, the Aston Martin, and the BMW 7 Series. It's certainly faster than most traditional sedans, with a top track speed of 160 mph and a zero-to-sixty time of six seconds (5.8 with the optional Sport Chrono Package Plus) due to its 3.6-liter, 300 horsepower front engine. It also features Porsche's PDK rear-wheel-drivetrain with Porsche Traction Management and electric and map-controlled multiplate clutch.

The Porsche Panamera sedan is a versatile vehicle that appeals to all types of drivers, and it also broadens Porsche's image to include consumers beyond its traditional sports car fans. The full-size luxury car does slightly resemble a stretched Porsche 911 on its outside angles, but, unlike the 911, which can be sparse inside, it is loaded to the max with comfort and luxury features. If you prefer your comfort and style with a good dose of power, the 2012 Porsche Panamera could be the car for you.

There are quite a few variants of the Panamera sedan from which to choose, (eight to be precise) including the standard Panamera, the sportier Panamera S, the AWD Panamera 4 and 4S, the turbo-charged, ultra-sporty Panamera GTS, the Panamera S Hybrid, and the Panamera Turbo and Turbo S. The base Panamera sedan has a starting MSRP $75,200 which is a very reasonable starting price for a Porsche. The Panamera is also family-friendly and has decent fuel economy ratings of up to 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.