| Week at the Wheel | Volkswagen Phaeton |
Inside & Out:
Executive transport has never been this discreet. The Phaeton easily goes unnoticed thanks to its innocuous saloon car appearance - jet black paint helps it to fall even further off the radar. That's kind of the point though, as the big VW is about arriving quietly, in comfort and sneaking in through the side door - it's not attention seeking like so many plush cars are.
Chunks of walnut line the top of the dashboard and the centre console, while the soft seats are wrapped in thick leather. The black plastic on top of the dash is well made and typical Volkswagen, but it doesn't feel quite special enough for a car of the Phaeton's standards. The chunky, T-shaped shifter looks the part and changes gear with a robust thump.
Engine & Transmission:
A 3.0-litre 237bhp V6 turbodiesel might seem a bit light for a car of the Phaeton's considerable girth (5,055mm long and 2,233kg), but it's more effective than you might expect. It's not short of shove and the VW belies its size with nimble acceleration and a respectable 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds.
The engine note is fantastic for a diesel; there's a deep, muffled burble under acceleration and you'll do well to notice any clatter from the engine inside the hushed cabin. The six-speed automatic 'box is smooth and old-fashioned in a pleasant kind of way - there's no DSG trickery here, it just does the job for you.
Ride & Handling:
A Phaeton is not a car to be driven hard. The ride is quite soft, while the steering isn't the most precise of systems. It's quite sure-footed, though. The four-wheel drive helps and there's very little in the way of body roll for a car this size. The Phaeton falls just short of the class leaders like the
Mercedes-Benz S-Class in terms of ride comfort and handling, but it does its job well and costs a whole lot less.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
You won't want for anything in the Phaeton. All the trimmings like leather, satnav, a remote control boot - and pretty much anything else you can think of - are all par for the course on the standard car.
At £45,910, the 'entry-level' V6 TDI that you see in the pictures is damn good value for money next to an equivalent S-Class, which commands a £12,000 premium. The Volkswagen's downfall is its savage depreciation, though. Five-year-old examples can be found for £10,000 or less. Give it a few more years and they'll soon be under £5,000.
Overall:
The VW Phaeton has value and discretion on its side, but next to the big boys of the luxury car class, it struggles. The lack of a proper prestige badge and the terrible resale values count against it. Look past those problem points and you have a very tidy luxury car, though.
It's packed to bursting with equipment and offers excellent value next to pricier luxo-barges. The subtle styling won't appeal to everyone, but we reckon it really looks the part - and a bit of discretion amongst the executive crowd doesn't go amiss. Yes, the Phaeton is flawed, but it's hard not to like it. It's an absolute steal second-hand, too.