This may not be the most distinctive-looking sedan on the road, but it definitely has a rich, impressive presence. And the airy cockpit received near-universal thumbs-up. "As black interiors go, this one manages to be actually inviting--more wood and chrome trim warm it up compared with the Benz," wrote one editor. "Excellent one-button interface for adjusting everything from the climate-control fan to the shock settings," noted another. "And the gauges all look like Swiss watch faces!" We weren't quite sure what to make of the "no drafts" Climatronic ventilation system, though. Some editors thought the motorized wood panels, which whir down over the dash vents once most of the cooling or heating is completed, "scream luxury"; others deemed them frivolous gadgetry.
Only when pushed to its limits on our tight, twisty handling loop did the Phaeton stumble a bit. "Reveals its heft in aggressive curves in spite of its all-wheel drive--pushes a lot through the corners," wrote an editor. "Great at mellow driving, but if you push it gets unhappy," noted another. "Lots of tire squeal where I didn't expect it." Wrote a third: "Steering feels disconnected near the limit. The car is slow to react to changes of direction."
Those criticisms are fairly minor--on our handling loop, we were driving the Phaeton far harder than most owners ever will. What our final scoring revealed instead was a healthy admiration for the VW's spaciousness, ride (cockpit-adjustable shocks let the driver tailor the feel from luxury-soft to sporty-firm), user-friendly technology, and exceptional fit and finish. For now, the VW badge on the hood may not say "premium" to many auto shoppers, but one drive in the Phaeton will be enough to convince them that it should.
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