2012 Porsche Panamera 4S

The Panamera is Porsche's four-door hatchback, blending sports-car performance with room for four adults and their luggage. It drives like a smaller car than its size suggests, with sharp steering and a firm, controlled ride that stays composed on twisty roads. Inside, the cabin is driver-focused with a simple, tapered dashboard and an array of large, intuitive buttons instead of a complex touchscreen. The hatchback body gives it a surprisingly usable cargo area, and the rear seats are genuinely comfortable for long trips. Its 4.8L V8 makes 400 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, routed through a seven-speed automatic that sends power to all four wheels for confident launches and wet-road grip. The 4S returns 19 mpg combined, which is reasonable for a car that can hustle four people and their bags with genuine sports-car pace.