Overview
It’s about the size of a tiny house and 10 times as expensive, but the 2022 Rolls-Royce Phantom justifies its price tag with the most luxurious cabin in auto dom and the exclusivity that’s built into a half-million-dollar car. The outside may cast a familiar decades-old silhouette, but the Phantom’s interior is packed with modern conveniences and high-tech features to accompany its truly sumptuous environs. A V-12 engine provides seemingly endless power, yet it purrs silently under the Phantom’s long hood so as not to disturb the interior’s restful ambiance. Fine leathers, real wood, and genuine metal parts cover every square inch of the cabin, and those relegated to the rear seat can relax in utmost comfort, especially in the long-wheelbase Extended model.
What’s New for 2022?
Rolls-Royce’s flagship Phantom sedan glides into 2022 with few changes, but a new option called the Privacy Suite is now available. This feature adds an electrochromic-glass divider between the front and rear seats as well as an intercom that allows for communication with the driver. A duo of 12.0-inch monitors mounted ahead of the rear passengers can be set up to mirror laptops or other smart devices, and a set of curtains provides additional privacy from that outside.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Prodigious power is provided by a silken 563-hp twin-turbo V-12 paired with an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. Acceleration is brisk, but Rolls-Royce’s claimed 5.1-second zero-to-60-mph time isn’t anything you’d appreciate your chauffer trying to replicate. The Phantom is better suited for wafting along with delicate inputs to throttle and steering. To say that the ride is smooth would be an understatement—imagine being carried along on a fluffy cloud. The Phantom practically levitates over the road; it features a pothole-spotting camera that helps the suspension adapt to road imperfections in real-time. It’s a library-quiet, sensory-deprivation cocoon that makes you feel like part of the royal family.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
A Phantom owner’s conspicuous consumption is matched by the car’s penchant for consuming fuel. The EPA’s fuel-economy estimates run as low as a 12-mpg city, although the Phantom’s 20-mpg highway rating actually bests the smaller Rolls-Royce by 2 mpg. If we ever are lucky enough to have a chance to put the Phantom through our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test, we’ll update this story with test results.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
An interior tailored for royals can get its own custom-artwork dash. Acres of wood, real metal accents, and vast expanses of supple leather cover the cabin. Rolls-Royce offers both a standard and long-wheelbase version of the Phantom, the latter stretched by 8.6 inches, much of which results in additional rear-seat legroom. Rear-hinged coach doors open to allow graceful and dramatic arrivals and departures. Rear-seat passengers can be treated to myriad luxuries such as deep-pile carpeted floor mats, power-adjustable seats with massage, a refrigerated console compartment, and remote controls for the infotainment system.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Speaking of infotainment, the Phantom comes standard with a large infotainment display artfully hidden behind a glass panel that stretches the full width of the dashboard. It’s controlled via a rotary knob on the center console. Lest you think that rear-seat passengers are left out of the technology game, the Phantom also features touchscreens that motor down from each of the front seatbacks to provide access to the car’s audio and navigation systems.
