Let's just say Panamera looks decent, and could have looked so much worse—especially when its pre-launch photos looked less than promising. Put it this way, the generic Porsche styling goes well enough with smaller models like Cayman and 911, but on a car as large as Panamera, the styling fails to mask the sheer bulk of the car. The end product is one car that looks fine from certain angles, but appears awkward most of the time. Panamera S and 4S ride on conventional steel suspension, while the Turbo gets air-sprung suspension. All three models provide three suspension settings (Comfort, Sport or Sport Plus) to choose from. Regardless of setting, however, Panamera handles with the finesse expected of a Porsche. For a car this size, the agility on offer is impressive. And the same praise can be lavished for the seemingly endless grip and tight body control. Taking a leaf out of 911's book, the steering is sharp, accurate and informative. Any one of the three settings gives you a smooth ride over most surfaces. But even in the softest Comfort setting, sharper surface imperfections can intrude, unsettling the ride. Cruising refinement is brilliant, with barely any audible road, wind or engine noise. Getting comfortable behind the wheel is fairly easy, thanks to supportive front seats and a wide range of seating and steering adjustments. However, all-round visibility is not great, and the sheer multitude of buttons on the centre console makes navigation a thing of patience and practice. The cabin is impeccably constructed, making use of sumptuous materials which are put together by an impressive standard of fit-and-finish. The cabin quality is commensurate with Panamera's asking price, although it is lacking the sense of occasion found in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class cabin. Porsche has one of the best reputation when it comes to reliability. That, and the fact that many mechanical parts are shared with Cayenne should mean that Panamera would run trouble-free in the longer term. Panamera S uses a 400 bhp 4.8-litre V8 engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox; the 4S uses the same 400 bhp 4.8-litre V8 engine mated to the seven-speed twin-clutch PDK gearbox instead; and the Turbo comes with a 500 bhp 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine paired to the PDK gearbox. Performance from the 400 bhp engine is expectedly creamy, effortless and very fast. But you will have to upgrade to the 500 bhp twin-turbo engine to enjoy the brutal acceleration. Other than feeling occasionally clunky during low-speed maneuvering, the PDK gearshifts are well-timed and silky smooth. With five doors and four seats, Panamera is easily the most practical Porsche other than Cayenne. The centre console extends to the rear, so two individual seats instead of a bench are in place. Head- and leg-room all-round are more than adequate, meaning that four can go on a long journey with little complaints. The 445-litre boot can be expanded to 1263 litres via the split-fold rear seats, though its shape is not optimal for loading wider items. The manual Panamera S has an official fuel economy of 8.0 km/litre; the 4S and Turbo, both using the PDK gearbox, return 9.0 km/litre and 8.2 km/litre respectively. Servicing and repairs will likely cost a bomb. Panamera should hold its value reasonably well, just like any other Porsche. But the absolute depreciation amount will still be large by virtue of its high selling price. Effortless on the roads and reasonably practical on the inside, Panamera feels like a Porsche, performance and handling wise, but with the added dose of practicality. However, being a four-seater hatchback with supercar performance that is competing in the top-end luxury segment, Panamera has no direct rivals—which could be a blessing. But its unique positioning means that it may be overlooked by customers in both luxury and sports car segment. For all the pluses, there are negatives. And when you consider the high pricing and limited desirability, Panamera just does not make that strong a case for itself. Panamera S comes well-stocked, equipped with all the items you might expect in a luxury car, including 18" alloy wheels, leather upholstery, powered seats, cruise control, Bluetooth, a high-end audio system, eight airbags and a host of electronic aids such as stability and traction control. The 4S adds the PDK gearbox and four-wheel drive system. The Turbo further adds an upgraded audio system, air suspension and two more airbags for a total of 10. There is a long list of options available, if you remain unsatisfied. Panamera S, 4S and Turbo emit 293 grams/km, 260 grams/km and 286 grams/km, respectively. While neither one of those figures represents good news for the environment, the performance-emissions ratio is better than for many comparable supercars. And the same can be said for the fuel economy.