This $235,000 Porsche hybrid is the super sedan I’d buy over a Tesla or Lucid

The base V6 Panamera starts at around $103,000, while the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid requires an eye-watering $226,500.

Shipping fees and a slew of performance and luxury options pushed the as-tested price of my test car to nearly $235,000.

Upfront, the biggest change was the new LED Matrix headlights, which automatically adjust illumination based on navigation data, vehicle speed, and the front-facing camera to avoid blinding oncoming drivers.

The spoiler will automatically deploy at highway speeds, or you can manually trigger it.

It’s roughly the same size and weight as the rival Mercedes-AMG GT G3 S E Performance Four-Door Coupe but a whopping 800 lbs heavier than the non-hybrid BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe.

The Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid is powered by a 512-horsepower, 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine paired with a 187-horsepower electric motor and a 25.9 kWh battery pack. Together, they produce 670 total system horsepower and 685 lb-ft of torque.

The most powerful variant, the Turbo S, squeezes another 100 total horsepower out of the same powertrain.

My Turbo E-Hybrid test car boasted fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg in combined driving when using only the V8 and 54 mpg when the hybrid system is factored in. The Porsche is rated for 28 miles of all-electric range, but I was able to get roughly 50 miles with the battery fully charged.

Unfortunately, the Panamera does not accept DC fast charging.

It’s a big luxury sedan that drives like a focused four-door sports car with highly precise steering and beautifully balanced handling.

A slew of tech, from torque vectoring to rear-axle steering, work in concert to give the 5,300-lb hybrid the nimbleness a car of its heft should not possess, effectively defying physics.

The standout piece of new tech is Porsche Active Ride, an electromechanical active suspension system that uses computer-controlled hydraulic dampers at each wheel to counteract body roll and improve traction in corners.

Off the line, the twin-turbo V8 hybrid drivetrain works seamlessly with the crisp-shifting PDK transmission. The V8 emits a pleasing rumble as it catapults you to highway speeds in the blink of an eye.

According to Porsche, the Turbo E-Hybrid does 0-60 in a brisk 3.0 seconds, but my experience launching supercars off the line tells me that figure is very conservative. Its top speed is 196 mph.

The new dash-mounted toggle shifter from the 918 hypercar declutters the center console.

Buttons have been removed in favor of capacitive touch controls, which work better here than on many of its rivals but aren’t perfect.

There are screens galore, with the option of a 10.9-inch screen in front of the passenger in addition to the instrument display and central infotainment screen.

Overall, the cabin works as efficiently as intended, with all of the most commonly used features and controls, all easily accessible.

PCM is an excellent infotainment system. It’s responsive, easy to use, and packed with features like digitally controlled air vents and video streaming.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

The Kalahari Grey leather seats are heated and ventilated and can be optioned with a massage function.

The rear cabin is relatively tight on space compared to traditional rivals like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series, but it is on par with swoopy coupe competitors like the AMG GT 4-Door.

Despite having a chunk of its cargo room taken up by the charging cables, the space is surprisingly practical and, thanks to its hatchback design, capable of holding up to 44.3 cubic feet of cargo when the seats are folded.

These days, the fastest-accelerating luxury sedans tend to be EVs like the Tesla Model S Plaid or even Porsche’s own Taycan.

However fast the EVs get, they simply can’t match the drama and presence of a finely turned V8 Porsche. It’s a reminder that the journey to your destination matters as much as getting there.

But the Panamera is much more than just fast in a straight line.

It combines the power and handling prowess of a Porsche sports car with the comforts of a German luxury sedan, the practicality of an SUV, and enough EV range to get around town without using any fuel.

So it’s, in effect, four different cars wrapped up in one.

To me, that $235,000 price tag makes a lot more sense now.