VW Routan Review in the WIndsor Star
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
Joined
·
4,412 Posts
Interesting read. I'm not in the market for a minivan but I would like to test drive it just to see what they did to the handling.
Joined
·
17,065 Posts
For god sakes....
go ahead VW, let's see if you can outhandle my 92 previa (that BTW weighs more).
I drove this car on VW event and I say NO.
Give me 1 reason why I should by this car over Chrysler with -$6k on Chrysler MSRP!!!
Without even getting into the fact that VW dealers are NOT ready and cannot service this vehicle like they SHOULD (confirmed by master mechanic that has been working for VW for over 10 years).
Germanz ya?
oke:
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote
go ahead VW, let's see if you can outhandle my 92 previa (that BTW weighs more).
I drove this car on VW event and I say NO.
Give me 1 reason why I should by this car over Chrysler with -$6k on Chrysler MSRP!!!
Without even getting into the fact that VW dealers are NOT ready and cannot service this vehicle like they SHOULD (confirmed by master mechanic that has been working for VW for over 10 years).
Germanz ya?
oke:Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote
Joined
·
4,412 Posts
In Canada, the entry level model is actually cheaper than the Chrysler one. The Routan's advantages are better suspension and interior. With that in mind I think it will do okay with those that want a van with a bit more of euro feel but I doubt it will yank sales away from Honda and Toyota. Honda and Toyota have unbeatable reliability and resale which is what most folks are interested in in this segment.
Joined
·
17,065 Posts
I'm no dash stroker and suspension is the last thing I care about in a minivan, as long as it's comfy.
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote
A diesel would be the only thing to make this work IMO. $10K more (after Dodge discounts) plus Dodge has a LIFETIME warranty, more service options (any of the thousands of Dodge, Chrysler or Jeep dealers can perform warranty work) and honestly, I looked at them back to back yesterday and could not see a difference between the two interiors worth mentioning.
We need an Epic Failure motivational poster for this truck. VW plans on this being 30% of dealers sales or something along those lines. Amazing.
I would of bought a Microbus had they ever put it in production and I have no kids. That thing was cool.
On a side not, the 2011 Passat will be a rebadged Taurus and the Golf will be a Cobalt.
The VW sacrifices stow and go in an effort to make the seats much roomier and comfier. When I went on a test drive, I noticed there was a good amount of room in the back. (I'm 6'2 and had plenty of extra space)
Now go drive a Caravan and see if there is any difference. Bet there isn't.
I wouldn't expect a difference in drivetrain because they are the same, however, I would expect better quality as far as interior materials go with the Routan. The Town and Country would be a closer match to the Routan, but the attention to detail on the VW's interior outshine it.
Joined
·
2,213 Posts
Passingby, you are really pimping the Routan. http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271405
Are you a VWoA employee spreading advermation on enthusiast websites?
Are you a VWoA employee spreading advermation on enthusiast websites?
Joined
·
7,185 Posts
Technically, in NJ, "lifetime" for warranty purposes is 7 years.....You're assuming Dodge/Chysler will be in business for the lifetime of said warranty.
Uh...they're the same dude. No difference in material or build quality. They're the same. Regardless of what Chrysler and VW would like you to believe, they're both Caravans (which isn't all that bad if you're into minivans).
Man I wish they would of built that Microbus 7 years ago.
VW could've made a killing if they made the MicroBus concept, as it will appeal to younger SUV and non-minivan buyers, and be first cool and fashionable minivan. It would be just like the NB craze when that was first introduced.
I would buy one and I don't even have kids.
I would buy one and I don't even have kids.
Joined
·
2,739 Posts
4.0 V6 and it's only 251 HP? My 3.7 L V6 mazda cx-9 is 270+, MB 3.5 is 260hp..... I'm interested in checking it out though...
As a new Odyssey owner, I checked out the Chrysler offerings and was completely underwhelmed. Stow & Go was no issue for me, because I use my vehicle for humans 97% of the time. The three percent of the time when I might find it convenient to have the second row seats stash in the floor wasn't worth the much less satisfactory driving dynamics, reliability, and build quality of the Town & Country or Caravan. Everything you touch in the Honda is of higher quality than in the Chrysler products.
Having said all that, I am impressed with how VW has differentiated the Routan from its more pedestrian doaner-vans. The interior design and fit & finish is several steps above the Chrysler counterparts. The front and rear-end styling cues tie the van closely to the current VW product line. I was impressed with VW's effort, and the Routan would have been a viable second-choice had it been available at the time I bought my Honda, and if I didn't have to live with the inevitable reliability and servicing issues that Routan owners will face while I motor on down the road without a care in the world....
Having said all that, I am impressed with how VW has differentiated the Routan from its more pedestrian doaner-vans. The interior design and fit & finish is several steps above the Chrysler counterparts. The front and rear-end styling cues tie the van closely to the current VW product line. I was impressed with VW's effort, and the Routan would have been a viable second-choice had it been available at the time I bought my Honda, and if I didn't have to live with the inevitable reliability and servicing issues that Routan owners will face while I motor on down the road without a care in the world....
Chasis, powerplants, transmission = identical. I prefer a stiffer suspension, however, personally- and I agree with the fact that it's not a bad thing having Caravan underpinnings- VW and Chrysler basically invented the modern day minivan
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
