Tuesday, February 03, 2004
By Mike Ferrara, "The Lazy Homeowner"
There's nothing like a heated steering wheel! I mean it. I used to think heated and cooled seats were the ultimate in luxury, but nothing beats a heated steering wheel; especially when your car's been sitting in your driveway all night and the temperature is hovering around -20 below.
That's just a little touch on the new VW Phaeton that gets your attention. The exterior styling won't...the car looks like a very long and wide Passat with an agressive-looking front end. Inside is where you'll appreciate the humongous rear seat...we managed to fit five people back there without complaints! The trunk is just as large, equipped with a self-opening and self-closing linkage.
Behind the wheel, you're forced to decipher a large video screen that controls the climate, shocks, GPS and entertainment system. And it really doesn't take very long to figure it out. The best feature is a button you can push to dim the screen to just the temperature and the radio station you're tuned to.
The ride (when dialed between sport and comfort) is superb and the four-wheel-drive system got me out of trouble several times during a week of suprisingly snowy and cold Minneapolis weather this January. The V8 from Audi is not stingy on gas, but sure likes to romp above the speed limit. It's plenty quick from stoplights as well.
Would I pay $65K or so for the pleasure of having the Phaeton in my garage?Maybe, but I miss having the pedigree that usually comes with such a large price tag. The longer I drove the Phaeton, the less I was concerned with impressing others with its looks (you won't) and the more I just enjoyed the near perfect driving experience (for a large sedan).
There's nothing like a heated steering wheel! I mean it. I used to think heated and cooled seats were the ultimate in luxury, but nothing beats a heated steering wheel; especially when your car's been sitting in your driveway all night and the temperature is hovering around -20 below.
That's just a little touch on the new VW Phaeton that gets your attention. The exterior styling won't...the car looks like a very long and wide Passat with an agressive-looking front end. Inside is where you'll appreciate the humongous rear seat...we managed to fit five people back there without complaints! The trunk is just as large, equipped with a self-opening and self-closing linkage.
Behind the wheel, you're forced to decipher a large video screen that controls the climate, shocks, GPS and entertainment system. And it really doesn't take very long to figure it out. The best feature is a button you can push to dim the screen to just the temperature and the radio station you're tuned to.
The ride (when dialed between sport and comfort) is superb and the four-wheel-drive system got me out of trouble several times during a week of suprisingly snowy and cold Minneapolis weather this January. The V8 from Audi is not stingy on gas, but sure likes to romp above the speed limit. It's plenty quick from stoplights as well.
Would I pay $65K or so for the pleasure of having the Phaeton in my garage?Maybe, but I miss having the pedigree that usually comes with such a large price tag. The longer I drove the Phaeton, the less I was concerned with impressing others with its looks (you won't) and the more I just enjoyed the near perfect driving experience (for a large sedan).
