Porsche Panamera review - Reliability & safety
Porsche owners seem pleased with their cars, although reliability stats could be better
The Porsche Panamera is a very expensive car, and this means it’s unlikely to sell in large enough numbers to be put through Euro NCAP crash-testing. The Panamera also didn't feature in our latest Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, but Porsche as a brand came in a remarkable first place overall in 2023. The Panamera comes laden with safety equipment and Porsche has a strong reputation for durability.
Porsche Panamera reliability
In recent years Porsche has impressed owners as a brand, coming in first place out of 32 manufacturers in our 2022 and 2023 Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys. In 2024 it slipped slightly, coming in fourth place, which is still nothing to be sniffed at. Reliability itself, however, could be better, with a concerning 36% of Porsche owners reporting an issue with their car in the first year of ownership. The majority of these issues were not reported to be engine-related though, with 21% categorised in the ‘electrics’ or ‘other’ category, so hopefully, they were easily sorted.
Safety
The Panamera’s brakes are one of its best safety features, providing incredible stopping power from any speed; these can be upgraded to high-spec ceramic items, should you wish.
All Panameras come as standard with numerous airbags, including front knee airbags and full-length curtain airbags. Porsche’s side-impact protection system should ensure structural integrity is maintained in the event of a collision, while the ‘active’ bonnet pops up in the event of a pedestrian impact, offering cushioning against unforgiving and hard engine components. Mandatory kit like electronic stability control and rear ISOFIX child-seat mounting points (with the option of adding a third to the front seat) are present and correct.
