Porsche Panamera vs Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Porsche Panamera starts from $227,000 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz S-Class opens at $278,900. That makes the Porsche Panamera the more affordable entry point by $51,900.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $249,700 and $306,790 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz S-Class by roughly $1,570 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Porsche Panamera features a 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.6-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz S-Class gets a 12.8-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Porsche Panamera stands out with power tailgate that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class counters with head-up display, wireless charging, panoramic roof, ventilated seats and Burmester audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Porsche Panamera gets leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz S-Class offers nappa leather. Climate control is 2-zone in the Porsche Panamera and 4-zone in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The Porsche Panamera uses a Petrol producing 260kW and 500Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed pdk to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.3 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class responds with a Petrol making 280kW and 500Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has the clear power advantage at 280kW vs 260kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is 0.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Porsche Panamera measures 5,052mm long on a 2,950mm wheelbase, 127mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class at 5,179mm (3,106mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 494L in the Porsche Panamera and 510L in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, giving the Mercedes-Benz S-Class a 16L advantage. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class seats 5 vs 4.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,708/year for the Porsche Panamera and $2,394/year for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. That is a $314 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Estimated annual total: $2,708 (Porsche Panamera) vs $2,394 (Mercedes-Benz S-Class). The Mercedes-Benz S-Class saves you roughly $314 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 3 years / 999,999km (Porsche Panamera) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz S-Class). The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has longer coverage.