Volkswagen Routan
The Volkswagen Routan is a seven-seat rebadged variant of the RT minivans with revised styling, content features and suspension tuning.[4][5][6] Manufactured alongside the Chrysler and Dodge minivans at Windsor Assembly and marketed in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Routan debuted at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show and went on sale in the United States in September 2008. The Routan's minivan variants include the Dodge Caravan, Ram C/V, Chrysler Town & Country, and Chrysler Grand Voyager (export)—that by 2009 have ranked as the 13th bestselling automotive nameplate worldwide, with over 12 million sold.[7]
The Routan marked the start of Volkswagen's business strategy to offer additional vehicles specially developed for the U.S. market.[8] The introduction of the 2008 model year minivan resulted from a partnership that began in 2005 between Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler. Prior to the agreement, Volkswagen had no minivan model for the United States or Canadian markets. The Routan is sold only in North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico).[9]
The automaker's intent with outsourcing production the Routan to Chrysler was to avoid the significant expense of developing its own family-sized minivan.[10] VW announced in an early 2008 projection that the company intended for the Routan and other models to help achieve significant expansion of U.S. sales.[11] The Routan was Volkswagen's first van offered in North America since discontinuation of the Volkswagen Eurovan in 2003, and is not related to the European-market Volkswagen Touran or Sharan.[12]
The Routan features a rebranded version of Chrysler's hard drive-based audio and navigation system—marketed by Chrysler as the MyGig system and by Volkswagen as the Joybox, but has neither Chrysler's Stow'n Go nor Swivel'n Go seating systems. Instead, the second row seats in the Routan feature the Easy Out Roller Seat system, but can be modified using Chrysler or Dodge parts to have Stow'n Go or have Swivel'n Go seats installed. Routans as of 2010 offer optional Wi-Fi access, which was also offered in Dodge and Chrysler versions as UConnect Web.
VW of America had projected for the Routan to gain at least five percent of the U.S. minivan market,[13] or 45,000 units of the 700,000 minivans sold currently. In January 2009, VW of America asked Chrysler Canada to stop production of the Routan for the month of February after 29,000 Routans had been shipped to US dealerships. By July 2009, 11,677 units had been sold.[14] In 2012, Volkswagen halted production of the Routan at Chrysler's Windsor, Ontario, plant, despite having a production contract that ran through 2014. In January 2013, Volkswagen announced there would be no 2013 retail model, but held open the possibility that development may resume with a potential 2014 model. The 2013 Routan was reserved for fleet purchasers, and 2,500 were produced by Chrysler during the calendar year.[15]
Automotive industry analysts were not surprised by VW's decision to drop the Routan because buyers had no reason for selecting the Routan over the similar Dodge Grand Caravan or the Chrysler Town & Country, and the Routan's base price of nearly $28,000 was far more than the basic $21,000 Grand Caravan, while the Routan's list of equipment was less than included on the upscale Town & Country.[16]
2011 revision
The Chrysler minivans underwent a mid-cycle refresh for the 2011 model year, which included major changes in both styling and functionality. Changes included restyled exterior and interior with all-new wing logo, standard SafetyTech (including Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path Detection), improvement to the Stow 'n Go seating and storage system, a one-touch fold down feature for easier access to the third row, (The Swivel n' Go seats were dropped) a new center console and technology, a dual DVD system that can play different media at the same time, SIRIUS Backseat TV which offers three channels of children's programming, FLO TV featuring 20 channels of live programming, Pentastar V6 (283 hp) engine replacing previous 3.8-liter and 3.3-liter V-6 engines, six-speed automatic transmission, a new fuel economizer mode, a new instrument panel and instrument cluster, new Chrysler Brand steering wheel with integrated controls that allow the driver to operate the radio, cruise control, hands-free phone and other vehicle functions while keeping their hands on the wheel; upgraded cloth and leather seating materials; new soft touch door trim, new heating and cooling control system. The suspension was heavily re-tuned, with both Dodge and Chrysler minivans gaining a larger front sway bar and new rear sway bar, increased rear roll center height, adjusted spring rates, a new steering gear, a revised front static camber setting, and lowered ride height. This dramatically improved handling in both the Chrysler and Dodge. Other changes included extra sound insulation, acoustic glass, new seats, softer-touch surfaces, new LED ambient lighting and center console, and halogen projector headlamps with LED accents. The Chrysler models were adjusted so that instead of competing against equivalent Dodge trim levels, they were above Dodge in trim and features.
All three of the former engine choices were replaced by the new Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 with six-speed automatic transmission, now the sole powertrain choice for all models. Interior trim was restyled on both vans, in addition to major exterior revisions highlighted by the new "double-crosshair" grille on the Grand Caravan and a new chrome grille for the Town & Country.
Chrysler Voyagers sold in continental Europe was rebranded as the
Safety
In the U.S. the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program crash testing, the 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan achieved a five star (top safety) rating in several categories.[35]
Powertrains
The 2.4 L EDZ I4 was dropped, with the 3.3 L EGA V6 standard. The 3.8 L EGH V6 engine was optional on mid level models, with a 4.0L SOHC V6 engine optional as the top level engine. A 2.8 L RA428 I4 diesel was available on export models, while the 3.3L wasn't offered in Europe. The 3.3L got a 4 speed Ultradrive automatic transmission, while all the other engines came with a new 6 speed 62TE automatic transmission. In 2011, the 3.3L, 3.8L and 4.0L engines were all dropped, replaced with the Pentastar 3.6 L V6, which came with the 62TE transmission.
Sales
Grand Caravan:
Automotive news reported that, from January to October in 2010, Dodge sold about a third of its 2010 Grand Caravans to rental fleets. The number of returned ex-rental 2010 Grand Caravan to the market jumped fourfold between July and October, depressing prices of used 2009 and 2010 Dodge minivans by as much as 20%.[40]
Town & Country:
