With a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, the Volkswagen Routan is ranked eighth among minivans. It has average ownership expenses since the cost of annual repairs is $745 on average. You should anticipate making a little bit more journeys to the shop than usual even if Routan repairs are more regular than average because these problems are frequently small.
In This Article...
The Volkswagen Routan was retired for what reason?
With updated appearance, added equipment, and suspension tuning from the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, the Volkswagen Routan is a seven-seat minivan that is a rebadged derivative of the Chrysler RT chassis.
[3]
[4]
[5]
The Routan made its premiere at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show and began on sale in the US in September 2008. It was produced in Windsor Assembly alongside the Chrysler and Dodge minivans and sold in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
[6] The Dodge Caravan, Ram C/V, Chrysler Town & Country, and Lancia Voyager (export) are some of the Routan’s minivan versions. With more than 12 million units sold by 2009, the Routan was the 13th best-selling automobile nameplate globally. [7]
Volkswagen declared that the 2013 model year would mostly be held for rental car businesses and other fleets, with limited access to the general public at dealer showrooms, after the Routan’s production was halted in 2012 due to excessive inventory levels.
[8] This was also accurate for the Routan model year 2014. [9]
How is Routan doing?
It’s essentially simply a slightly modified and rebadged version of the clunky Chrysler Town & Country minivan lacking the Town & Country’s convenient fold-in-the-floor second-row seats or swiveling captain’s chairs.
The 4.0-liter engine’s reasonable power, smooth ride, and quiet interior are highlights.
But even the more advanced engine lacks finesse, and handling is on the clunky side.
Where is the Volkswagen Routan made?
COLUMBUS With its flat-nose, rear-engine Transporter, Volkswagen is returning to the American minivan market that it helped to establish in the 1950s (aka Microbus). VW will instead market a customized Chrysler minivan in place of the vintage van.
The Routan van from VW debuts on sale in September, with prices beginning at under $25,000. It was unveiled here Wednesday.
According to VW, modifying a Chrysler is easier and less expensive than creating a contemporary Microbus. A significant amount for VW in the USA, the carmaker wants to sell 45,000 units in the first year.
According to Rebecca Lindland, director of the vehicle group at forecaster Global Insight, “They would have been better off with the Microbus.” She anticipates sales to be roughly half of what VW had anticipated, but she also points out that the Routan gives brand devotees a VW for their growing families.
In a separate announcement, VW said it would decide within months where to construct a facility in what it refers to as “the North American dollar area.” In such case, the currency-exchange pain of insufficient price increases in the United States to offset the strong euro would be avoided. One of the main reasons foreign manufacturers establish U.S. plants is to keep expenses and prices in one currency.
An aggressive strategy to nearly increase its eight brands’ combined global sales to 10 million by 2018 and more than triple its U.S. sales by that time also makes greater production capacity a good idea. General Motors and Toyota Motor, the market leaders, each sold 9.4 million vehicles last year.
Routan will be produced by Chrysler in Windsor, Ontario. A Dodge Caravan is transformed into a Routan by VW-designed modifications to the suspension, front and back appearance, and the interior. It will be powered by automatic transmissions paired with Chrysler 3.8- or 4-liter V-6 engines.
According to tracker Autodata, sales of minivans in the United States decreased to roughly 793,000 last year from 971,000 in 2006 and 1.1 million in 2005.
According to VW, the minivan market is stable rather than on the decline. According to spokesman Keith Price, “We see Ford and GM departing the market as an opportunity.”
Sales of Routan should increase as VW no longer makes vans. Ulrich Hackenberg, a member of the VW board, declared that “the USA is a vital aspect in our global strategy.” Without a stronger presence in the USA, “we can’t be a global player,” the statement reads.
According to Autodata, VW’s share of U.S. new car sales is 1.4%, and its Audi brand is 0.6%.
The Chrysler Town & Country is dependable, right?
With a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, the Chrysler Town & Country is ranked fourth among minivans out of 8. It has average ownership costs with an average annual repair cost of $636. When compared to all other vehicles, the frequency and severity of repairs are both about average.
The reliability of the Dodge Grand Caravan.
The Dodge Grand Caravan is rated as being second out of 8 minivans in terms of reliability, with a score of 4.0 out of 5.0. It has ordinary ownership expenses since its average annual repair cost is $673. Major repairs are rare for the Grand Caravan since the severity of the repairs is average and the frequency of those problems is low.
What year did the VW Routan last?
For the 2009 model year, the MPV was originally presented in 2008. At the Windsor Assembly factory in Ontario, where Dodge and Chrysler minivans were also produced, Volkswagen attempted to advertise the Routan as a car designed exclusively for the American market. Additionally, it was Volkswagen’s first minivan since the 2003 release of the Volkswagen Eurovan. It had a standard 3.6L V6 engine that generated 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, but it quickly lost favor due to the high price. Although the $28,000 MSRP wasn’t awful, it was significantly more than other models that essentially delivered the same thing. In 2013 Volkswagen released the final Routan for the 2014 model year.
Volkswagen Models Similar to the Routan
Sadly, Volkswagen is no longer able to provide interested car buyers with a minivan. A comparable model, nevertheless, will accomplish the same thing and offer more than the Routan actually did. Similar to the Routan, the Volkswagen Atlas is a midsize SUV with seven seats and 96.8 cubic feet of load space. It also features a 12.3-inch display, a panoramic sunroof, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and many other features.
It’s absolutely alright if you don’t make it to the Routan.
Just be aware that Volkswagen offers greater options! You may schedule a test drive on our website or at Hall Volkswagen in Brookfield if you’re interested in seeing the SUV or any other Volkswagen model.
A Volkswagen Routan is AWD.
The new 283-hp 3.6-liter V6 is paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission in the 2011 Volkswagen Routan’s S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium trim levels. There are no rear-wheel drive versions.
Volkswagen still produces minivans, right?
Volkswagen’s range sadly no longer includes a minivan. The Routon, a seven-seat minivan based on the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, was the last minivan the manufacturer sold. From 2008 to 2013, the five-door minivan was manufactured; the final model year was 2014. Due to excessive inventories, the Routon’s production halted in 2012, at which point Volkswagen opted to reserve it for fleet programs and rental car businesses.
Which Volkswagen Models are Best for Large Families?
If you know you want to drive a minivan but still want a Volkswagen, take a look at some of the other models the company makes. The largest vehicle provided by Volkswagen is the full-size Atlas SUV, which went on sale for the 2018 model year. The five-door vehicle has three distinct engine choices, the strongest of which is a 2.5L turbo with 299 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. It also has a maximum load capacity of 96.8 cubic feet. The Atlas can accommodate seven passengers, just like the majority of minivans. Similar to how the Routon was built for a family, this SUV has 17 cupholders and optional second-row captains chairs.
What engine powers the 2012 Volkswagen Routan?
The Volkswagen Routan has a 3.6-liter Chrysler-sourced V-6 engine with 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque that is mated to a six-speed automated transmission and enables 0-60 mph acceleration in 8.1 seconds.
VW Routan: Does it have Stow and Go?
The seats also draw conflicting opinions. Although most reviews concur that the seats in the Routan are more comfortable than those in Chrysler minivans, this limits the mobility of the seats because the Routan lacks Chrysler’s available Stow-N-Go or Swivel-N-Go seating. Reviews of the Routan’s interior mainly favor it despite the compromises.