When an automaker realizes that 15 percent of its customers are leaving its showrooms due to a missing product in a specific market segment, it has to find an answer -- and fast. That's what happened at Volkswagen when a failure to include a minivan in its lineup forced some customers to look elsewhere.
|
| When you look at the new Routan, it's hard not to find a resemblance with the Chrysler Town & Country. |
Unable to develop their own unique model in a short period of time and, more importantly, maintain costs at a reasonable level, executives of the Wolfsburg-based company asked the uncontested leader, Chrysler, to help them design a new
German-flavored people hauler. But how do you take a typically American vehicle and turn it into something German families will want to own? It's simple, really: you just put some sauce on it -- or so to speak.
When you look at the new
Routan, it's hard not to find a resemblance with the
Chrysler Town & Country. In reality, only the door panels and the roof are similar, not to mention the overall shape. Thankfully, every other body panel is unique to the Routan. The lines are much sleeker and, actually, even a little aggressive. Displaying many of the brand's traditional design cues, this minivan stands out as a true example of German styling.
German and American vehicles definitely don't share the same personalities and dynamics, which is why Volkswagen engineers spiced things up and injected a good dose of Teutonic character. While fit and finish are a bit more sophisticated, there's still work to do. For instance, bumper integration leaves a little to be desired. Overall build quality is decent, but that's the most I can say. Still, the interior remains more luxuriously appointed than comparable Chrysler models.
Because a number of components have been reworked, including the suspension, the Routan's road manners are more inspiring. Both stabilizer bars have been revised to help deliver a more pleasant ride, which I found pretty comfortable by the way. The 2nd-row captain's chairs are removeable and their seatbacks fold flat to maximize versatility. Unlike other VWs, though, this one lacks a telescopic steering wheel.
 |
| The interior remains more luxuriously appointed than comparable Chrysler models. |
