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2011 VW Sharan

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The Sharan is VW’s Europe only minivan. Smaller than out Chrysler based Routan.
It is finally due for a redesign next year. The current model is over 12 years old…

I think VW might be more successful by selling the Sharan in the US instead of the larger Chrysler clone.

Conversation 31 comments

  1. I see these in san diego all the time so i think they sell them in mexico… soo ""why not"" here ?

  2. This, like the Routan, is also not a VW product at it's core. It is a badge-engineered Ford Galaxy.

  3. I was living in Germany when the Sharan came out and ordered them for the service group in our company fleet. It is a very good minivan, and Vince is right – this would be a far better and far more convincing VW offering than the chrysler Routan rebadge POS.

    Not sure if Ford Europe still offers the Ford Galaxy (the Sharan was co-developed with Ford) but that was also a pretty good minivan.

  4. I agree. VW should disengage from Chrysler. Chrysler is basically a dead man walking. Fiat just doesn't know it yet.

    I also agree the Sharan would be more successful. Precisely because it looks better and is a bit smaller (they need to keep the price competitive though). The trend of minivans getting bigger and bigger has to stop. There is a market for a small, decent driving, parkable minivan in America. MILFs in big cities would buy them especially if they came with some green-cred.

  5. The Chrysler clone and the Jetta are the only cars that VW can sell in the USA.

    The My-My-My-Sharan will be to costly and un-reliable.

  6. Judging by the differences in styling on the current Ford Galaxy and this new VW Sharan, it seems Ford and VW have parted ways on the Galaxy/Sharan joint venture.

    I wonder if the SEAT Alhambra will adopt this styling as well.

  8. The current Ford Galaxy is built in Belgium and shares its platform with the Mondeo and S-Max.
    The previous one used to be build in Portugal with its VW and Seat siblings (that are still produced).

  9. It doesn't matter.

    The Routan (Chrysler) is a piece of crap.

    This Sharan will be an expensive piece of unreliable crap with a nice interior.

  11. VW does sell another minivan in Europe: it's called the Touran. It's known for its non-existing styling, and based on the Golf.
    The Sharan (and the Seat Alhambra and the first Ford Galaxy) was co-developed with Ford. It is based on an old Passat-platform. Ford had introduced a new, and very successful new Galaxy a few years ago (along with the S-Max). These are built on the current Mondeo platform.
    The VW Sharan is ancient, and not competitive anymore. The segment has been shrinking in the last years. Renault used to rule with the Espace, but Ford had taken over that crown.

  12. If it is too small, family won't be buying them. The Mazda5 is too small to be really practical. The 'right' size is the Chrysler, Honda and Toyota.

    The old Mazda MPV did not do well here in the States eventhough it drives much better than the Ody or the Sienna. It has all the features Ody and Sienna copied for their latest gen vans.

    I have an '02 MPV and it has roll down sliding door windows, indexing second row seats, fold in the floor third row ect. These features did not show up in mainstream vans until model year 2004.

  13. Those who denigrate the Routan haven't driven one for any period of time.

    If you don't need a mini-van, you won't appreciate a Routan. You'll also never say: "I really want to own a Honda Odyssey (or any other mini-van)."

    The 4.0L has the best fuel economy of all mini-vans sold in America. Vokswagen changed the seats to make them more comfortable and replaced the interior materials so that it doesn't look cheesy. The exterior styling notes VW added lets us mini-van Dads feel like we have a touch of Euro.

  14. "The exterior styling notes VW added lets us mini-van Dads feel like we have a touch of Euro."

    See, thats exactly what is wrong with the US auto industry…no one wants to say that they want a vehicle that gives them a "touch of American"….i'm sure it will happen one day, but I'm sure Ford will do it first….AGAIN. It's really sad to not be a fan of your home team….but it's not exactly our (the consumer) fault.

  16. These are underpowered and small and get maybe 1 MPG more than the full size proper mini vans. These are kinda pointless.

  17. About f***ing time!! the current model (also sold as Seat Alhambra) is ridiculously old. The design doesn't fit either VW's or Seat's current design language any more. Ford changed the Galaxy completely about four years ago. I don't understand why VW has let this car rot for so long. The segment may be shrinking in sales, but that's no justification to still have such an ancient product in the line-up: it damages the VW company image, and even if they had nothing to replace it with, they should have stopped selling it long ago.

  18. A few years back they had one of the coolest looking minivans at the NAIAS, what happened to it? The really missed the mark lately.

  19. "David M. Williams said…
    Those who denigrate the Routan haven't driven one for any period of time.

    If you don't need a mini-van, you won't appreciate a Routan. You'll also never say: "I really want to own a Honda Odyssey (or any other mini-van)."

    The 4.0L has the best fuel economy of all mini-vans sold in America. Vokswagen changed the seats to make them more comfortable and replaced the interior materials so that it doesn't look cheesy. The exterior styling notes VW added lets us mini-van Dads feel like we have a touch of Euro.

    September 27, 2009 11:54 AM"

    I have a co-worker with a Routan. It has less than 20,000 miles and is less than a year old and he is having PLENTY of problems with it already.

    How can you enjoy driving it if it is always in the shop or you are waiting for the next check engine light to come on??? He plans to sell it within the next year.

    The Chrysler VW gets good gas mileage because it has a terribly tall final drive and REFUSES to downshift on the highway. No publications actually like it either.

    The didn't replace ALL of the materials, just so you know. Dash, and SOME door plastics. That "touch" of Euro you are talking about is the front and rear 6" which isn't anything at all.

    Honestly, if I had to have a minivan (which I never would) it WOULD be the Odyessy. At least it gets universal praise and has been on Car and Driver's 10 best for god knows how long…

  20. I'm from Portugal and I used to work at Autoeuropa, the factory that produced VW Sharan, Ford Galaxy and Seat Alhambra (it now produces VW Scirocco and Eos). Normally we would build more than 300 cars per shift. Those were the worse 6 months of my life… 😀

  21. Car & Driver said: "Like its Chrysler and Dodge siblings, the Routan lags behind the rest of the minivan pack in interior volume, but for families who don’t need more room, its upscale trimmings and composed ride make it a comfortable and capable choice. Pricing for the base S model begins at $24,700, with the SE starting at $29,600 and the SEL opening at $33,200. For one grand more than a Dodge Grand Caravan and about $500 more than a Chrysler Town & Country, the Routan is the choice not only for VW owners looking for more child-seat anchors but also for those considering Dodge or Chrysler minivans. Look for the Routan in VW showrooms later in August, with about 40,000 sales expected in the first year."

    C&D said in essence that it handled better than all minivans except the Honda Odyssey, and it was faster than everything except the Toyota Sienna.

    One bad Routan doesn't represent the whole bunch.

    If you want a mini-van, (and I do), the Routan is a reasonable consideration, and VW is dealing to put more on the road. We can be thankful that it isn't the Sharan.

  22. The Routan seems to be one of those pointless things where VW just want to be seen having a presence in a certain market segment without spending any money to do so, and Chrysler go along because it gives them extra volume and gets the design cost amortized that bit sooner. The only thing missing is punters actually wanting to buy the car.

  23. screw the routan

    to all those who say that americans are unwilling to drive any vehicle that hints at being a minivan, check out the chevy traverse. it's godawfully ugly and the only thing keeping it from being a true minivan are the bulky swing-open side doors

    as a vw enthusiast, the sharan would be more in line with vw's current design motif and product line than a blocky chrysler minivan (which is a terrible waste of space…there is not that much room inside given the huuuuge exterior). but i'm not the only one thinking that vw should bring back the microbus for the u.s.

    WE WANT THE MICROBUS

  24. "David M. Williams said…
    Car & Driver said: "Like its Chrysler and Dodge siblings, the Routan lags behind the rest of the minivan pack in interior volume, but for families who don’t need more room, its upscale trimmings and composed ride make it a comfortable and capable choice. Pricing for the base S model begins at $24,700, with the SE starting at $29,600 and the SEL opening at $33,200. For one grand more than a Dodge Grand Caravan and about $500 more than a Chrysler Town & Country, the Routan is the choice not only for VW owners looking for more child-seat anchors but also for those considering Dodge or Chrysler minivans. Look for the Routan in VW showrooms later in August, with about 40,000 sales expected in the first year."

    C&D said in essence that it handled better than all minivans except the Honda Odyssey, and it was faster than everything except the Toyota Sienna.

    One bad Routan doesn't represent the whole bunch.

    If you want a mini-van, (and I do), the Routan is a reasonable consideration, and VW is dealing to put more on the road. We can be thankful that it isn't the Sharan.

    September 28, 2009 12:51 PM"

    Just an FYI, buddy.

    They haven't even hit a 1/4 of their expected sales in the first year and they haven't sold a 1/4 of their allotment. The Routan is a HUGE FLOP!!!!

    Again, the Honda has been on C&D 10 best list for a very, very long time and it really is your best bet if you want a minivan.

    The Routan is a mildly rework Chrysler which isn't a segment leader by any sense of the word. That awful 4 liter V6 you are talking about is also one of the least refined powertrains that I have ever experienced.

  27. "Anonymous said…
    Jetta and Routan are the only VWs that sell in the USA.

    September 29, 2009 2:25 PM"

    Might want to check those sales figures my friend.

    The numbers for the Routan can hardly be called "sales" since they are practically GIVING those vehicles away at dealerships and they are still not selling many.

    Routan = Flop
    Tiguan = Flop
    Current Passat = Flop
    Phaeton = Flop

  28. I rented a Chrysler van. what a mess, I actually returned it on day two of our trip and got a nissan altima. much smaller than the chryco van , but night and day baby. That van is the basis 100% for the vw right? that's what I thought. No Chryco VW for me please. Routan, roushman, piece of garbage, VW should be ashamed…..german engineered my a$$

  30. "Anonymous said…
    Go check how many Routans were sold in September…the sales results come out today.

    October 1, 2009 5:12 AM"

    Again, they are giving these away.

    My local dealer has 8 grand laying on the hood of these trying to get them out of their inventory.

    A sucker is born every minute is what they say.

  31. These are no where near as SAFE as the Chrysler-built VW's THAT'S why you won't see them in the US (can't pass gov. safety standards). And in my opinion, not nearly as nice to drive — or as reliable (as the Chryslers).

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