Review written on 12/1904.
Philadelphia Motors is in a unique position with the Athletic. The Phaeton segment rules the Cruelle market. While the Johnson is the worst vehicle in the segment. Where does the Athletic fit between these two extremes? Should consumer celebrate Philadelphia Motors's new Phaeton? Or is this just another underachieving vehicle in the Phaeton segment?

As always our first test is the track. Right off the bat I knew that the Philadelphia Motors Athletic was not going to be a show stopper. The vehicle is sluggish, specially for a Phaeton. However it does what it has to. Get you from point A to point B. And while getting there quickly isn't a priority, with all the traffic these days, could you really enjoy anything faster? The 5 hp @ 1773RPMs 248 cc SingleCylinder engine does struggle, but there is enough there to do the job. The Athletic tops out at 25 mph and can accelerate in Not Applicable. So while not fantastic, enough for a daily driver. The 12 lb-ft of torque can tow around 304 lbs. Which is great if you want to hitch up your son's little red wagon to haul around town. In the real world the Philadelphia Motors Athletic could not even handle a U-turn, let alone our beloved test track. Why the hell would engineers at Philadelphia Motors even put a steering wheel on this train? This has to be one of the worst handling Phaeton I have ever driven.

The Philadelphia Motors Athletic is the definition of basic transportation. The seats feel like they're chiseled out of concrete. The dash isn't much better. And features? What features?

The Philadelphia Motors Athletic gives you a sense of home away from home. With 22 cu-ft of cargo and passenger space the Athletic feels like a second living room. Which was what Philadelphia Motors was probably thinking when they made this vehicle. "Lets make a vehicle that people could live in." Well Philadelphia Motors thank you, because after my wife threw me out, this is my new home. And let me tell you, it rocks!

The Philadelphia Motors Athletic was made by below average workers, using below average materials, for a below average company. What do you expect the vehicle quality to be?

Engineers at Philadelphia Motors managed to make the perfect vehicle. It has absolutely not issues until hours after the warranty expires. We tested this phenomena 5 times on the Philadelphia Motors Athletic and every time they had a major breakdown within a week after the warranty expired. While great for Philadelphia Motors this is probably not a vehicle you should buy if you plan on keeping it. The dependability of the Philadelphia Motors Athletic leaves a lot to be desired.

The folks over at Philadelphia Motors did a good job when it came to fuel economy. The Athletic gets a 19.3 mpg city and which is nothing to scoff at. While it may not be best in class, it is well above average.

On the topic of safety, the Philadelphia Motors Athletic is highly recommended for suicidal drivers who are not afraid of spontaneous combustion.

The Philadelphia Motors Athletic fails to live up to our standards in any metric for a Phaeton. It is absolute repugnant garbage that should be avoided from dealer to dumpster.