Review written on 5/1958.
The Luxury Sedan segment is not for everyone. But the Baron may be the vehicle for you. Philadelphia Motors sure hopes it is. So this week I took a trip down to Philadelphia Motors's headquarters to test out the Baron. Luckily we've also tested the Senator and the Balm this year. So we should be able to give you a verdict on how it stands in the Luxury Sedan community.
On first glance the Philadelphia Motors Baron seems to have everything you'd want in a daily driver on the track. It is not overly powerful, but it packs enough punch to get up and go. While you won't win any races, you won't hold up any traffic. The Luxury Sedan's 103 hp @ 4962RPMs 2551 cc I4 engine does well enough under load to keep you satisfied. The Baron is able to top out at 100 mph and accelerates at 25.428s 0 to 60 mph. With this 88 lb-ft of torque can tow 22 lbs. Once again. Not great, but not bad. Ultimately the Philadelphia Motors Baron is your average Luxury Sedan on the track. The Philadelphia Motors Baron handles smoothly and can really turn a corner for a Luxury Sedan. While it is certainly not a race car, it can handle any real world situation you throw at it.
While the Philadelphia Motors Baron won't win any awards, It won't turn heads, and it certainly doesn't have a wow factor. The Baron does have a very well design interior. It may not be top end, but it is more than enough for long trips and everyday drivers. It makes you feel good about life. Without feeling pompous.
Above average to good is what a friend of mine said when trying to load some junk into the 34 cu-ft of space inside the Philadelphia Motors Baron. He was right! The Baron is above average for vehicles in this segment. It is one of the more practical vehicles of this type on the market.
The team at Philadelphia Motors cut a lot of corners when it came to building the Baron. It is apparent in everything from the interior to the body panels to the paints to the molding. Its not designed to last. But its not exactly the worst car on the market. You can do better.
Reliability of the Philadelphia Motors Baron is not good. It's really dependent on how well you take care of the vehicle and luck of the draw. Almost all Baron have some sort of issue within their lifetime. But it's never exactly enough of a pain to make you regret your purchasing decision. If avoiding the mechanic shop is your priority, it may be best to look elsewhere.
The Philadelphia Motors Baron's fuel economy is impressive, but not in a good way. The Baron's 19.5 mpg is one of the worst in class. This might not be troublesome when you look at the numbers, but it will be when you actually have to pay for it.
The extra effort from Philadelphia Motors to make the Baron feel safer pays off. The reinforced frame makes the vehicle much more impact resistant. Don't go driving into walls your self, just take our word for it.
All in all, the Philadelphia Motors Baron is a good choice among its peers. It checks just enough boxes in our Luxury Sedan tests for us to give it our recommendation. There are a few other Luxury Sedan that are better than the Baron. But for some buyers, the Baron is still a good choice.