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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  What a suprise! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Chris - October 3 - 8:16 pm

  I have to say, when considering our first minivan, VW wasnt at the top of my list. However after reading thhe reviews here we decided to look. The first impression was shocking, WHAT A VAN! Great features for the price. Very fun and comfortable to drive. My wife who was resisting falling into the minivan crowd actually was so happy with this van she demanded we purchase it. We chose the SE w/RSE and there was an additional package that included the power rear lift gate and sunroof.

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  great gas milage - 2011 Volkswagen Routan
  By criminal - August 25 - 3:14 am

  I have owned this vehicle since August of 2011. I have put only 8600 miles on the vehicle, and have made to extended trips, one of over 500 miles. On that trip I filled up at start and drove 276 miles. I drove between 65-70 mph, made one stop, and got over 30 miles per gallon actual. I had issues with the vehicles cruise control. Sometimes it will work, sometimes not. Has been to dealer twice and whatever they did, cruise still not working properly. Also have noticed a jerking feeling frquently when backing. Dealership said they know of problem but to date they have not fixed it. I like the car overall. Drives well, fairly quiet on road. The free oilchanges for 36 months a plus.

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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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  My new ROUTAN - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Routan - July 11 - 2:53 pm

  This was a great purchase, its the first care I purchase in a while since I have been leasing. I never thought I would say this about a minivan but after drinving it I have to say that it is fun to drive this mini-van. Lots of room for the kids and adults. Need to get screens for dvd, hope they make it standard on higher sel model, but even without it the kids love it. My wife never thought she would drive a mini-van, but she loves our routan. Would highly recommend it for a family. Go with the 4.0l v6 as I felt the 3.8 was quite weak for my standards, but the 4.0 got a kick to it, make sure u drive both to tell the difference.

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  VW reputation intact - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By late74C - June 29 - 12:33 am

  Just purchased my new VW Routan last weekend as part of a cash for clunker deal. Have an SEL w/trim pkg 3 and navi. This will be our 3rd minivan since 90 (a 90 and 97 Dodge Gr Caravan) and so far like this one the best, lots of little extras, comfy seats, great power and ride. Only rated it an 8 on reliability as we had a no-start situation this past Monday but this is the reason for the review -- VWs roadside assistance arranged a tow to the dealer who handled it quickly -- it turned out to be loose connections in the master fuse panel. We have multiple cars so it was no bother as well as they updated the navi system once a complete check of electrical was done. Great job VW!

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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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  We love our 2009 Volkswagen Routan - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By table4five - June 11 - 4:40 pm

  We just bought a new Routan and couldnt be happier with our purchase. The van drives nice, has great styling and convenient interior features. I test drove the Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest and Dodge Caravan and thought the Routan was much nice & more fun to drive. We have three kids and they are loving it so far, too. The 2 movie screens are great for watching different movies. The seats are also very comfortable and roomy. I feel like I can move around the cabin much more easily than the other minivans, and I think it drives better and more quietly.

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  Worst Purchase of my life - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By becca - May 23 - 10:00 am

  This minivan is a lemon! Always at the dealership with something wrong. I had it for one year and already had 15,000 dollars worth of warrenty work. The transmission is slipping and the dealership says it is due to one tire being lower than the other? Yet when I explain that I pulled out of a gas station and the van would not shift gears until I pulled over and shut off to get it to shift in gear? Told me that this is a soccer mom van and not good for all the wear in tear of driving a hour each way to work 5 days a week. They also stated I should have purchased the Honda minivan it can stand the driving wear and tear? I wish I could get out of this car! What a lemon!

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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!