LIKES:
- More utilitarian than a Swiss Army Knife
- Better looking, better handling than a Chrysler T&C
DISLIKES:
- AWD model would be nice
- When is the real VW minivan coming?
My Calla Lilly white VW Routan was gaining on the similarly white Chrysler Town & Country in the adjacent freeway lane. As we both hit the same bumpy overpass, the Chrysler van bounded up and down like a porpoise at Marine World. My Routan, on the other hand, dealt with the bump like a European sportscar: one quickly snubbed upward movement followed by one quickly snubbed downward movement. In a nutshell, that routine defines the Routan and distinguishes it from the domestic sibling upon which it is based, the Chrysler Town & Country.
VW hesitates to use the “C” word in advertising the Routan. Nowhere in their advertising do they mention that their product is derived from the Chrysler T&C. While their reluctance is understandable, there’s really no reason to hide the relationship, because the T&C, which has owned the minivan market for decades now, is a solid and well appreciated product. Leave it to VW to make it even better. Let’s start with outward appearance, where VW has improved front and rear clips by dechroming and debadging the Chrysler product. The addition of clean looking, 5-spoke, 17 inch Soho alloys on the SE model gives the Routan a Porsche-like presence.
Inside, the Euro-makeover is even more striking, with lots of brushed aluminum trim gracing the dash and door panels. A stubby rally-style shift appendage projects from the dash handily at shoulder height. The seats excel with great cushion comfort and much appreciated side bolstering. A small center tunnel console allows passenger movement between front and rear seat areas. Rear seat occupants are well catered, with separate DVD screens for second row and third row dwellers. VW calls their system the “JoyBox,” and it includes touch screen controls, a 30GB hard drive and wireless headphones. The remote control for the JoyBox stows neatly in an overhead compartment that also stores the second row fold-flat screen.
Interior packaging retains the practicality of the T&C. The Routan seats seven. Rearmost seats fold flat to provide 83 cubic feet of storage space from floor to ceiling. If you also remove the seconds row seats, cargo volume jumps to 144.4 cubic feet. Even if you leave all seats upright, the Routan features a handy deep storage well behind the third row that is perfect for cosseting shopping bags full of food for the ride home. A vast underfloor storage area behind the front seats is perfect for hiding and protecting valuables. Routan offers 13 cupholders.
The new for 2011 3.6 liter V6 will tow 3,600 pounds if you order the optional towing package. Acceleration of the 283hp engine is smart enough to stay with traffic under freeway merge conditions. The 6-speed automatic gearbox shifts so unobtrusively that you could mistake it for a constant velocity transmission. The generously sized 225/65R17 Michelin Energy Saver tires are tall enough to snub road rash, wide enough to grip in the twisties. Thanks to sporting suspension calibration, handling of the Routan is minivan exemplary.
2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN SE specs
ENGINE: 3.6 liter V6
HORSEPOWER: 283 hp
TORQUE: 260 lb.-ft.
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 17 City MPG/ 25 Highway MPG
PRICE AS TESTED: $35,570
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David Colman has been writing vehicle tests for 25 years. His work has been featured in AutoWeek, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, and Marin Independent Journal. In 1987, he helped start Excellence, The Magazine About Porsche, which he edited for many years. He has been an active participant in racing and Solo events since 1961.
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