Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged minivan
2003 Volkswagen Eurovan MV
Aug 7th
During my week with the Volkswagen EuroVan, more than one person expressed surprise to hear that Volkswagen still builds a minivan. For anyone else out there who didn’t realize, I’ll clear this up right now: yes, Volkswagen still builds vans. They’ve been making them all along. And, all of that experience shows, because the 2003 EuroVan is one heck of a vehicle. Even if you never noticed it before.
Most minivans suffer from an identity crisis. It’s so uncool to be a minivan that they work hard at not being vans. Marketing insists that they’re like cars, or like SUVs, or even like living rooms–anything but the people- and stuff-haulers that they are. Not so the EuroVan. VW’s EuroVan is happy to be a van, and because of that, it’s able to think outside the box, if you’ll pardon the pun.
The EuroVan is bigger than most minivans, but it’s not quite a full-size. It’s been designed by engineers, which is to say the look is functional, rather than aesthetically pleasing. In short, it’s a big box with windows. The cabin extends almost all the way to the front of the vehicle for improved maneuverability, and the rear is squared off and flush to take advantage of as much cargo space as possible. There’s no driver’s side sliding door, and the EuroVan may be the last holdout lacking this option.
Inside our EuroVan MV (MultiVan) test vehicle, Volkswagen puts a different spin on the traditional seven passenger seating layout. The middle pair of seats faces the back of the vehicle, making the rear cabin feel more like a conference room. Additionally, a flip-up table, overhead fluorescent light, and a rear seat (which also folds down into a surprisingly large bed) enhanced the family-room feeling. Volkswagen also still offers a factory camper conversion for the EuroVan. The Camper only seats six, but adds a pop-top that raises the roof to seven feet, a two-burner stove, refrigerator, sink, screened windows and two dining tables. How’s that for versatility on wheels, Pontiac Aztek? In the base EuroVan GLS, all seats face forward, and the rear seat folds and tumbles for additional cargo capacity.
Behind the wheel, the driver sits up high and looks down to VW’s familiar blue-lit instrument cluster. The chair-height seats lacked thigh support for taller drivers, but there’s plenty of space in the footwell to hunt for a comfortable position. Visibility is excellent; when thrust into the wilds of Manhattan traffic, the EuroVan was an outstanding companion. Cupholders and cubbies are ample, but scattered in ways that may confuse drivers used to American-style minivans. Our favorite storage trays were located between the front and rear-facing middle-row seats, reachable from front or back and big enough to hold a good-sized camera case with plenty of room for other minivan detritus.
The EuroVan’s perennial shortcoming has been a lack of power. In fact, it’s almost a tradition that Volkswagen vans are painfully slow, from the first Beetle-engined Microbuses until now. Volkswagen finally addressed this problem in 2001 by beefing up the versatile 2.8 liter VR6 V6 engine for use in the giant box. 201 horsepower gives the EuroVan enough get-up-and-go to outgun a New York taxi from a red light, and that’s pretty significant indeed. A four-speed automatic transmission is the only one offered, but it makes good use of the VR6′ power on the freeway.
Handling is surprisingly good for such a tall vehicle, thanks to a fully independent suspension. VW’s Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) is standard, as are four-wheel disc brakes and antilock brakes (ABS). ESP’s yaw sensors help keep the EuroVan from tossing its body (and passengers) about in emergency maneuvers.
This van that’s happy to be a van is probably happy with its bottom line, too. Our test vehicle was a EuroVan MV with no options; the 16″ wheels, rear lighting, foldaway bed and folding table were all standard equipment. That rolling conference room stickered for $28,660 with destination included. That’s not too far from the price of the average, well-equipped minvan, and considering the EuroVan’s unique versatility, we think that’s not a bad deal at all. Where else can you get a minivan that will double as a home or office for under thirty grand?
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Volkswagen EuroVan MV, which we tested.
Length: 188.5 in.
Width: 72.4 in.
Height: 76.4 in.
Wheelbase: 115.0 in.
Curb weight: 4288 lb.
Base price: $27,700
Price as tested: $28,660
Engine: 2.8 liter V6
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 201 @ 6200
Torque: 181 @ 2500-5500
Fuel capacity: 21.1 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/20
2004 Chrysler Pacifica
Aug 2nd
I caught women in Kia Sedonas and Toyota Siennas eyeing the Pacifica during my test drive. And with good reason, whether they’re aware of it or not. What you’ve got here is what soccer moms in leather-wrapped minivans have been looking for; a people hauler that does double-duty as a stress relief chamber.
The idea behind the Pacifica isn’t all that complex; it’s taller than a station wagon, but shorter than a minivan. Chrysler humbly says it’s the Next Big Thing, or NBT. The Pacifica looks like a minivan with an unusually long nose, but it’s not. The reconfigurable, removable rear seats that characterize minivans aren’t present in the Pacifica. It’s built at the same plant as Chrysler’s minivans, but it doesn’t share anything other than a few parts-bin components with them.
At a glance, it’s obvious that the Pacifica is going to catch the eyes of the minivan crowd. The silhouette has the Giant Box look common to most minivans, but up front is a face that could only have come from Chrysler. A big chromy eggcrate grille dominates, and is flanked by glass-covered round headlamps. Expect this look to turn up across the board at Chrysler; the new Crossfire shares a version of it. Character lines down each side help to lower the big Pacifica visually, as do 17″ wheels. Make no mistake, this is a large automobile, but it’s about two inches shorter and lower than a Chrysler Town & Country minivan. It’s also wider than the minivan, which gives it a more compact appearance. The view from the rear is rakish, thanks to the minivan width and low roofline.
Lower roof or not, the Pacifica still offers a commanding view of the road. There’s seating for six, in three rows. Our test vehicle was trimmed in dark leather and was quite a nice place to be, with big, supportive seats and lots of elbow room in all seating positions. Middle-row passengers get armrests, reclining seats and a big console, and there’s plenty of legroom for them. Ingress to the rearmost seats is a bit tight, as is the foot space, but it’s not a torture chamber. Doing the cargo thing? All of the rear seats fold flat. Behind the wheel, the cockpit is cozier than that of the average minivan, but larger than that of a typical sedan–big surprise, eh? Adjustable pedals allow a variety of drivers to get comfortable behind the wheel. Unless equipped with the optional in-cluster navigation system, there’s a black hole in the middle of the instrument panel that makes it look as if something’s missing. And the available Infinity Intermezzo digital sound system turns the Pacifica into a concert hall on wheels. The only gripe we had was poor visibility to the rear, a result of a somewhat short rear window and a flat back end.
On the road, the Pacifica is downright soothing. The independent-front, five-link rear suspension is perfectly tuned for highways and suburbs, with just enough float to take the shock out of the bumps and enough feedback to avoid feeling like a cloud. It’s a big vehicle, and rapid transitions bring out a touch of minivan-like waddle in the Pacifica’s handling, but once it catches up it’s solid and predictable. Around town, the Pacifica is easy to drive (unless you’re backing into a parking space) and it has a way of making the day’s troubles seem less overwhelming. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are standard equipment.
Under the hood is a 3.5 liter, 250 horsepower SOHC V6 that’s shared with Chrysler’s 300M sport-luxury sedan. As a result, the Pacifica’s never lacking for power. It doesn’t feel as ponderous as a minivan under acceleration, either. It’s not completely carlike either, however. The power gets to the road through a four-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler includes its AutoStick selectable feature, for a slight dash of upscale sportiness. This versatile creature will also tow a 3500-pound trailer.
In case you hadn’t noticed yet, the Pacifica is equipped like an upscale luxury sedan, dynamically as well as ergonomically. Front and side-curtain airbags are standard. So are a minivan-style dual-zone climate control and a tire pressure monitor. If you want to go heavy on the options, the Pacifica can do it. Satellite radio and rear-seat DVD player? Got it. Hands-free communication and high-intensity discharge headlamps? Yup. The Pacifica is more than just an “NBT;” it’s a luxury sedan with a practical streak a mile wide. It’s got luxury sedan pricing, too. The Pacifica starts at $32,980. Our leather and sound-system equipped test vehicle stickered for $37,510.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, which we tested.
Length: 198.9 in.
Width: 79.3 in.
Height: 66.5 in.
Wheelbase: 116.3 in.
Curb weight: 4482 lb. (est.)
Towing capacity: 3500 lb.
Base price: $32,980
Price as tested: $37,510
Engine: 3.5 liter 24-valve SOHC V6
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 250 @ 6400
Torque: 250 @ 3950
Fuel capacity: 23 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/22
2009 Volkswagen Routan
Jul 24th
So, before you ask: no, Volkswagen’s new minivan isn’t a Microbus. It doesn’t look like a Microbus, and it doesn’t have the same attitude. And I don’t know why that’s the case. Yes, I know it would have been awesome if they re-created the Microbus.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let me introduce you to the Volkswagen Routan. It’s not the sort of van that Volkswagen is known for, but it’s got plenty going for it nonetheless. Rather than designing its own van from the ground up, Volkswagen teamed up with the avowed minivan experts of the industry at Chrysler. Since it’s arguable whether Chrysler or Volkswagen invented the minivan , with the early-Eighties Dodge Caravan or late-Fifties Microbus, respectively, it seems only fitting that these two companies would join forces. The Routan is based directly on the Chrysler Town & Country.
At a glance, this isn’t obvious. Volkswagen has done a good job of giving the Routan a complete exterior makeover. This seven-passenger van shares the VW lineup’s smooth, uncluttered lines and a handsome grille whose contour lines dip into the front bumper. The headlights are a combination of round and angled elements, like those of the Passat, and high-intensity discharge front lamps are available. At the rear, gently curving taillights flank a large rear hatch, the better for swallowing cargo.
The Passat seems to have donated its instrument panel as well; Volkswagen drivers will find a familiar layout and materials when sitting in the front seats. Moving back in the Routan, however, the illusion begins to unravel. The materials are nicer, but the layout is nonetheless identical to that of the Chrysler Town & Country on which it’s based. That’s not a wholly bad thing, of course, as the Routan is available with dual power sliding doors, a 115-volt outlet for household electronics and a remote start, like the Chrysler. The sound system’s head unit and the available touch-screen navigation system are lifted from Chrysler’s parts bin, and though they don’t quite fit ergonomically with the Volkswagen bits, they’re easy enough to use. An ultrasonic rear parking assist is available, as are a JoyBox Multi-Media entertainment system with a 30GB hard drive and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with dual nine-inch video screens for second- and third-row passengers. Chrysler’s cool uconnect mobile wi-fi is also available on the Routan. The power-operated third-row seat folds into the floor or flips over for tailgating parties. From the interior, the Routan feels more like a Chrysler than a Volkswagen, which may disappoint some VW fans.
The driving experience is also pure Chrysler, and that’s almost guaranteed to be a letdown for dedicated Volkswagen people. Two V6 powerplants are offered; a 3.6 liter OHV V6 that produces 197 horsepower, and a 253-horse 4.0 liter SOHC V6. The 4.0 is the more sophisticated of the two, and it’s got enough power to adequately propel the 4500-pound Routan. Six-speed transmissions are standard with both engines, so fuel economy is decent, topping out at 25mpg on the freeway.
You’ll have to lose those expectations of a GTI-like driving experience. The Routan’s suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a twist beam at the rear. Volkswagen’s Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is standard, as it is on all VW products, and anti-lock brakes are also standard. The Routan is a competent driver, but the underpinnings lack the Germanic touch of the rest of the VW lineup.
Routan pricing is in line with the rest of the Volkswagen lineup–that is to say, it starts out reasonably enough, and can be equipped up to top-line luxury levels. The base Routan S starts at $24,700, and walks all the way up to $33,200 for the top of the line SEL. Our tester was an SEL, and it was kitted out with a navigation system, sunroof, power-folding third row seat, remote start and the rear air suspension, making it a top-flight minivan. It was priced accordingly as well, with a full sticker of $41,790. Is that too much for a glorified Chrysler Town & Country? That depends on how important the VW badge on the grille is to you.
Specifications: All specs are for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan
Length: 202.5 in.
Width: 76.9 in.
Height: 68.9 in.
Wheelbase: 121.2 in.
Curb weight: 4621 lb.
Cargo space: 144.0 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Base price: $33,200
Price as tested: $41,790
Engine: 4.0 liter V6
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 253 @ 6000
Torque: 262 @ 4100
Fuel capacity: 20.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/25