Volkswagen Phaeton Saloon (2003-2015) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 1.5 out of 51.5

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

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Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 19 - 33 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

View mpg & specs for any version

Depreciation is the biggest burden. All large saloons like Phaeton suffer on this front – losing tens of thousands of pounds – but the Phaeton doesn’t have the same image as alternatives like the Audi A8 or BMW 7-Series and as a result is less desirable. Fuel consumption is acceptable on the 3.2-litre and 3.0 TDI, but all other engines are quite thirsty.

Insurance – at group 16 – is reasonable for the 3.0 TDI while top models fall into group 20. Servicing is expensive, too, but in-line with other cars in this class.

The Phaeton performs disappointingly on the eco front. With an average of 300g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are too high for an executive saloon. The newest version of the 3.0 TDI is the ‘greenest’ with emissions of 239g/km of CO2 and average fuel economy of 30mpg.

Quality is much improved over Volkswagen’s usual high standards – which is saying something. The interior has a strong quality feel to it. Owners haven’t reported any major problems to us.