The only thing I know about marketing is that you put the groceries on the conveyor belt and a cashier adds up how much they cost. And I know even less about advertising.

But for my money, one of the best television commercials ever was Volkswagen’s “Routan Boom” series starring actress Brooke Shields.   

In a series of hilarious and facetious ads, Shields addressed the pressing social issue of people conceiving babies so they’d have an excuse to buy VW’s Routan minivan. 

In one commercial, Shields deadpans to a woman pushing an infant in a stroller, “You know, you really should only have children to bring life into the world, not to bring German engineering into your driveway.”

In another, she talks about a couple admiring the Routan as if they aren’t there. Shields states that the woman, who is clearly pregnant, is “…so seduced by German engineering she’s having a baby just to get it...”

The woman argues that’s not why she’s having a baby, but Shields talks right over her continuing “…with a man she hardly knows.” The man protests that he’s her husband, but Shields ignores him and continues, “Have a baby for love, not for German engineering.”

I bring those commercials to your attention after driving a 2009 Routan SE for a week, during which time the most conspicuous evidence of the vehicle’s German engineering was my recollection of the Brooke Shields commercials.

The Routan may have distinctive front and rear ends that identify it as a Volkswagen, but look past that and you’ll find a Chrysler minivan. It’s apparent that Volkswagen’s chassis engineers tweaked the suspension and its designers tinkered with the cabin, but the overwhelming impression is that it is a one of Chrysler’s minivan flock in Wolfsburg clothing.

Manufactured by Chrysler employees in the same Canadian plant as the Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, Routan may be less an example of German engineering than convenient sub-contracting. VW wanted a minivan and Chrysler had the capacity to build one at its Windsor, Ontario, manufacturing plant.

Which isn’t a bad thing. Chrysler created the minivan in the 1980s, and has been the segment’s sales leader since then. That’s at least partly due to the many innovations it has introduced over the past couple of decades.

One of those innovative features is a 60/40 split third-row seat that is found in both the Routan and its Chrysler counterparts. The seat’s sections can be easily folded into the floor, providing remarkably versatile cargo- and passenger-carrying flexibility.

Or the seat can be flipped over so it faces backwards in what is described as a “tailgating” position. 

Somewhat surprisingly, however, Chrysler’s similarly innovative second-row seating options aren’t available on Volkswagen’s minivan. Town & Country and Grand Caravan buyers can order second-row seats that fold flat into the floor or swivel to face the third-row seat. (There’s even an optional table that sits between the second and third rows.)

Although the magical second-row seats have been popular with Chrysler’s customers, their absence from the Routan is not a total loss. That’s because Chrysler may have traded comfort for convenience in designing them to hide away.

The Routan’s second-row seats appear to have more cushioning and support than their Chrysler counterparts, making them more comfortable.

And the second-row “captain’s chairs” that were standard on my SE-trim test vehicle, are easily removed for maximum cargo capacity. With the third row folded into the floor and the second-row seats removed, the Routan’s cargo bay looks larger than some junior high school gymnasiums.

It’s a lot more comfortable, too, thanks to VW’s other major upgrades which include front bucket seats that more closely resemble what you’d find in a nice touring sedan than in a Chrysler minivan.

Volkswagen also upgraded the Routan’s dashboard. Its look and feel seems more upscale and refined than its Chrysler counterparts, particularly in the upper half of the dash.

But I didn’t notice much difference between the two brands’ instrumentation or controls.

Nor are there any substantive differences between the 3.8-liter and 4.0-liter V6 engines VW and Chrysler offer on their respective minivans (although Chrysler offers a lifetime powertrain warranty versus VW’s 5 year/60,000-mile protection).  

I was less impressed with its standard 3.8-liter engine than the rest of the Routan SE’s performance. In most circumstances, the engine is smooth and quiet enough, and it delivers adequate power. The six-speed transmission to which it is mated shifts when expected and with minimal intrusion.

In other words, most minivan buyers will be satisfied with this powertrain. But those like me, who crave power, may be mildly disappointed by the more than 10 seconds it takes to get from zero to 60 mph or the leisurely way it climbs steep hills.

I found myself frequently mashing my foot to the floor seeking more oomph. And under those circumstances, the engine assumes a less refined personality.

That wasn’t as frustrating, however, as knowing that the 4.0-liter engine available only in the top-of-the-line Routan SEL provides 56 more horsepower than the 3.8-liter engine in my test vehicle and gets better gas mileage.

The test car’s EPA rating was 16 city/23 highway miles per gallon, and I averaged just under 18 mpg during a week of driving. The 4.0-liter’s EPA rating is 17 city/25 highway mpg.

While that bothered me, I have no complaints about the Routan’s handling. I’ve always been impressed with the way Chrysler minivans ride and drive, and this one bearing the VW badges also behaves well.

It is quiet and composed in both city and highway driving. It feels more like a car than a truck or a conventional SUV.

From what I remember about the last time I drove a Chrysler minivan, Volkswagen’s chassis tweaking has paid dividends. The Routan seems more responsive to steering input, perhaps because it leans a bit less in sharp corners than its Chrysler counterparts. This heightens the driver’s confidence level and makes it more fun to drive on winding back roads.

How much that and VW’s other modifications will appeal to minivan buyers remains to be seen. But based on my road test, Brooke doesn’t need to worry about the Routan’s German engineering sparking a baby boom.

 

NUTS AND BOLTS

What is it? 2009 Volkswagen Routan SE, a new minivan from VW based on Chrysler’s Town & Country and Dodge Caravan.    

What does it cost? Routan is offered in three trim levels with starting prices ranging from $25,200 for an S to $33,600 for an SEL. Test vehicle was a mid-level SE with rear-seat entertainment system and a $32,700 starting price. MSRP climbed to $33,835 with options and destination charge.

What I liked best: Versatility, conveniences and the Brooke Shields commercials.

What I liked least: Uninspiring engine, no stow-and-go second-row seats. 

Who’s it for? Although very similar to Chrysler’s minivans, the VW branding and dose of German engineering should appeal to buyers who wouldn’t consider a Dodge Caravan.

Important numbers: 3.8-liter, V6 produces 197 horsepower, 230 lb-ft of torque. 6-speed automatic. 121.2-inch wheelbase. 4,507 pounds. 32.8/83/144 cu.ft. cargo space behind third/second/first-row seats. 16 city/23 highway mpg (EPA). 0-60 in 10.2 seconds (VW spec). 3,500-lb towing max.

About the Author

Scott Wasser is the managing editor for the Times Leader. Reach him at (570) 970-7162 or swasser@timesleader.com.

Scott Wasser is a previous Vice President of News. He currently serves as executive editor of the Portland Press Herald as her continues to write an auto column for The Times Leader.

Wasser has worked at newspapers as diverse as the Stuttgart Daily Leader in Arkansas and the Charlotte Observer in North Carolina. His Times Leader tenure began in 1983, when he was hired as the newspaper’s sports editor. Over the next decade, he turned the newspaper’s sports section into one of the most recognized in the nation as it was annually named one of the best daily and Sunday sports sections in the country.

Wasser left the sports department to become assistant general manager and online editor of The Times Leader’s website during the infancy of the internet. He left The Times Leader in 2000 to become online editor of the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal. Just prior to returning to The Times Leader in 2008, he was editor-in-chief of a national magazine covering home theater and other consumer electronics.

But Wasser says his proudest accomplishment is having driven and reviewed over 1,000 cars, trucks and motorcycles since he started writing a weekly car column for The Times Leader in 1988. The column, which runs in print on Saturday and online here, has appeared in several other newspapers, and Wasser has contributed auto-related content to national publications including “Road & Track” and “Open Road” magazines and “USA Today.”

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