Tested: The 2026 Porsche Panamera GTS Still Has a PointMotorTrendChristian SeabaughWed, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleTested: 2026 Porsche Panamera GTSPorscheSounds greatComfortable GT carDoesn't sacrifice real-world curvy road performancePricey (like all Porsches)Incremental gains versus lastPanamera GTS Taycan GTS is quicker and cheaperFamily dynamics around siblings are interesting. For the elder child, everything changes when a young'un joins the fold. They might've thought of themselves as the quick, athletic one, only for their new sibling to take that mantle from them as they mature. That dynamic is certainly playing itself out among Porsche's two four-door cars. The Porsche Panamera was the first to market in 2009, and it made a name for itself with its blend of performance, comfort, and style. Succeeding iterations have leaned into the super grand tourer mission, becoming sharper, quicker, and more athletic without sacrificing long-distance comfort.AdvertisementAdvertisementThen the Porsche Taycan came along. Like the Panamera, it sported a low-slung, vaguely 911-inspired profile, with flared fenders, four doors, and, well, functionally the same cabin as the Panamera. Unlike its older bro, however, the Taycan is electric-only, packing an explosiveness and speed that equivalent gas- and hybrid-powered Panamera models simply can't match.If the Panamera can no longer compete with its younger brother on performance, what room does that leave it? The 2026 Porsche Panamera GTS we just tested offers some clues.PorscheStill the Sweet SpotAs is the case with most Porsche models, the GTS has long occupied the sweet spot of the Panamera lineup. In the latest Panamera GTS, Porsche blends the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 from the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid with all the performance goodies from the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid's catalog, with a couple of unique upgrades of its own for good measure.The GTS is the highest-performing non-electrified Panamera, with 493 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque on tap from its version of the V-8, mated to an eight-speed twin-clutch auto. That power is routed to a standard PTV Plus (That's Porsche-speak for Porsche Torque Vectoring, uh, plus) limited-slip rear differential and an all-wheel-drive system. Other performance upgrades include a variation of PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) with 0.4-inch-lower springs versus the application in lesser Panameras, and stiffer anti-roll bars. Unique design flourishes, such as fitting Porsche Exclusive Design parts as standard and black trim, round out the design.AdvertisementAdvertisementOur test car also came equipped with some optional performance add-ons, including summer tires (all-seasons are standard) and rear-axle steering. Those features, along with a handful of other inconsequential add-ons, brought the sticker of this GTS from its base price of $169,250 to $189,880.PorscheGTS Panamera vs. GTS Taycan by the NumbersThe closest Taycan equivalent to the Panamera would be the electric car's EV variant: the Taycan GTS. It sports front and rear permanent-magnet electric motors (with the rear paired to a two-speed automatic) good for a combined 690 hp and 582 lb-ft of torque. It's also equipped with several of the same performance additions its combustion sibling has, including a sportier suspension tune versus lesser Taycans and its own version of PTV Plus. That car starts at $159,350.At the track, the Panamera GTS posted impressively consistent numbers for a combustion-powered hatchback with (just) less than 500 horsepower, even if it's ultimately treading water when compared to the last Panamera GTS. Accelerating from 0 to 60 mph takes 3.2 seconds, the quarter mile 11.7 seconds at 116.2 mph. That matches the last-generation Panamera GTS we tested both to 60 and through the quarter, though the new model is all of 0.3 mph faster.The new Panamera GTS puts a little more daylight between it and the old version in our other dynamic tests. It's 60–0-mph braking result of 98 feet (versus the old car's 104 feet) is the biggest margin of victory, while its 23.6-second at 0.88 g (average) compared to the old car's 23.7-second at 0.86 g performance is objectively impressive, opening the smallest of gaps.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen compared to its younger sibling, a 2023 Taycan GTS we tested sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in the same 3.2 seconds, but it bested the Panamera GTS through the quarter in 11.4 seconds at 123.7 mph. While the heavier Taycan couldn't match the Panamera's braking performance (its best was 105 feet), it matched the more expensive Panamera GTS's 23.6-second figure-eight time at a 0.83 g average and nearly matched the 1.03 peak g we measured in the combustion GTS with its own 1.02-g result.PorscheA GTS at Its Best in Real LifeRegardless of how the Panamera GTS stacks up against the Taycan at the track, it now feels like a different animal in the real world. Taycans, save for maybe base single-motor versions, feel explosively quick, both in the way they accelerate and how they change directions in corners. These are cars that excel at shocking others with how quickly they can get through your county's best driving road.The Panamera GTS, meanwhile, has a less frenetic though no less enjoyable energy and pace of its own—almost as if the mere existence of the Taycan has allowed Porsche to take some of the edge off this Panamera, making it a more versatile performance car in the process. Nowhere is that more apparent than on long highway jaunts or weekend trips exploring winding rural back roads. The Panamera GTS is easy to operate, asking nothing of the driver beyond a flick of the wrists when navigating gentle bends and the extension of their right foot for accelerating and braking. Couple those qualities with just a hint of squish in the suspension, and this GTS excels at covering long distances quickly and in relative comfort. Drivers looking for a touch more sharpness can find it by engaging Sport mode, which is no longer so firm that it's unusable on roadways, as was the case with prior Panamera GTS models.PorscheGet it on a curvy canyon road, and Panamera GTS doesn't lose anything, either. Flip the dial into Sport+, and throttle response becomes immediate, the suspension stiffens while still preserving compliance, and the transmission works to keep revs high. It's a thrilling combination, the engine demonstrating a broad powerband that rewards those who wring it out, the steering tactile and communicative, and the car shrinking around you as you link corner to corner.AdvertisementAdvertisementYet there's still a welcome approachability to the Panamera GTS that never quite goes away. It's a marathon runner, one that's happy to be driven all day, and one that ensures its driver is, too. And that, ultimately, is the chief strength of this car. It won't outsprint its younger electric brother, but when it comes to gulping down serious mileage comfortably without sacrificing driver engagement, the Panamera GTS can't be beat in the Porsche lineup.Photo credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorscheAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorscheAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorscheAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorscheAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorscheAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: PorschePhoto credit: Porsche
