In the previous paragraph, you will note we used the word invented in quotes. Fact of the matter is, those of us of a certain age recall an earlier vehicle that; seated six comfortably, was based on a car, shaped like a van, and had a sliding door on its side...Volkswagen’s Microbus.
How ironic then that on the 25th anniversary of the coining of the term minivan (Chrysler’s first minivan went on sale in 1983), Chrysler and Volkswagen should come together to bring a minivan to market under the Volkswagen name.
Yet another brilliant idea from the fertile minds of former VW board chairman Wolfgang Bernhard and the ex-Chrysler executive formerly known as “Dr. Z.” Dieter Zetsche––the VW Routan is essentially an expedient way for Chrysler to burn off some excess production capacity and VW to swiftly swim into the 700,000 unit a year North American mainstream minivan market.
Granted, that 700,000 units per annum figure was tallied before the current credit crisis/economic meltdown, but we again refer you to our opening sentence. The existence of growing families does spring eternal. And when it comes to ready ingress and egress, expansive cargo capacity, all around comfort, utility, and ease of handling, nothing can touch a minivan––not even the highly vaunted crossover.
So, how does Routan fare in this role?
Well, as family transpo goes, there are many less desirable ways to get your family from A to B. Chrysler’s minivans have consistently been in the top tier of this segment and with the Volkswagen-ization of Chrysler’s top of the line Town and Country, the interior now boasts Volkswagen’s notoriously superior fit, finish and materials. Additionally, the exterior is at once handsome and immediately recognizable as a VW. Factor in improved ride and handling, reassuring high-speed stability, plus excellent steering feel, and suddenly, this is a minivan you’ll actually enjoy driving.
Your family will enjoy riding in it too. Routan is packed with features conducive to excelling at family duty. Attributes include two nine-inch video screens––for second-and third-row passengers, each capable of displaying video independently of one another. Remote keyless engine start and entry, a power operated rear lift gate, 12-volt DC and 115-volt AC electrical outlets, touch-screen navigation, 13 cupholders, and a 30 GB hard drive multi-media entertainment system all work in concert to help make mobile life easier.
The optional power folding third-row seat can be flipped for tailgating, or folded completely away for more cargo capacity. And, the main cabin doors on both sides of the Volkswagen Routan can be opened and closed electrically while featuring windows that lower completely.
Two engines are available, a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 that makes 230 foot-pounds of torque, and a 253-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 that makes 262 foot-pounds of torque. Both engines run on regular fuel. Naturally, the bigger engine pulls the vehicle with more alacrity, but the 3.8 does just fine too, thank-you-very-much. Although frankly, given that the 4.0 is more powerful AND gets better fuel economy, we have trouble seeing why the 3.8 is even in the mix. According to Volkswagen, Routan is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 23
on the highway with the 3.8, and 17-city and 25-highway with the
4.0.
Currently offered with front-wheel drive only, the Routan’s power is transmitted to the wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
Yes, VW took a shortcut and co-opted an existing vehicle, and yes, a few of the more innovative Chrysler accomodations such as Stow and Go and Swivel and Go seating can only be had with the Pentastar brand, and yes, it can be said the Routan is merely a badge engineered Town and Country in disguise.
But none of that changes the fact that the 2009 Volkswagen Routan has its own personality and is quite the fine example of the minivan genre. With Routan, VW has taken the best the Chrysler platform has to offer and made it even better. After all, as minivans go, you could do a lot worse than collaborating with an acknowledged pioneer in the field.
Particularly when you're an acknowledged pioneer in that field too.
2009 VW Routan
Base Price: $24,700
Engines: 3.8-liter V6; 4.0-liter V6
Horsepower/torque; 3.8-liter, 197@5,200 rpm/230@4000 rpm
4.0-liter, 253@6,000 rpm/262@5100 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Drivetrain: Front engine/front-wheel drive
Fuel economy: 3.8-liter, 16-mpg city/23 mpg highway
4.0-liter, 17-mpg city/25 mpg highway
