The 2009 VW Routan Arrives

After more than a year of speculation, the 2009 VW Routan minivan was finally unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show earlier today. I've just posted a VW Routan photo gallery, and I'll mention a few highlights from the announcement.

According to a VW news release, the new minivan will be available with either a 3.8L or 4.0L V6 engine (which are also found in the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country), and features a "European tuned suspension and steering optimized for handling and improved driving dynamics." Revamped interior and exterior styling help differentiate the Routan somewhat from its Dodge and Chrysler cousins, but the changes don't appear to be too radical.

While the wisdom of introducing a minivan is likely a strong one -- VW wants to grow their market share in the important US market, and the Routan is one way to do that -- one can't help but think that VW could (or at least should) have differentiated the Routan a bit more. How about a diesel engine? Or a DSG-style transmission? Granted, introducing those features on what is essentially a re-badged Chrysler minivan may be out of the question from a production standpoint, but those features will likely be high on the wish-lists of VW aficionados.

What do you think? Should VW have differentiated the Routan a bit more from existing minivans? Let us know by clicking on the comments link below this article.