Posts tagged van

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