However,
all of that also applies to the Grand Caravan and the Town & Country. Last
year, we would've told you that the Routan stood out with better driving
dynamics and a substantially nicer cabin. But for 2011, the Chrysler vans have
closed the gap considerably (if not completely). Plus, the Chryslers still
include Stow 'n Go seats and a few other features not available in the VW. And
from a long-term ownership standpoint, you have to wonder how vested VW is in
the Routan or what the service experience of a Chrysler vehicle at a VW
dealership might be.
As
such, it's hard to think of a significant reason why someone would opt for a
2011 Volkswagen Routan rather than one of its American siblings. But it's also
important to note that the Chrysler minivans are far from class leaders. The
Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna would be our picks and we highly suggest
looking at those models first. The new Nissan Quest is also worth considering,
as its unique interior layout and styling might be appealing to those looking
for something different than the typical minivan. They certainly won't be
getting it from the 2011 VW Routan.
The
Routan's greatest advantage over the Town & Country is the quality of the
Volkswagen interior materials. The Routan takes advantage of most of the
T&C's thoughtful entertainment features, but lacks the innovative seating
options that give the Chrysler an advantage in the minivan class. The Routan
seats are comfortable, however. Folding the third row and removing the second
row turns the Routan into a capacious cargo van. Where hard plastic dominates
the dash and doors of the Town & Country, the Volkswagen Routan has nicely
padded door armrests and a quality soft-touch upper dash. It's not all luxury
level, though. The lower dash is hard plastic and the trim piece that bisects
the dash is thin plastic. The white-faced gauges with black numbers are sourced
from Chrysler. Surrounded by a faux aluminum trim piece, they are not that easy
to read in bright sunlight.
The
radio is set high on the center of the dash, and VW offers a version of
Chrysler's UConnect Tunes and UConnect GPS hard-drive radios called JoyBox.
JoyBox is also offered in two versions, one with a navigation system and one
without. Both include a touchscreen, both come with one year of Sirius
satellite radio, and both have a 30-gigabyte hard drive that holds music and
picture files. Those files can be ripped from a CD or downloaded from a thumb
drive plugged into the vehicle's USB outlet. When the navigation system is
ordered, the hard drive also holds navigation map information. The navigation
system has voice activation. An optional Garmin navigation system is available
for the Routan SE. Routan's controls are easy to use, though those on the right
of the radio or touchscreen can be a bit of a reach for the driver. The climate
controls are located below the radio, and they're self explanatory. The
gearshift is mounted between the radio and the instrument panel. It's easy to
reach, leaves plenty of room for other controls, and includes an electronic
gear readout in the instrument cluster.
Room
up front is plentiful. There is plenty of head room, and leg room will only be
lacking for the tallest drivers. The front captain's chairs provide an upright
driving position with an SUV-like view of the road. A tilt steering wheel and
available adjustable pedals should help most drivers tailor a comfortable
seating position, but some might prefer a telescoping steering wheel to bring
the wheel closer to the driver.
When
it comes to storage, the Routan has two glove boxes and some cubbies in the
center stack for small items storage. A total of 13 cupholders are found
throughout the Routan SEL. The standard console has four integrated cupholders
and a small storage bin. The Routan SEL's premium center console has four
cupholders and a small bin on top that slides back to reveal a larger storage
bin below it. The lower bin also slides back. With both layers slid back, the
top level moves back a total of 21 inches, which allows parents up front to
pass drinks and sandwiches to the kids in back. The premium console is also
removable to allow easy access to the back seats.
In
the far back, the Volkswagen Routan has a deep well behind the third row, which
makes hauling groceries easier. Even with all seats up, the Routan has 32.3
cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row. The third-row seat is split
60/40. It folds into that well in one or two sections. Three straps are
attached to the back of each seat and they're marked 1, 2, 3. To fold the seats
into the floor, first pull strap 1, then pull strap 2. You have to give strap 2
a good yank and help the seat along with your other hand. It can require
leverage that some moms might not have. Strap 3 pulls the seats back up. A
better option is the power folding third row seat, which can be set to four
positions, including what VW calls the tailgating position. In this position,
the seatbacks act as seat bottoms and the bottoms act as backs facing the rear
of the van.
The
second row a pair of captain's chairs that recline. The backs can fold flat on
top of the bottoms for loading flat cargoes on top of the seats. Or the
second-row seats can be removed, though they're heavy and you need somewhere to
store them. With the second-row seats removed and the third-row seats folded,
the Routan has a flat load floor, 144.0 cubic feet of cargo volume, and enough
space to fit a 4x8-foot sheet of plywood.
A
DVD rear-seat entertainment system is available with nine-inch video screens in
the second row and third row. When the vehicle is in Park, video can be sent to
the front navigation screen, allowing front-seat passengers to watch movies.
Video game systems can be plugged in, and each row can watch or play something
different. Four sets of headphones are provided.
Exterior
The
Routan shares the same boxy shape as the Town & Country and Grand Caravan,
but its face wears Volkswagen's sloping grille and lower air dam. The
headlights incorporate rounded sections for the outboard bezels, similar to the
lights on the Passat and Volkswagen's SUVs. Exterior features include:
- Optional power sliding doors
- Optional power liftgate
- Optional xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights
- Optional fog lights
- Optional roof rack
The
2011 Volkswagen Routan comes in S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium trim levels, all
powered by the new 283-hp 3.6-liter V6 mated to a 6-speed automatic
transmission. All models are front-wheel drive.
Volkswagen
Routan S ($26,930) comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning,
leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, four-way
manually adjustable front bucket seats, two-passenger reclining second-row
fold-flat bucket seats, third-row stowable split folding bench seat, manual
side doors, cruise control, conversation mirror, power heated exterior mirrors,
power front windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, six-speaker
AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo, auxiliary audio input jack, automatic headlights, engine
immoblilizer, three years or 36,000 miles of free maintenance, and P225/65R16
tires on steel wheels with wheelcovers.
Routan
SE ($31,770) upgrades to V-Tex Leatherette upholstery, 6CD changer, Bluetooth,
eight-way power adjustable driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, lumbar
adjustment for front passenger seat, power-adjustable pedals, second-row
captain's chairs, power sliding side doors, overhead storage system, steering
wheel audio controls, second- and third-row sunshades, universal garage door
opener, security alarm (in addition to the engine immobilizer), stowable roof
racks, and P225/65R17 tires on 17-inch alloy wheels. The Navigation System
($2,980) features integrated Garmin DVD Navigation and sound system with Sirius
Satellite Radio. The Rear Seat Entertainment System ($2020) includes second-
and third-row nine-inch video screens with headphones and remote, Joybox
AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3 sound system with hard disc drive and USB connection, rearview
camera, and power liftgate with floodlamp. Routan SEL ($37,390) upgrades to
leather upholstery, HDD touch-screen navigation, three-zone automatic climate
control, auto-off headlights, power sunroof, auto-leveling rear suspension,
remote engine starting, auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated second-row seats,
power-folding third-row seats. The Rear Seat Entertainment System ($2000)
includes second- and third-row nine-inch video screens and additional DVD
player.
Routan
SEL Premium ($43,240) includes 506-watt nine-speaker sound system,
high-intensity discharge headlights, power liftgate, chrome mirrors and door
handles, memory-activated exterior mirrors, power-adjustable pedals with
memory, 115-volt power outlet.
Dealer-installed
accessories are available, ranging from running boards to several different
roof racks and a range of towing equipment. A dealer-installed wireless router
can connect to devices up to 150 feet away.
Safety
equipment includes dual-stage front airbags, head-protecting curtain side
airbags, tire-pressure monitor, ABS with brake assist, traction control, and
electronic stability control. 2011 Routan models also come with side-impact
airbags for the front-row seats and a knee airbag for the driver. Optional
safety features include rear park assist and a rearview camera.
The
2011 Volkswagen Routan comes standard with traction and stability control,
antilock disc brakes and brake assist, front side airbags, a driver knee airbag
and side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is available.
The
Routan has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011
crash-testing procedures. However, its 2010 ratings (which aren't comparable to
2011 tests) were a perfect five stars in front and side crashes. The Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety gave the Routan the highest possible rating of
"Good" in the frontal-offset and side crash tests.
reference:www.edmunds.com,www.cars.com,autos.aol.com
