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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  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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  Regretful - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Pal - July 13 - 11:06 pm

  After extensive research, we opted with VW 2009 Routan SEL/w RSE because of the interior design, engine, reputation of German vehicles, offered discounts and largely for the 0% (zero percent) financing for 72 months. Although we like the Van, the Chrysler/Dodge engineering prevails over the VW quality and reliability. We owned the vehicle for a little over a month and we already have few problems. Within a week of purchase, the Van starts making a huge cloud of smoke and oily mixture comes out of the exhaust pipe whenever the engine is turned on. The dealer said that the PVC-valve has to be replaced in addition to few other things. Then when it rains, water gets into the headlight assem

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  1st time van owner - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By matt - June 21 - 3:23 am

  I have never owned a minivan and was suspect to performance. We have owned this for about a month and love it. Took it on a road trip over a weekend, put about 1000 miles on it and it felt great. Extremely comfortable, and instruments easy to use. Nav system is a must with interactive traffic redirection. Am getting about 15 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway.We have had to bring in for service once as condensation was building inside the headlight assembly. The transmission is smooth, but with 6 speeds the gear ratio makes for a lot of shifting.

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  Dazed and Confused - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By DazedConfused - April 15 - 4:10 pm

  The 3.8L engine is horribly underpowered and the transmission is too anxious to find a home in 6th gear. Trying to accelerate to get on the freeway leaves me depressed as I watch the fuel gauge race to the left faster than the car gains speed. The ride is smooth and the entertainment features make a ride of any duration tolerable. The interior features are pleasant and the exterior looks eerily similar to the Dodge and Chrysler.

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  junky - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By dmitriy shindyakov - March 22 - 10:37 am

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  Love this Minivan - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By 2010 Routan - March 20 - 9:16 pm

  This is a great minivan for the choices that are out there. I feel like I am driving a van with style over the boring Honda, Toyota, and Kia models. This van offers the space I need with style. I know this van is made by Chrysler, but I like that it has the VW tag on it. Its a good choice for the van options out there. I could not be happier with this car!

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  Trouble free - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By edsel4u - March 1 - 12:30 am

  Bought new June 2009 and now at 33,000 miles we have not had any major malfunctions. Well own the Routan till the wheels fall off. Its an excellent transportation appliance and if people respect the Routan minivan for what it is, and for what it is not, theyll be satisfied too.

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  Outstanding! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By AdamR - February 10 - 1:56 pm

  This van is an eye-catcher! There is not a single thing left to want on this van. Harddrive, folding 3rd row (power), and more storage than a cargo ship. The A/C in the 3rd row is just as good as the front and the fact every door is powered, incredible. If youre looking for a van, and you dont check this out, youve seen nothing but the average. LOOK at this superior vehicle... HOLY SMOKES!

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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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  It lets you keep your masculinity - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By willida - October 23 - 9:53 am

  I love my Routan SEL. The ride and the steering feel different enough to get you excited. Its not a Ferrari, but at least it doesnt drive and look like a Mommy wagon. The power doors are a godsend. So are the wireless headphones. The only drawback in my case is that they supply 2 headphones but I have 3 kids. I also like the 3-zone automatic A/C. The 4.0L gets the best gas mileage of all mini-vans sold in America, according to the EPA. Im not seeing that kind of gas mileage yet, but the engine only has 950 miles on it, and most of our driving has been less than 10 miles at a time.