Volkswagen Phaeton 3.0 TDI road test
When Volkswagen launched the Phaeton in 2003, it was seen as a bold move. However, there was some method in Volkswagen’s madness: the VW Group also owns Audi (which builds the A8) and Bentley, so the possibility existed for using shared technology and dipping into the parts bins of its sibling brands to build a big luxury car. The reality is that the senior executives who buy these cars – even in these straitened times – are reluctant to spend £45K (or £77K, in the case of the powerful W12 variant) on a car with a VW badge. But that doesn’t mean that the Phaeton is a bad car: far from it.
Volkswagen Phaeton consumer car reviews
Volkswagen Phaeton lease prices
Volkswagen Phaeton new and nearly new
The Phaeton is a very big car, so it’s never going to be economical to run. The engine might be a diesel, but it’s a V6, so official fuel consumption of 31.4mpg isn’t great – and it’ll be even worse in real-life driving situations. CO2 emissions of 239g/km are also pretty hefty and place the Phaeton in VED Band L, meaning you’ll pay a whopping £405 in road tax. Insurance group 16 also means that premiums won’t be cheap either. But the biggest ownership drawback with the Phaeton is the catastrophic residuals. The resale values for this luxury VW are through the floor: after three years, it’s likely to be worth less than a third of its original cost. However, if you’re looking for a second-hand model, you’re unlikely to find this much car for such little money, making it a great find.
Read the full Volkswagen Phaeton 3.0 TDI road test
RoadTestReports.co.uk provides road tests reports written by members of the Guild of Motoring Writers. These reports are complemented by car reviews submitted by the members of the public who drive the vehicles day in day out.
See also:
No comments yet
