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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A fun to drive minivan? Yes! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
By martsro - September 8 - 6:00 amWeve had our Routan for a little over a year and 21K miles later it is still fun to drive. So far we have not had any repairs other than the free scheduled maint. Have had several issues with the automatic doors not wanting to close. Very frustrating!! Factory Bridgestone tires are horrible. Will probably need to be replaced within the next 5K miles. 4.0 V6 has plenty of power. No trouble merging into highway traffic. Fuel economy isnt the greatest in town (16mpg). Average around 19 mpg in combined driving. Averaged 23 mpg on a trip from tx to in. Kids love it. Plenty of storage thanks to the in- floor storage. Tons of cup holders. Third-row seat is a little cramped, ok for kids.
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Body Rust within 851 Miles - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
By SEL Premium CARB - July 12 - 11:16 amDo not buy this van! On 6/19/10, I bought a SEL Premium CARB from a dealer in Columbus, OH, and it is rusted in less than a month after I took it off the dealers lot. The rust happened where the outer panel was glued with the inner panel around the left rear wheel well. With 851 miles on the van, the dealer asked me to drive to the VWs authorized body shop for an estimate. Since the shop has to open (drilling out all body- glue spots) the body panel above the rear wheel to check the inside rust, the repair costs the VW $1100.00. If it is not done this way, the rust will eat the vans body from inside out. (continue in the next section)
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not bad for the price . - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
By Chris Muldoon - April 25 - 1:30 amI got my van new in 09 , and its been driven coast to coast with little or no trouble , so far the only part I had to pay for was the coolent temp sender . Yes it has had some recalls and I to have had the brake wear issues but if fixed that by installing power stop extreme towing and hauling pads and rotors, no problems after that . I think alot of people are just bashing it , for the price you cant complain , I paid 26k for a fully loaded van with 2 dvd players and 3 screens , go look at a Honda of Toyota and they coast over 40k at the time, in todays money thats over 50k , all in all Im happy with my fake VW and she just keeps trucking .
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Needs to be more of a VW - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
By RAS5 - January 19 - 2:20 pmThis is a nice van and I am happy with it for the most part. I do wish the two following improvements arte made. 1) needs to be a bit sharper on handling and have a more european ride 2) where is the wonderful 3.0 TDI engine to improve economy?. I bet sales will double if that engine was available.
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Great look. Poor workmanship. - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
By rigosauce - November 27 - 3:51 amWe liked that the Routon did not have the "typical" look of a minivan and being that my wife and I are relatively young, we thought we could drive it and not hurt our pride. It drives well and is rather comfortable especially if you have small children. the DVD system along with the inputs for my sons xbox were utilized to the max. we became disheartened when the van started to shake while braking. We took it ito the dealer and the front rotors were going out...at 20k miles! they fixed it but, 7k miles later, the shaking began-again.This time its the back rotors. We decided to trade in the van because we did not want to chance any more breakdowns in the future.
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Follow up review - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
By fshifteh - July 10 - 4:53 amThis is a follow up to my earlier post. I have had this car for 9 months now. There has been a few areas that I had issues. First all my brakes had to be replaced at 10k miles due to vibration in steering. The dealer did this under Warranty. Second, I has issues with putting the 2nd row seat back, as it was stuck and could not remove it or put it back, as a result the dealer replaced the seat frame free of charge. The 3rd issue was some creaking noise that would come from drivers door while driving on certain bump which was very irritating and after taking to 2 different dealerships, the second dealer lubricated the driver side door hinges and that took care of the issue.
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Overall a good minivan - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
By Frank - May 22 - 2:00 amI am a Chrysler employee and I was in the market to lease a Town & Country to replace my existing T&C, but I found that even with employee pricing the Town & Country lease was so expensive in Southern California, so instead I opted for a Routan which is slightly cheaper than the T&C but has a much better lease pricing. The reason is because of its better residual value. Routan has the Chrysler DNA but I personally like it better than the similar T&C. My only issue is the gas mileage which I usually get around 14 in the city and 18 on freeways. One fact that most people dont know is that the 4.0L engine has slightly better gas mileage than the 3.8L, but unfortunately I could find any.
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Better than Dodge or Chrysler - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
By jbanger - March 24 - 12:53 amI know this is a Chrysler product but Routan does perform better. I compared to Town & Country rental. Routan is more responsive and comfortable. The exhaust is raspy and I fear the sliding doors will be a future pain. I think the brakes are not enough for this large vehicle. The 2nd row seats are a little sticky to move. Warranty is great.
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my motor home got better gas milage - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
By tony-f - September 26 - 11:36 ammy van gets only 12 mpg in town and that is driving the speed limit.it has missed a few gears when you down shift.
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VW Loads it up - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
By sid - February 16 - 8:16 pmJust want to say that I enjoy every little bit of this car. I got a good deal on it ($26,000) for a SE with Rear Entertainment for the kids. Doesnt have stow n go but has storage inside the floor(love it). Brand new is $31000, drives awesome and much more comfy than Sienna or Odyssey more stiffer then Sienna though but i like it myself. Check it out though1. Drives good 2VW warranty and care free maintenance + rear entertainment + XM radio sun roof can you get that with Toyota or Honda? They just marketed better and have been around longer.
