But here’s a weird thought: With that same pile of cash, you can also buy a used Porsche Panamera. Yes, a Porsche. The same brand that charges $500 for a leather key case and is happy to sell you a wristwatch “designed by the same engineers who built your car.” You can find it clean 2017–2018 Panameras are quite in the $35,000-$40,000 range. Some have less than 100,000 miles on the odometer, and they still have that unmistakable four-door supercar swagger. The idea that you can now get a six-year-old Porsche for the price of a bare-bones pickup is both hilarious and very tempting. So let’s do something crazy: let’s compare them.
The 2026 Ford F-150 XL is more expensive than a used Porsche Panamera
The 2018 Panamera retails for $37,000; About $2,500 cheaper than the new F-150 XL
The 2026 F-150 4×2 XL SuperCrew is the stripped-down, fairest version of America’s best-selling truck. It’s the one you see parked on job sites, towing jet skis and carrying way too many bags of mulch on the weekends. To put things into perspective, it starts at $39,330.
Under the hood you’ll find Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6, which makes 325 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive: simple, efficient and surprisingly fast if you’re not carrying the weight of a small town.
Ford claims this F-150 can tow up to 9,000 pounds, which is two Panameras. Payload? Approximately £2,400 depending on options. Inside, the XL trim keeps everything utilitarian. Fabric chairs. Hard plastics. A small touchscreen that looks like a tablet that your uncle refuses to update. But the thing is: it’s a work truck, not a lounge. The point is reliability, practicality and resale value. You could eat a cheeseburger here and not feel bad about it. Try that in a Porsche.
And yet, for all its simplicity, the modern F-150 is not entirely joyless. The steering is light, the ride is composed and that EcoBoost engine pulls harder than you’d expect. If the Panamera is a Swiss watch, the F-150 is a Timex: it’s a lick of the wrist and keeps on ticking.
The corporate rebel: Porsche Panamera 2018
At the other end of this bizarre budget spectrum are the 2018 Porsche Panameraa car that is both a luxury barge and a tracked weapon. At launch, this was Porsche’s middle finger to everyone who said the brand should not build four-door cars.
In 2018, the base Panamera cost about $86,000, while the Turbo S E-Hybrid with options could reach $190,000. Today? You can find a gently used V-6-powered model for about $37,000 on average; that’s less than a new F-150 XL. That’s depreciation doing its beautiful, brutal thing.
Under the hood of the base Panamera you’ll find a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 that makes 330 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque—not far off the F-150’s numbers, but that’s where the similarities end. The Panamera uses an eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission that shifts through the gears faster than you can blink, sending power to the rear or all four wheels, depending on trim.
0-100 km/h happens in 5.4 seconds. That’s not sports car fast, it’s Porsche fast. The handling is laser-sharp, and even though it weighs over two tons, the Panamera wobbles around like something half its size. The suspension soaks up imperfections without numbing the driver, and the steering feedback is pure Stuttgart magic.
You get buttery leather seats, brushed aluminum accents, and a cockpit that makes every commute feel like a business class flight. Sure, the infotainment system from that era is a bit clunky, but you forgive it as soon as you press “Sport Plus” and the exhaust starts making expensive noises.
The Porsche Panamera is cheaper than a Ford F-150
You could argue that comparing a used Panamera to a new F-150 is absurd. And you’re right, but that’s what makes it fun. The F-150 is built for ease of use, reliability and volume. Ford sells almost a million of these things every year, and there’s a reason for that: it works. You can load it, drag it, abuse it and it will still hum. It’s the tool you buy because you need it.
The Panamera, on the other hand, is the car you buy because you want it. It’s emotional, indulgent and completely unnecessary – and that’s what makes it so good. A used Panamera may cost the same as an F-150 XL, but the ownership experience is very different. Every ride feels like an event. Even a trip to Trader Joe’s feels like being late for a meeting at the Nürburgring.
But while the Panamera’s performance is impeccable, the long-term costs are a different story. Oil changes are expensive, parts are expensive, and repairs can make your wallet cry. Replacing a single control arm can cost as much as a down payment on another F-150.
The F-150, meanwhile, is cheap to maintain, easy to repair and parts can be found everywhere. It is built for the long term. So while the Porsche wins hearts, the Ford wins wallets.
The case for the used Porsche
Still, there’s something undeniably seductive about the idea of driving a Porsche for pickup money, even if that pickup money isn’t what it used to be. It’s an automotive loophole: a cheat code for luxury or a rude reminder of the absurd cost of things. The upside of living in President Trump’s tough economic times is that you can get a badge that turns heads, performance that punches above the price, and an interior that feels like it was put together by watchmakers. Even though it’s not cheap, the competition is a truck.
If you can handle the maintenance, a used Panamera is a ridiculous bargain right now. It’s comfortable, fast and surprisingly practical. Fold down the rear seats and you’ve got almost 45 cubic feet of cargo space – enough for a couple of golf bags or some very confused dogs. And let’s not forget the image factor. No one turns their heads at a base F-150, but a Porsche – any Porsche – still has weight. It says, “I may not be rich, but I made choices.”
The case for the new F-150
On the other hand, buying new has its advantages. The F-150 comes with a warranty, zero miles, and a distinct lack of drama from the previous owner. You can drive it across the country tomorrow without worrying about a $3000 water pump failure or a sensor that costs as much as a big screen TV.
It can haul, tow and commute without complaint. And when you’re done, it’s still worth quite a chunk of change. Try saying that about a seven-year-old Porsche. The Ford is the sensible choice, the one your accountant would approve of.
TopSpeed’s vision: be responsible, or be Cool?
Ultimately, this is a battle between reason and romance. The F-150 is practical, powerful and ready for anything. The Panamera is beautiful, indulgent and a little dangerous. So what kind of buyer are you? The kind that values warranty coverage and payload numbers? Or the kind that grins every time the tachometer passes 6,000 rpm?
Here’s the truth: you can’t go wrong. But if you’re brave enough to skip the sensible option, a used Porsche Panamera might be the most exciting $40,000 decision you’ve ever made. Because yes, the F-150 can carry a load of wood, but the Porsche carries something much more important: you.
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