The Volkswagen Phaeton is a full-size car built from 2004 to 2006. Most were assembled in Germany — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: V8. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Phaeton is
The Volkswagen Phaeton is a full-size car that Volkswagen built from 2004 to 2006 — 3 model years. It has been offered with V8 power. Its closest sibling in the Volkswagen range: Arteon.
Where the Phaeton is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 5 Phaetons on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WVW | 2004-2006 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Volkswagen VIN decide which of these 1 lines your Phaeton belongs to. What every character in a Phaeton VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Volkswagen Phaeton adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Volkswagen Phaeton tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Phaeton owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Volkswagen Phaeton have? Power & range
The Volkswagen Phaeton is offered with 1 powertrain — 4.2L 8-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Volkswagen Phaeton, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V8 | 4.2L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S6) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Premium |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Phaeton by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Volkswagen Phaeton. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Phaeton | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 3 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 6 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $2,883/yr | Estimated full coverage |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Volkswagen Phaeton?
The Phaeton is a full-size car, built from 2004 to 2006. Engines offered: V8.
Where is the Volkswagen Phaeton made?
Across 5 cars in our records the split is: Germany (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Volkswagen Phaeton warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Phaeton reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Phaeton?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Volkswagen
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 2009–2026 | 67 | 29 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | 2018–2026 | 75 | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen Beetle | 1998–2019 | 111 | 38 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 1981–2026 | 232 | 44 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 1985–2021 | 173 | 38 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 2021–2026 | 42 | 113 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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