2004 Volkswagen Phaeton Review
A hand-built luxury car for the discreet buyer.
2004 Phaeton Review Summary & Specifications
A $64,600 Volkswagen? Or maybe that should be: A $64,600 Volkswagen!!!Maybe you grew up with the original Beetle, and remember how shocked you were when its sticker price finally edged up past $1,800. Or maybe your first VW was a Rabbit or a Golf, or even a Jetta or a New Beetle. Whatever your personal experience, the thought of any Volkswagen with a sticker on its window showing the sort of numbers most commonly associate with Mercedes-Benz or BMW may seem an anomaly, if not absolute blasphemy. But if you're a small town dentist or banker, you likely can afford a car with a three-pointed star or a blue-and-white propeller emblem, but perhaps you can't afford to be seen driving one, lest your patients think they're being overcharged or your depositors worry that their accounts are being skimmed. Or maybe you're an entrepreneur or executive who has made it, but doesn't need to flaunt it. Regardless, if you've arrived at a place in life where you can afford the finer things, but prefer to wear the labels on the inside of your clothing, the 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton may be just the car for you.
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| Vehicle Category | Luxury Cars |
| Editor | Larry Edsall |
| Model Lineup | Volkswagen Phaeton V8 ($64,000); W12 ($79,900) |
| Engines (standard) | 4.2-liter dohc V8 |
| Engines (optional) | 335-hp 4.2-liter dohc 40-valve V8; 420-hp 6.0-liter dohc 48-valve W12 |
| Transmissions (standard) | 6-speed automatic |
| Transmissions (optional) | 6-speed automatic; 5-speed automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | front airbags, side airbags front and rear, side curtain airbags, three-point safety belts at all seating positions with pretensioners for all outboard positions, LATCH child seat tethers, child safety locks on rear doors, trunk escape handle, direct tire pressure monitors, anti-lock brakes, anti-slip regulation, electronic differential lock, engine braking control, electronic brake force distribution and electronic stabilization program technologies, 4-year/50,000 miles roadside assistance program, Intelligent Crash Response System (automatically unlocks doors, disconnects battery from alternator and shuts off fuel supply) |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | |
| Basic Warranty | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Dresden, Germany |
| Manufacturer Phone | (800) DRIVEVW |
| Manufacturer URL | www.vw.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 64600 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Volkswagen Phaeton V8 ($65,215) |
| Standard Equipment | roof-mounted antenna with VW telematics by OnStar, keyless entry, dual-pane glass, high-intensity gas-discharge (Xenon) headlights with washers, daytime running lights, automatic headlight on/off controls, halogen projector lens fog lamps, power and headed exterior mirrors with auto-dimming and power flush folding and integrated puddle lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing automatic windshield wipers, power trunk lid, four-zone air conditioning with rear-seat controls, anti-theft alarm system, cruise control, dual front and rear cupholders, front and rear floor mats, on-board trip computer, four power outlets, central power locks with valet key, dual vanity mirrors on each sunvisor, Eucalyptus wood interior trim, 190-watt audio system with six-CD changer in glove box, leather seating surfaces with 12-way power front seats with heat and adjustable lumbar and memory and rear bench seat, navigation system, Homelink integrated transceiver, power rear and manual rear door sunshades, draft free ventilation system, power windows, all-wheel 4Motion drive, Servotronic power steering, four-corner air suspension |
| Destination Charge | 615 |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | 18-inch wheels and tires (no charge) |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 65215 |
| Layout | all-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 335 @ 6500 |
| Torque | 317 @ 3500 |
| Fuel Economy | |
| Wheelbase | 118.1 |
| Length/Width/Height | 203.7/74.9/57.1 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 39.4 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 37.2/59.6/41.7 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 38.1/57.8/43.1 |
| Trunk Volume | 13 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | |
| Front Suspension | independent air |
| Rear Suspension | independent air |
| Ground Clearance | 5.0 (can be adjusted to 4.4-6.0) |
| Curb Weight | 5194 |
| Stock Tires | 245/45R18 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | disc/disc w EBD, EBC, ASR, ESP, EDL |
| Fuel Capacity | 23.8 |
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