Topic: 2010 Volkswagen Routan; Day 1

[safristi]

Vans are boring - i know, i have one, but with the kids, dog and all our stuff they can't be beat for the functionality.

Good luck on day2

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   Have U stopped beating the kids and dog............?............ ........

[Blueprint]

I maintain minivans are more useful then CUVs for sure!  At least ones with at least 5000lbs towing capacity.

....and of course, no minivan is rated to tow 5000lbs 

Good review on Day 3.  My 7 y.o. Odyssey still has a nice purr to it, and one can sense V-Tec at play when you floor it and the tranny bangs shift at the redline.  The engine sounds refined, not like our old MPV that had a Detroit burble to its Duratec V-6.

[wing]

Well not exactly a minivan but the Ford Flex is rated at 5000 lbs

[derek234]

This review is not very good.   You say the engine is rough at idle but drives fine ?  Well is there something wrong with the engine ??  You you make statements like that you need to CLARIFY what is your talking about exactly.

[wing]

Rough it idles rough, like the entire van shakes but this is normal for this engine.

[Ontariodriver]

Rough it idles rough, like the entire van shakes but this is normal for this engine.

That would be a no from me right there. I don't get this van why pay all this extra dosh for what basically a perfectly fine Dodge Caravan. I don't get it.

[sacrat]

Rough it idles rough, like the entire van shakes but this is normal for this engine.

Then Chrysler is really in trouble. No manufacturer should put something this unrefined on the road for 43K. Hyundai/Kia can put a much more refined and powerful V6 out there for far less and even Ford and Gm's V6s don't bring this kind of complaint any more...

[aknutson]

Rough it idles rough, like the entire van shakes but this is normal for this engine.

Then Chrysler is really in trouble. No manufacturer should put something this unrefined on the road for 43K. Hyundai/Kia can put a much more refined and powerful V6 out there for far less and even Ford and Gm's V6s don't bring this kind of complaint any more...

It's true - and if you're in the market for a big vehicle, you can get good deals on a Hyundai Veracruz. I guess they're a slow seller compared to the more attractively priced and sized Santa Fe and Tucson, so incentives can be fairly aggressive depending on the dealer. It's not as spacious as a minivan, but would probably be smoother and cost less.

[Blueprint]

Well not exactly a minivan but the Ford Flex is rated at 5000 lbs

Exactly, not a minivan, and most reviewers like it (well, so do I, but not my significant other).  The old 4.2 Freestar was rated for 4000lbs, but that was another hard-to-love minivan with a rough engine.

During service at the Honda dealership, I took a good look at a Pilot and it's incredible how cramped the interior is vs the platform-sharing Odyssey.  Also, all reviewers complain that powered sliding doors on minivans are too slow.  They aren't too slow : they are quite indeed too quick.  Borrow three kids for a week and you'll understand 

[Spec5]

Would love to get some opinions on what people think of minivan vs. GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave/Chevy Traverese. We're probably looking to replace our Tucson when the next little ankle biter comes along with something that is more functional. We'll need to carry two baby seats and a mother-in-law so finding something that either a) fits 3 across comfortably (doesn't exist - I've looked) or b) has captains chairs in the second row(no way you can fold a seat forward for 3rd row access without having to take the baby seat out) so that grammy can walk through to the 3rd row and be somewhat comfortable back there (despite my poking fun at mother-in-laws she is very good to us). I will never argue that a minivan is probably THE most versatile vehicle out there but nobody wants to be seen driving one including us.

[aknutson]

Would love to get some opinions on what people think of minivan vs. GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave/Chevy Traverese....I will never argue that a minivan is probably THE most versatile vehicle out there but nobody wants to be seen driving one including us.

Typically I'm on the van-side when it comes to SUV's vs. minivans, but in doing a little research this trio from GM is actually pretty good. As long as you stick to FWD versions, fuel economy is comparable if not a little better than most vans, and the style is definitely there. You are giving up a little room for the looks, but that is something you need to personally assess for yourself, as vans do offer unparalleled capacity. If you stick with the SUV's, choose the Enclave if you're after luxury, the Traverse if you want the bare essentials (and you can tolerate it's ugly arse, pardon my French), and the Acadia is in my opinion the best blend of the three. Not sure if you're budget shopping or fortunate enough to be looking for new, but if it's the former you can find an '07 for shy of $25K, making it a seriously appealing deal.