Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2015 Porsche Panamera VS 2015 Mercedes S-Class Near Phoenix, AZ

Both the Panamera and the S-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, front parking sensors, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The Panamera’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the S-Class’ (10/unlimited vs. 4/50,000).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Panamera first among large premium cars in their 2014 Initial Quality Study. The S-Class isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2014 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 41 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 13th.

As tested in Car and Driver the Panamera Turbo is faster than the S600:

As tested in Motor Trend the Panamera GTS is faster than the S550:

On the EPA test cycle the Panamera S E-Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the S550 Auto RWD (23 city/29 hwy vs. 17 city/26 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Panamera gets better fuel mileage than the S-Class:

The Panamera S E-Hybrid can drive on battery power alone for up to 16 miles. The S-Class must run its internal combustion engine to move.

Regenerative brakes improve the Panamera’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The S-Class doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Panamera’s optional fuel tank has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the S-Class (26.4 vs. 21.9 gallons).

The Panamera stops much shorter than the S-Class:

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Panamera is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the S-Class.

The Panamera Turbo 4 handles at 1.03 G’s, while the S550 pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Panamera Turbo 4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.8 seconds quicker than the S550 (23.7 seconds @ .87 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Panamera S E-Hybrid’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the S550/S600’s (39 feet vs. 40 feet). The Panamera’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the S63 AMG 4MATIC’s (39.3 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Porsche Panamera may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 750 pounds less than the Mercedes S-Class.

The Panamera is 9.1 inches shorter than the S-Class, making the Panamera easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The Panamera Executive is 3.1 inches shorter than the S-Class.

The Panamera’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The S-Class doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

The Panamera offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The S-Class doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Panamera’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The S-Class does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Panamera offers an optional rear wiper. The S-Class doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Panamera has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The S-Class doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Insurance will cost less for the Panamera owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Panamera will cost $2080 less than the S-Class over a five-year period.

The Panamera will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The Intellichoice estimates that the Panamera will retain 42.28% to 47.33% of its original price after five years, while the S-Class only retains 34.79% to 38.62%.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Porsche Panamera will be $20079 to $37101 less than for the Mercedes S-Class.