1. Looks
‘It’s not a Passat’ are the words we found ourselves muttering to people wondering what we’d just pulled up in. But the Volkswagen Phaeton undeniable shares its cosmetic DNA with the fleet favourite, in particular its face and front three quarters. There’s a lot of chrome surrounding the car’s grille and following around the middle of the Phaeton’s profile. The rear is dominated by the large lights and two sets of twin exhausts. Propping up the Phaeton is a set of classy 19-inch alloy wheels. It looks understated which, depending on your taste, is a good or bad thing. If you want to be chauffeured around discreetly it’s great. But if you want everyone to look at you, then it’s probably better to avoid. And it’s big, really big – our long wheelbase model was 5.06m long and 1.9 metres wide. 

7/10

2. Looks inside
The Phaeton’s interior is a place of space and beauty surrounded by leather, wood, double glazed windows and electrical motors which power just about everything from the seatbelt adjuster to the air-vent covers. Our model came with cream-coloured leather seats which were comfortable and could be heated up or cooled depending on your desire. The centre console is dominated by a seven-inch info screen which incorporates a trip computer, air-con buttons, sat-nav and all audio. Volkswagen is renowned for its well-built interior and the Phaeton is beautifully built. 

9/10

3. Practicality
As stated previously, the Phaeton is massive so there are some issues around practicality, namely with width restricted roads which pose a problem for the VW. The Phaeton is also too long for many car parking spaces, with the nose poking out in many cases. But it’s surprisingly easy to park thanks to the excellent rear and side sensors. With the size there are also benefits. Thanks to its long wheelbase there is plenty of room in the back for the tallest of individuals while the 500-litre boot should accommodate the largest of Harrods food shopping sprees.

7/10

4. Ride and Handling
A luxury car is supposed to waft effortlessly providing the most comfort possible for driver and passengers. The Phaeton is a dream for this, soaking up everything the roads throw at it while the soundproofing means it’s as quiet as it is comfortable. However, the steering is possibly too light and cornering – due to its heavy weight, size and soft suspension – is a way off being sporty. As a car for motorway cruising it’s stunning, just don’t expect Caterham proficiency through the back roads. There are settings to adjust the suspension’s stiffness but it doesn’t make too much difference. Despite having massive 365mm front discs, slamming on the Phaeton’s brakes doesn’t induce instant whiplash. If anything they feel a little bit soft. 

8/10

5. Performance
Under the bonnet of the Phaeton we drove was a 6-litre W12 engine as seen in the Bentley Continental GT (minus the twin-turbochargers) which gives the luxury car a tasty 444bhp and 413lb/ft of pulling power. This enables acceleration from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. But that only tells half the story. It’s not quick off the line due to the car’s size but it soon picks up with effortless acceleration which is quick, but does not feel quick - it’s very composed. And while it’s limited to 155mph, everything in the Phaeton W12 has been engineered to cope with speeds of 186mph. But it’s been claimed that the Phaeton – with its limiter removed – will touch 200mph, making it one of the world’s fastest four-door saloons. It’s married to a five-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox which is smooth with its changes and allows you to change up and down if required. Manual changes are smooth, but not as quick as you might find on a VW with DSG semi-automatic transmission. The engine is quiet to the point that when stationary the only way to know it’s on is by putting your foot on the throttle to watch the rev counter move.

The Phaeton is also available with a 4.2-litre V8 petrol which will despatch 62mph in 6.9 seconds and hit 155mph and a more sensible 3-litre V6 diesel which boasts a 8.8 seconds for the 62mph dash and a v-max of 146mph. Both the V6 and V8 models have a six-speed Tiptronic ‘box. So it’s a quick car in a straight line, but not so through the corners.

8/10

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6. Running Costs
Not the Phaeton’s trump card. Our model, with its massive 6-litre engine was averaging just 19mpg after driving it on motorways and in town. Floor it and you’ll see the computer say 8mpg. Emissions of 348g/km mean tax band G (£400 a year) and then it comes to depreciation. On Auto Trader you can pick up a 12-18 month old W12 Phaeton from an approved VW dealer for £39,995 – meaning a loss of £35,000 in less than a year and a half. More impressive is the diesel which – while not as quick – is no slouch and will average a claimed 30mpg. CO2 emissions of 248g/km mean £400 a year in tax, as with the 21.6mpg V8 petrol which emits 310g/km. It’s not an insurance friendly car either with the diesel in group 16 (of 20) and both petrol models in group 20.

5/10

7. Reliability
Volkswagens are notoriously reliable and well built and the company has gone a step further with the Phaeton, constructing a superb machine which is solid, uses expensive materials and shares a host of components with the £120,000 Bentley Continental GT. However, if something serious goes wrong and is outside the three year / 60,000 mile warranty, expect it to be expensive.

9/10

8. Safety
Another area where VW is at the forefront, so the Phaeton again scores well. Alongside traditional features such as the eight airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability programme and side impact bars, the Phaeton also has some new safety technology. This includes Automatic Distance Control (ADC) which works in tandem with cruise control to prevent accidents. If a car in front slows down, ADC – thanks to its radars – detects this and automatically reduces the speed.

10/10

9. Equipment
The VW Phaeton has all the normal bells and whistles expected on a £75,000 luxury car with electric everything including leather seats, which have 18 different movement settings. But the star equipment on the Phaeton is the air-conditioning, or 4Zone Climatronic air conditioning as it’s known. Air is drawn in and cleaned by two carbon filters with a double channel air blower distributing the airflow with some hi-tech gizmos controlling airflow distribution. In its development, VW designed the air-con to be able to maintain an interior temp of 22 degrees Celsius while at a constant speed of 186mph in temperatures of 50 degrees. Suffice to say, it’s spectacular and maybe gives a clue to the Phaeton’s intended place of sale, the middle-east.

The one disappointing thing about the equipment is the Phaeton’s key. If you’re paying £75,000 for a luxury piece of kit, you will probably want a different key to the one used on a VW Polo.

10/10

10. X-Factor
Mechanically, the Phaeton is a work of art, visibly, it’s a posh Passat. But with the W12 engine, it’s a masterpiece of refinement and power delivering a hammer blow to German rivals BMW, Audi and Mercedes. But while it’s a superb piece of engineering it will take a lot to part with £75,000 for a VW which depreciates so badly.

7/10

View more pictures of the Volkswagen Phaeton