The segment is the minivan.
The subject is the Volkswagen Routan (2008-Present).
Now, the minivan is a dying breed. First, the SUV wounded it and then the sudden appearance of crossovers drove a stake into it's heart.
But, Volkswagen is trying to triple their US sales. So they're attacking every segment of the market. The result?
This:
Now, in terms of minivan style, it's not terrible. It looks like a Volkswagen, it has the massive badge and upturned grill.Not great. But not a car that makes you scream,"Oh God, kill it now."
Really, it's similar to an SUV in its proportions. The front and back are slightly more squared off.Volkswagen's designers knew what they were doing, right?
Nope. Volkswagen had very little to do with this. So, the question is, who did?
Well, take a look.
Hmm, different face, same body.The same is true at the back.
The two have slightly different tailgates, but it's still the same rear.And the interior?
Here's Volkswagen's
And here's Dodge's.
Yeah, change the vents and the GPS screen and it's the same thing. It's disgusting, revolting, and incredibly lazy.
Volkswagen wants to triple their market share, good for them. It's stupid though, because the US isn't the biggest market for cars anymore, that's China and India. But whatever, let the fine folks at VW do what they want.
However, don't peddle this Dodge in drag.
All Volkswagen did was change the looks a little and fiddle with the suspension to make it "their" model. But that's not much.
The Routan is built on the same assembly line as the Dodge. Side by side they go down the line, getting their parts, and then they get shipped off to compete against each other in the sales room.
It's infuriating. Especially when Volkswagen thought about doing this:
It's their Microbus concept from 2001. They actually planned to build a production model that would look something like this.But they killed it in 2005. They said it would cost too much. So they called Chrysler and struck a deal.
Now they peddle the Routan, a Chrysler built minivan that doesn't even have the great features of a Chrysler minivan. If you want the fancy flip down table, or the swiveling chairs, of the Chrysler vans, you can't get it with the Volkswagen.
It's like buying a racehorse and then breaking its legs.
So, no, overdrive isn't necessary.
However, an I-beam falling from the sky, crushing the Volkswagen Routan like a tin can? That is necessary.
Edit: For a different, and much more positive view, of the Routan visit A Routan Owner's Blog.
In the interests of fair disclosure, you should start your post by saying you hate minivans and Chrysler. With those biases out of the way, we can weigh what you say.
ReplyDeleteSUVs are not synonymous to minivans. They are more expensive to buy and own. The real deal killer is that the third row seats are inconvenient to get to. The typical minivan buyer buys it primarily for seating.
VW chose to partner with Chrysler, I suspect, because the Grand Caravan/Town & Country is the best selling minivan in the U.S. "Don't envy success, copy it," say the marketers.
The Routan is different than the Chrysler/Dodge in some of the key human interfaces. VW improved the interior, the exterior, and the seating. Stow-n-Go chairs are great if you expect to regularly stow them. VW improved the comfort of the middle seats, which prevents them from stowing. My minivan's seats are used to sit in way more than they are moved for storage.
This brings us back to the original assumption: If I want seating, I buy a minivan. If I want to haul stuff and people I buy a crew-cab pick-up or SUV. The inaccessible third seat is moot if it's folded down for hauling.
Volkswagen wanted 3-5% of the U.S. minivan market. As of September they captured 3.9% of new minivan sales. They designed/adapted a minivan that meets some people's needs and wants. It's not a Bugatti Veyron (also owned by VW), but a Veyron can't entertain kids with two DVD players while saving the parents' sanity and letting the Dad think he has held on to a part of his manhood.
See my blog http://routanowner.blogspot.com for a different view of the Routan.
Mr. Williams.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I would like to thank you for reading my blog. It’s nice to gain some sort of recognition, even if we do disagree.
Now, you said that I hate both the Chrysler Company and minivans. I’m sorry, but that’s not true.
My uncle owns a new Chrysler 300C, in dark blue, with a leather interior. It’s a very nice car. There’s plenty of room for three people in the back (which happens more than one might expect in our family) plenty of power, and it looks very nice. The ride is soft without wallowing and still remains somewhat firm.
If I had the money, I would seriously consider owning one.
I can only assume that my post about the Chrysler TC by Maserati is what gave you the idea that I hate Chrysler. That’s unfortunate.
I judge cars on a case-by-case basis. While I don’t like the TC, I do like the 300. I prefer the Mustang to the Camaro, but I know that the new Malibu is a good car.
As for the minivan question, I actually like them. They are useful. My mother owned one for a number of years, a 1992 Ford Aerostar. It was a workhorse. We pulled the rear seats out and used it for hauling things instead of our truck, because the van was closer to the ground and easier to load.
I believe that is the source of our disagreement with the Stow-n-Go seats. I am used to hauling with minivans, while you are used to carrying passengers.
In addition, I would like to say that I did not insult the Dodge Caravan; my comments were aimed at the Volkswagen Routan.
Now, the reason I dislike the Routan so much is because I don’t like badge engineering. I believe that when a company makes a product that product should have its own identity. While it can certainly use other parts from other products, in the end it should be its own entity.
I don’t believe that the Routan fulfills that requirement. Changing the badge on the front, swapping out the suspension, and touching up the dashboard doesn’t meet my personal criteria.
One final note, you mentioned the Bugatti Veyron. It is a fine vehicle, wonderful in fact. I admire it for the technical achievement that it is. But it’s something that I’ll never see, and (in all likelihood) never own. But Volkswagen moved mountains to engineer that car and even builds it at a massive loss.
I want that sort of dedication in every Volkswagen product. However, I don’t want them to lose money on every vehicle. That would be insane. But I do want to know that Volkswagen put everything it had into its product.
That being said, I do thank you for the link to your blog. It will be interesting to read about the Routan when it’s discussed in a consumer-oriented manner. In fact, I added it to my links section.
The microbus concept—I would totally scrimp and save for a flat black, diesel version of that. Oh man.
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