Volkswagen Phaeton – review, prices, alternatives in Kenya

Good reasons to buy VW Phaeton in Kenya

• Thanks to the good amount of space, it is a great family car.
• The vehicle is handcrafted.
• The car offers unparalled luxury with air suspension.
• Even the basic trim comes with many features.

Data

Motorization

The VW Phaeton was produced in a long generation with numerous engines. There are three powerful V6 engines, a V8 engine and a 12-cylinder engine to choose from for the petrol engines. There are two variants of diesel engines. One with a V6 and one with a V10 engine.

Large sedans are usually associated with brands other than VW. But the VW Phaeton belongs in this category. The V6 TDI in particular has become a bestseller in Germany. Its rounded shapes and over five meters in length make the Phaeton appear brawny. The car leaves this impression thanks to its powerful 3.0 liter engine with over 245 hp and a torque of 500 Nm slightly behind. And that despite an empty weight of over 2 tons. The Phaeton combines sporty driving and relaxed gliding in perfection.

Thanks to the air suspension, bumps on the road are not noticeable. The road holding and driving comfort are unparalleled even in the luxury class. However, consumption and CO₂ emissions could be a little better with the Phaeton. With an average consumption of 8.5 liters of diesel and CO₂ emissions of 224 g/km, the Phaeton is not exactly an eco-mobile, even though it meets the Euro 5 standard.

Dimensions

The VW Phaeton has for the upper class typical dimensions. Depending on the series and equipment, it is between 5.05 and 5.18 meters long, 1.90 meters wide and 1.45 meters high. The wheelbase amounts to 2.88 or 3.00 meters. In the vehicle find up to five persons place, alternatively a four-seater is also offered. With his 500 liter trunk the Phaeton also offers sufficient storage space.

Variants

In 2002 the VW Phaeton came onto the market. A long version followed a few months later. This primarily improved the space available in the rear. Characteristic features of the car are its luxurious interior and 4Motion permanent all-wheel drive. In addition to its luxurious interior and design, the Phaeton also has a number of technical features to offer in the basic version. These include, among others:

• The very high torsional rigidity of the body
• The self-illuminating license plate
• The individually adjustable automatic climate control
• An adaptive cruise control
• A Bluetooth phone

In addition to this original version of the Phaeton, there was still four facelifts. The first revision took place in March 2007. In addition to the already established equipment features of the Phaeton, some innovations were also presented. The new model featured LED daytime running lights and a DVD navigation system. Furthermore, the xenon headlights have been expanded to include dynamic and static cornering lights. In addition, the lane change assistant Side Assist was introduced and the adaptive cruise control was given a follow-to-stop function. In addition, the performance of the engine has been increased.

The second facelift followed in November 2008. Now the VW received a **multimedia and navigation system with memory function and touch screen as well as ceramic brakes for the models with the W12 petrol engine. In addition, the driver assistance systems have been expanded to include Rear Assist – a reversing camera.

The third facelift appeared in April 2010. This Phaeton was also presented as Phaeton II. The front end was revised and the car got a more distinctive face. This facelift also aimed at a higher level of safety. In the car they were now found Parking and cornering light in LED as well as one dynamic high beam control and LED fog lights. The traffic sign recognition supplemented the lavish equipment package.

The last change took place in 2014. Here, however, only slight optical changes were made and some engine variants were deleted from the portfolio. At the same time, CO₂ emissions improved.

Price

Design

Exterior

The Phaeton is one Classic luxury four-door sedan. Its design is noble and unobtrusive and fits into the design of the brand. The Phaeton is available in a wide range of paint finishes and with many extras.

Interior

The interior is elegant and underscores the Phaeton’s claim. In addition to wooden elements, there are many leather applications and high-quality fabrics. As mentioned above, the equipment is lavish. In the long version in particular, all five occupants always sit comfortably and have sufficient leg, knee and headroom.

Security

The Phaeton meets all requirements in terms of safety that one would expect from a vehicle in this category. In addition to the numerous airbags, the car also comes with active headrests, ABS and ESP as standard. These are supplemented by the variable Torsen coupling and the size of the Phaeton, which offers sufficient crumple zones and impact surfaces in the event of a collision. In the ADAC test, the Phaeton received the Grade 1.7.

Alternatives in Kenya

Comparable is the Phaeton with the in-house VW Passat – but only limited due to its size and dimensions and standard standards. Compared to the competition of Audi (A8), BMW (7 Series) and Mercedes (S class) the Phaeton was only able to assert itself for a short time, but not establish itself permanently.