Compare the2023 Porsche PanameraVS 2022 BMW 7 Series

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Panamera are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 7 Series doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Panamera and 7 Series have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Panamera has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The 7 Series’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Both the Panamera and the 7 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, night vision systems, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The battery on the Panamera is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Panamera’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The 7 Series’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

The Panamera has more powerful engines than the 7 Series:

As tested in Motor Trend the Porsche Panamera turbo V6 is faster than the 745e 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Panamera Sedan running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the 7 Series running its gasoline engine:

The Panamera can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 19 miles. The 745e has to start its internal combustion engine after only 17 miles.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Panamera Turbo/GTS’ fuel efficiency. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Panamera E-Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 9 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series 745e’s standard fuel tank (21.1 vs. 12.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Panamera’s standard fuel tank has 3.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series’ standard fuel tank (23.7 vs. 20.6 gallons).

The Panamera offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The 7 Series doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Panamera Turbo S’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the 7 Series:

The Panamera offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The 7 Series doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Panamera stops much shorter than the 7 Series:

For better traction, the Panamera has larger standard tires than the 7 Series (F:265/45R19 & R:295/40R19 vs. 245/50R18). The Panamera Turbo S/Turbo S E-Hybrid’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 7 Series (F:275/35R21 & R:325/30R21 vs. F:255/40R20 & R:295/35R20).

The Panamera’s standard 265/45R19 front and 295/40R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 7 Series’ standard 50 series tires. The Panamera’s optional 275/35R21 front and 315/30R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the 7 Series’ optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Panamera has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 7 Series. The Panamera’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the 7 Series.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Panamera is 1.5 inches wider in the front than the average track on the 7 Series.

The Panamera GTS handles at 1.05 G’s, while the 745e xDrive pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Panamera GTS executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.4 seconds quicker than the 745e xDrive (23.7 seconds @ .86 average G’s vs. 26.1 seconds @ .73 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Panamera Executive’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the 740i’s (38.7 feet vs. 42 feet).

The Panamera is 7.9 inches shorter than the Alpina B7, making the Panamera easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Panamera offers available computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 7 Series doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Panamera has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the 7 Series (17.6 vs. 14 cubic feet).

The Panamera Sport Turismo has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the 7 Series (18.3 vs. 14 cubic feet).

The Panamera’s available rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The 7 Series doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 13% lower rating, BMW is ranked 7th.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Panamera offers an optional rear wiper. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Panamera Sport Turismo offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Porsche Panamera comes in four door hatchback and station wagon bodystyles; the BMW 7 Series isn’t available as a station wagon.

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 45.4% to 94.99% of its original price after five years, while the 7 Series only retains 33.92% to 40.78%.