Overview & Reviews

Volkswagen has a long history of building small vans. There was the Microbus, of course, as well as the more recent Vanagon and Eurovan. However, the "hippie van" was always just that, and the later vans were just too funky to catch on with a mainstream audience. Consequently, VW has never really had a competitive modern minivan. In hopes of rectifying this situation, the company introduced the Volkswagen Routan.

The Routan was actually a rebadged and reworked version of Chrysler's minivan. Its general shape didn't stray far from the Chrysler formula, but the Routan's redesigned front and rear suggested a Teutonic makeover. In the Routan's first two years on the market, the cabin had a more upscale feel than the Chrysler vans, including more supportive seating and a partially reworked dash featuring VW's signature red and blue backlighting. Below deck, Volkswagen engineers retuned the suspension for a more refined and responsive driving experience.

As such, we found the Volkswagen Routan to be more desirable than its Chrysler siblings in these early years. However, by 2011, those siblings had implemented a series of changes that actually made them more similar to the Routan, and that previous advantage Volkswagen enjoyed was largely erased. Ultimately, the Routan was discontinued after four years of production.

No matter what year you're looking at, it's hard to make a case for buying what was essentially a Chrysler minivan from Volkswagen. Not only does Chrysler's spotty quality record remain a concern over the long haul, but competing used minivans like the Odyssey and Sienna are better buys in most respects.

Most Recent Volkswagen Routan
The Volkswagen Routan was introduced for 2009 and produced through 2012. A seven-passenger minivan, it was available in S, SE, SEL and SEL Premium trim levels.

Base S models included 16-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, second-row captain's chairs, a foldaway third-row split bench seat, a touchscreen-operated audio system and the usual assortment of modern conveniences. Stability control and a full complement of airbags were also standard.

The SE added larger alloy wheels, power side doors, a power driver seat, "leatherette" seating trim, heated front seats, rear sunshades and Bluetooth. The SEL got you tri-zone climate control, leather seating, a rearview camera, heated second-row seats and an iPod interface. The SEL Premium added a variety of luxury items like xenon headlights, keyless ignition/entry, driver memory settings and an upgraded sound system. A rear-seat entertainment system and a hard-drive-based navigation system were available on all but the base trim.

In its first two years on the market, the Routan S and SE trim levels were powered by a 3.8-liter V6 that produced 197 horsepower, while the SEL featured a stronger (and, surprisingly, more economical) 4.0-liter V6 that put out 253 hp. A six-speed automatic and front-wheel drive were standard. For 2011 and '12, every Routan was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 that produced 283 hp.

Anyone who has spent time in a Town & Country or Grand Caravan will instantly recognize the Routan's switchgear, dash-mounted shifter and basic overall design. The materials quality moved closer to that of its Chrysler siblings, but still remained a bit disappointing compared to most of Volkswagen's other models. The Volkswagen Routan version also lacked the Stow 'n Go second-row seats, but at least its conventional seats were nicely shaped. The third-row bench folded flat into the floor, while the second-row bench or captain's chairs could be removed for serious hauling duty.

In reviews, we found the Routan's original base engine to be sluggish and overmatched -- the SEL's larger V6 (and the later 3.6-liter V6) offered much livelier performance, and so equipped, the Routan was one of the fleetest minivans available. The Routan's ride and handling were a cut above the contemporary Chrysler minivans, but the van's overall dynamics still weren't segment-leading.

There were other less significant changes. For 2009 and '10, the base S came standard with an uncomfortable second-row bench seat that was later replaced with standard captain's chairs in upper trims. These early years also lacked the Routan's standard Chrysler-sourced touchscreen stereo interface and available Garmin navigation system.

User Reviews:

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  We vowed never to get a minivan... - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By peninroutan - August 29 - 10:50 am

  ...but we gave in after we had our third child. We looked at the Odyssey and Sienna, but these were ubiquitous and not very interesting to us. The Routan? Looks good, drives well with its stiffer VW suspension, and has huge amounts of space. We know its essentially a Chrysler, but the interior has enough VW feel to be fun. The dual-electric doors are great (Toyota Siennas seemed to offer only one electric door on some models). The exterior has strong lines. Will have to follow up later with a detailed review of reliability. Basically, its a minivan for those who promised they would never get one. As a guy, Im OK being seen driving it, which is worth a lot.

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  Watch the oil level - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By fshifteh - March 7 - 1:35 am

  This is an update on my previous posts. Recently at 28000 miles I noticed the oil pressure light was flashing in my Routan. After inspecting the dipstick I was surprised to see that the car had very little oil, so I ended up adding 2.5 quarts of 5W-20 oil. I was surprised because I have never missed any of my scheduled maintenance. When I took the car to the dealer they said that they have seen this issue with these vans. And the recommendation was to check the oil level every 3000 miles. They said these vans burn oil in average 1 quart every 3000 miles. For your info, I have changed my engine oil in average every 5500 miles when the light had indicated that it is time to do so.

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  follow up, not as nice as I thought.. - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By nich617 - September 10 - 7:53 pm

  I wrote a review shortly after purchasing this van. While I still like it, I am very disappointed that we have to get ALL seven seats replaced because they are all tearing at the seam...even on some of the seats we dont sit on! First the passenger seat went and they replaced that seat. We went back to the dealership (not the dealer we purchased from - I am sure we wouldve gotten better service from them but they are much farther away) 2 months ago to show them the rest of our seats. We are still "waiting" for the parts to come in. I hope this doesnt happen to everyone else...

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  Beware of this beauty... - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By VW-BAD - July 25 - 7:13 pm

  I have owned my 09 Routan SEL for around 4 mo and about 4000 miles and disappointed does not begin to describe my state of mind!!! My brakes have been squealing since about the 1000 mile mark and it is "normal" according to a qualified technician. Both of my sliding doors have given me numerous problems, including not closing properly and I have come back to a vehicle with an open door. Gas mileage is atrocious. This vehicle has been a nightmare to deal with (especially with two young kids). Yes it is beautiful, but at what price?

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  The Good and The Bad! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By thayes82 - February 10 - 12:13 am

  I have had my Routan for exactly 30 days. On day 28 I was traveling with a friend and 5 kids. The transmission acted up and wouldnt go out of first. We were stranded in small town. Mind you my van only had 1050 miles on it. Anyway, the good is VW roadside was Awesome, they picked up the van delivered it to the nearest dealership and are fixing it now. They gave us a rental so I am impressed with VW service. They are replacing the valve body on my van and hopefully there will be no more issues. I love my van and am very hopeful nothing else goes wrong and this was just a fluke!

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  One problem after another - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By traci0815 - July 30 - 9:36 am

  I wish I would have stuck to the Honda Odyssey. My 2010 VW Routon has several nose issues. Every time I step on the gas it starts a squealing noise and as soon as I take my foot off the gas pedal it stops. The right slide door sticks and sounds like it will fall off. There is a knocking noise in the right passenger door. The engine sometimes does not shift smoothly. and of course the dealer has no idea how to fix these problems!!! :(

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  Likes and dislikes - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By kjthomas323 - July 28 - 10:33 am

  Very poor city driving mileage. We came from an Odyssey so we were surprised at this. The interior leather looks cheap (thanks to the Chrysler design). The kids constantly bump their heads on the DVD players when going in and out of the vehicle so keeping the screens closed helps! Other than that, we have not taken it on a long trip, so I cant judge comfort or gas mileage fully. It has 6k miles on it and I hope we are one of the lucky ones that does not incur any mechanical issues. We love the sched. maint. We love the options i.e. remote start and heated rear seats, for the money it is a good deal. I have owned 4 VWs so far. Hope this one is built just as well.?! Only time will tell

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  Best Minivan for the Price - 2012 Volkswagen Routan
  By magluk - June 12 - 11:38 am

  We got the best minivan for the price. We bought ours Certified Used 2012 Routan SE with Nav and DVD with only 2.5K miles for $24K for something we plan on owning for 5-6 years only. We looked at Toyota and Honda both very nice cars, but by going with Routan we saved 13K to 16K for the same options as other competitors. This minivan is convertible, quite when driving, powerful, nice looking and just what we were looking for. The one bad thing is they won’t be building this model any more for 2013 and dealers having some brand new 2012 minivans that you can save $7-8K off the sticker price with very good options. This being our first minivan we are so far happy with it

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  Uneven performer - really poor quality - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By jisla - May 19 - 10:00 am

  After eight years of driving two different Odesseys, I made the mistake of leasing a Routan instead. Two factors drove my decision: a desire for change, and economics. I can only criticize Honda for their very boring color schemes. And the Routans final sticker price represented a small advantage. But long-term use revealed the Routans true colors. It is at least 30% less fuel-efficient than the Odyssey. That translates to a higher per month cost. Whatever I saved at purchase was an illusion. Most importantly, the Routan is plain cheap. It is a clunker: over bumps and engaging into gear. The power side doors lock up and the transmission frequently sticks in low. Dont get on a Routan!

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  So-So Van - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Russ - November 16 - 7:00 pm

  Love the ride. The shifting from first gear is awkward at best. In town gas mileage weak. 2nd row seats are locked in place which limits leg room. Also miss the stow-n-go of my GC. Ceiling is low, I tend to bump my head getting over the cup of the seats. Have had several problems from brakes to sliding doors. So far not impressed with maintenance at the dealership. They seem to be disorganized and compartmentalized. VW needs to rethink their plans for this vehicle. Either get in without Chrysler, or get out.