Topic: 2010 Volkswagen Routan; Day 1

[Autos_Editor]

After driving a Chrysler Town & Country for two weeks recently, James takes the wheel of the Volkswagen Routan, a near-copy of the Chrysler van. His goal for this week? To stay alert enough to pick out the differences between this van and the Chrysler version.
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[dutch]

get in the back, tilt the chairs, put on a movie and relax ........ Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I know that the interior quality is higher, the paint is nicer, but really to spend that much more to have a VW symbol on the hood - I don't see the extra value here. (or do you get one of the cool VW switchblade keys, cause then it's worth it )

[Shnak]

get in the back, tilt the chairs, put on a movie and relax ........ Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I know that the interior quality is higher, the paint is nicer, but really to spend that much more to have a VW symbol on the hood - I don't see the extra value here. (or do you get one of the cool VW switchblade keys, cause then it's worth it )

That much more what? The base Routan is cheaper than the Grand Caravan 4.0L. I really don't get why people keep saying the VW is 'much more' than the Grand Caravan. Again, with the same engine, the VW is actually cheaper! Better interior, better suspension and better looking exterior (IMO, of course), all for less.

Not exactly sure how the base Routan matches up to the GC 4.0L in terms of features, but I know the Routan is very well equipped for the price.

The only reason for buying the Dodge instead of the VW version is the dealerships themselves; I suspect it's cheaper to have the maintenance done at a Dodge dealerhsip than a VW dealership.

[toolatecrew]

I've been in one of these and think its just stupid. It really doesn't feel like anything but a Dodge.

[johngenx]

Ignore the MSRP differences between the GC and the VW.  The GC is discounted heavily now and that makes the difference huge.

[goonboy]

I like how VW ads harp about 'affordable German engineering' while showing all of their vehicles INCLUDING the Routan.  How on earth is the Routan a 'German engineered' vehicle?  More borderline outright false corporate marketing.

[Shnak]

Ignore the MSRP differences between the GC and the VW.  The GC is discounted heavily now and that makes the difference huge.

So is the Routan... 0%/60 months, and I'm sure discounts on the MSRP can easily be had too considering they don't sell at all.

All I'm saying is that if I was looking at buying a Grand Caravan with the 4.0L, I'd take a very long look at the Routan and compare those two feature by feature and out the door price.

I like how VW ads harp about 'affordable German engineering' while showing all of their vehicles INCLUDING the Routan.  How on earth is the Routan a 'German engineered' vehicle?  More borderline outright false corporate marketing.

That I agree with; I saw a VW ad yesterday and thought the same thing. To be fair, they did work on the suspension and direction if I'm not mistaken... so they did put some 'German engineering' in it... but yeah, it's still borderline fraudulent to attempt to pass the Routan as their own...

[Blueprint]

Looks like James hasn't eaten his broccoli again and was sent to the minivan section of the car pool 

OK, now act like an objective reviewer and stop putting down the Routan for being a minivan.  There's no mistake this badge-engineered product calls for a lot of discussion, no question there, but minivans remain the best large-family vehicles out there and offer more versatility and value than most SUVs and crossovers.  The Chrysler products may not be the segment's best, and that's what a review is all about.  Subjectively, not all family cars are grin-enhancers, and some trucklets may offer better road manners and image, but not all of them.  Minivans are popular with Canadians, so no need to go segment-bashing here.

[Jaeger]

That I agree with; I saw a VW ad yesterday and thought the same thing. To be fair, they did work on the suspension and direction if I'm not mistaken... so they did put some 'German engineering' in it... but yeah, it's still borderline fraudulent to attempt to pass the Routan as their own...

Arguably, they have at least have taken a baby step across that border.  If you think the stuff they put in print is stretching things, you should hear the salesmen crank things up several notches.  I got an earful when looking at the Passat CC.  This older couple were being regaled on how the Routan was the only true German minivan on the market, exuding class-breaking German engineering, blah blah blah...  Had he broken into a chorus of Das Lied der Deutschen, I wouldn't have been entirely shocked.  And all over a Chrylser in a Hugo Boss suit. 

Jaeger

[wing]

blueprint, I'm not sure why you think I was segment bashing when I reviewed the T&C I talked about how useful it was for carrying people and cargo and commended it.  Yes I said it is boring ... but well it is.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

To be fair ( ), Chrysler was controled by Daimler when these vans were designed, and at least some of the engineering was done by ze Germans, so it does have at least some claim to German engineering.

[dutch]

when i was out car shopping i stopped in at vw (looking at the golf), and i snuck a peak in the door of the Routan. As I said earlier, it definitely looks like good quality. However the 2010 T&C that friends of us have is pretty darn close to this. Knowing what they paid for theirs, the Rotan is too much $$ for not enough of a difference.

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 day 2 Wing - please stay awake!

[Roy]

вельмі цікава, дзякуй

[toolatecrew]

Affordable german engineer...the engineering is affordable becuase the assembly is Mexican.

[Blueprint]

blueprint, I'm not sure why you think I was segment bashing when I reviewed the T&C I talked about how useful it was for carrying people and cargo and commended it.  Yes I said it is boring ... but well it is.

The comment is not exclusive to you, but there's always that undertone of "I don't really want to review this" with minivans.  Trucks and SUVs can pull race cars, play off-road and project "image" despite not being up to par with a car (or some minivans...) on dry asphalt.  Therefore, they don't get the "boring" stigma that minivans get in articles.  Car and Driver are just about the lone media claiming the superiority of minivans over SUVs, and go in details on how they behave on the road.  I know that first-hand as I was on the road with them for their 2004 comparo.

I'm a car guy, I used to have a sporty car, I did race a few times, but needs dictate a minivan.  Therefore, I need the best objective reviews on the type of vehicle I currently own (and will replace in 2011 by another one).  Finding proper minivan road tests between Mustang-Camaro comparos is hard enough and when 90% of them go into stereotype comments ... frustration rises.

There, I feel better now  .  No offense mate !

[wing]

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

[aknutson]

This sounds funny on an article about a minivan, but how's the suspension in the twisties and highway compared to the Chrysler? One of the upgrades I'd be willing to shop the VW for is the suspension tuning that happens on the Routan, but I'd have to be convinced it is worthwhile...

[Cory X]

I believe the quality is the same a VW van made by Chrysler and a Chrysler Town and Country....I looked at both and paint,interior looks feels the same...

The problem is,people's perception....Because it has a VW emblem they automatically think its of better quality..Mind over matter !!!

Years ago my 2003 Acura TL had big gaps in the interior,hood was a little crooked from the factory,one side had a bigger gap (yes the 4 other ones at other dealers were also like this) just a little mind you but you could see it !!! My trunk and bumper gap was bigger than I thought it should be (all like this)My 1999 Chrysler 300M,had no visible uneven gaps,the gaps from the rear bumper was smaller ect...I had them both parked in my driveway and a few friends came over and said the Acura is built with high quality,until I pointed out its flaws..some still insisted it was better....Turns out I bought the Honda product with the worlds worse transmission 3,000 km it was shuttering,while my 300M lasted 220,000 k before I sold it,just a timing belt at
180,000 fact.recomended change at 170,000 my Acura needed one every 50,000 k ,plus a water pump housing was cracked !!!

So,Chrysler is changing its quality now to higher materials ect...so we should not here about poor quality in the next few years !!!

[aknutson]

I believe the quality is the same a VW van made by Chrysler and a Chrysler Town and Country....I looked at both and paint,interior looks feels the same...

The problem is,people's perception....Because it has a VW emblem they automatically think its of better quality..Mind over matter !!!

Years ago my 2003 Acura TL had big gaps in the interior,hood was a little crooked from the factory,one side had a bigger gap (yes the 4 other ones at other dealers were also like this) just a little mind you but you could see it !!! My trunk and bumper gap was bigger than I thought it should be (all like this)My 1999 Chrysler 300M,had no visible uneven gaps,the gaps from the rear bumper was smaller ect...I had them both parked in my driveway and a few friends came over and said the Acura is built with high quality,until I pointed out its flaws..some still insisted it was better....Turns out I bought the Honda product with the worlds worse transmission 3,000 km it was shuttering,while my 300M lasted 220,000 k before I sold it,just a timing belt at
180,000 fact.recomended change at 170,000 my Acura needed one every 50,000 k ,plus a water pump housing was cracked !!!

So,Chrysler is changing its quality now to higher materials ect...so we should not here about poor quality in the next few years !!!

I think those are the glory days of Chrysler past. Between 1997 and 2003, they were making some seriously good cars. Not standouts, but built well. I've posted before that my folks drove a '97 Concorde way longer than it should have lasted (almost 340,000 Kms) with little work, and the motor was still strong then. The problem came with the Daimler merger and the atrocities that followed. Most of their post-2005 cars are visibly and tangibly poor in quality. They may last a while, durability actually isn't their main problem, it's just poor initial impressions due to lackluster interior quality.

[aknutson]

Wing, glad to hear a little chat on the suspension. About the rough idle though, you point out that it is notably gruff and then blush it off as 'well it drives fine', but does it? If it's gruff, and the competition is less-so, that means this Routan has a notable deficiency in comparison with its peers. Don't be afraid to knock on a car if it deserves it! We'll only know what you really mean if you shoot from the hip.

I was driving alongside a maniac woman in a T&C today, she was obviously in a hurry beside me but in congested traffic, where does she think she's getting to? Anyways, she was using the accelerator like a light switch (on-off-on-off) and I could hear the massively unpleasant grunting sound of the V6 as she did so. It was like the sound of a cow mooing, mixed with a cement mixer slosh and a little bit of clanging pot lids. The vehicle was seemingly brand-new, and had the '4.0L' badge proudly affixed to the tailgate, so I'm assuming it's the same motor as the one you're in. And if this sound is what you're hearing, I'd have to agree that it may not just be idle that this engine isn't happy with but pretty much anything at all.

If Infiniti can make their V6 sound like an Orchestra, what's Chrysler doing?