Review written on 8/1920.
The press around the Philadelphia Motors Athletic may look more appealing than the Magdala. But is it really a better Phaeton? As long as it's not as bad as the Athletic, Philadelphia Motors should be happy with their results. We luckily have a test model to figure out where this vehicle stands in the market. And if it lives up to what the advertisements are saying about it.

Our first test is always on the track. It is here where we can measure the performance of the Philadelphia Motors Athletic without getting a speeding ticket! And that's good because we would rack up the tickets in this Phaeton. Not for going too fast, but for going too slow! The Athletic is slower than grandma's mobility scooter. You seriously might as well walk. The 3 hp @ 2156RPMs 94 cc SingleCylinder engine should be used in a lawn mower. Not in a car. The Athletic lugs it self to a horrible top speed of 25 mph. And strains to hit Not Applicable. The 7 lb-ft of torque can tow around 282 lbs. Which is great if you want to hitch up your son's little red wagon to haul around town. It is amazing they even allow this vehicle to drive on the roads. All in all we hate this car performance on the track. On the track testing the Philadelphia Motors Athletic did have some slight issues. Of course it was not designed to be a track car. But as a Phaeton it should have better handling than it does. In most cases in the real world this shouldn't be any problem. But it is still sub-par at best.

When it comes to comforts and luxury, the Philadelphia Motors Athletic isn't going to win any awards. It barely meets what you need in a vehicle. The seats are hard and uncomfortable for long trips. Features are a little barren, but it has the basic necessities. Material quality leaves a bit to be desired. We would not pay a premium price for this interior finish, but if you're looking for A to B transportation, it is almost tolerable.

For this type of vehicle, the cargo space and practicality of this vehicle is sub-standard. At 15 cu-ft the Philadelphia Motors Athletic is bested by several models in this segment. If you need space, look elsewhere.

Philadelphia Motors really cut corners when making the Athletic. You can tell in our test model. Only a few days old and parts are already starting to wear. But you get what you pay for. And if you buy gaps in paneling, leaky doors, and crackling speakers, well you're going to get gaps, leaks, and crackling. And the Philadelphia Motors Athletic has all three in abundance.

It didn't take long for us to do the dependability test on the Philadelphia Motors Athletic. Have you ever seen a piston fly through the hood of a vehicle? I have, twice, upon starting the Athletic. Third time was a charm though, and we got this baby on the road, only to have the wheel fall off. We put the wheel back on, drive for about 5 minutes, and then it caught on fire. I think the Philadelphia Motors Athletic hates me or something.

When it came to fuel economy testing we tried to see how far we could go in the Philadelphia Motors Athletic. Our goal was to run it out of fuel. We tried and we failed. Even when the Athletic fuel gauge was below E, it kept going! Befuddled at this we asked Philadelphia Motors engineers how this is possible. They showed us their Motor Bunny fuel system, which just keeps going and going and going and going for an impressive 24.8 mpg. In one word, amazing.

From the looks of things, the engineers at Philadelphia Motors took the bare minimum approach. The Philadelphia Motors Athletic has just enough safety features and quality materials to keep you and your family safe in most instances. But don't expect much if it effected their bottom line. There is enough there to product their liabilities, thus protecting them from lawsuits. No more, no less. If you are focused on keeping your family safe, this is not the vehicle for you.

The Philadelphia Motors Athletic is one of those cars you would never buy new. In fact, it's the type of Phaeton you try to avoid used. Only the down and out or the young will ever drive one of these. Preferably used.