Volkswagen Routan: Sporty also-ran van

Boston Overdrive - Boston.com
Posted by Bill Griffith March 16, 2011 04:55 PM

(All photos: Bill Griffith/Boston.com). Click photo for larger version.
Sometimes one finds the product of a blended family in the automotive world, and that's the case with today's test car, the 2010 Volkswagen Routan SEL Premium. [Scroll down to read the 2011 model's minor changes].
It's the progeny of a brief dalliance between the former owners of Chrysler (Daimler) and Volkswagen. They mated the estimable Chrysler minivan with the VW design department in order to give VW a "people-mover" for its lineup. The result: The Routan. …
However, it doesn't connect the Routan with VW's venerable Vanagons and Eurovans. Also, any resemblance between the Routan and the original VW Microbus surely is wishful thinking.

Click photo for larger version.
The test Routan was a top-of-the-line version with navigation, onboard entertainment system, and an MSRP of $39,300 (including destination). My street tends to have an eclectic assortment of vehicles parked by the curb on any given day, and I managed to pull alongside both a Eurovan and a newer Dodge Grand Caravan to take comparison photos.
The short description of the Routan is that VW gave the Chrysler minivan a restyled nose (quite contemporary), a European-tuned suspension (well done), and upscale interior with seating for seven but minus the popular "Stow 'n Go" seating.
While lacking that popular feature, the second-row captain's chairs are quite comfortable and will fold forward or recline, but not stow away or spin around for "inside" tailgating with folks in the third row (for 2011, Dodge has discontinued the latter "Swivel 'n Go" option).

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The third-row bench seat does fold flat to expand the cargo area, but even when it's upright, there's a deep well that is configured nicely for shopping bags or luggage.
Buttons on the key fob control the sliding doors on either side of the
Routan as well as the power liftgate. All these operations can also be controlled via the overhead console; in addition, the second-row passengers have an open/close button and there's a tailgate closing button on the back doorframe.
The fob also has a remote start feature. …
Most minivan drivers and passengers enjoy those vehicles' inherent high seating position. Mrs. G, however, felt the passenger's seat was both too high and lacking in legroom. The driver's side seat, on the other hand, had power adjustments and plenty of legroom. An annoyance was that the center armrests had to be raised to buckle the seatbelts. The leather seats were comfortable, heated, and gave the minivan a near-luxury feel.
VW's adjustments to the suspension added to that perception. The Routan was stable and predictable on the highway and handled our latest stretch of bad-road test track with aplomb. There was a nice combination of stiffness, spring damping, and sound absorption to make the ride feel decidedly high quality.
The Routan had well-chosen soft-touch dashboard materials with a useful tray in the top center. Instruments were VW-designed with white background (black markings and red needles) and white digital readouts for additional onboard computer information. It was attractive in most situations except when hit by direct sunlight which washed out the digital display and showed just the electronic circuits underneath. The three-zone (left-right-rear) automatic climate control was located low on the center stack and easy to read and use.

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Above that, however, was a standard-issue Chrysler navigation and audio screen. If you own it, you get used to it, but it's tedious for the casual user. The rearview display was needed because rear visibility through the rear quarter windows was blocked by rear headrests.
We averaged a meager 16.9 miles per gallon on a first stretch of mostly city driving but the van seemed to use less gas on a later unmetered highway run.
The 4.0-liter V-6 produced an adequate 253 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque, sending the power to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. We always felt there was plenty of acceleration available, but the Routan would downshift routinely on big highway climbs, perhaps the result of the vehicle's 4,621 pounds or perhaps in need of recalibrating the shift points.
VW has taken a decidedly low-key marketing approach with this stepchild, which won't help sales with the new Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, Mazda 5 and Nissan Quest minivans fighting for a segment that the manufacturers are hoping to revitalize.

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2011 updates

Being a single 25-year-old man automatically makes me a poor minivan tester. But when I rented a Grand Caravan with some friends in Arizona a few months ago, I practically saluted it after a 1,000-mile road trip. While minivans look like toasters, there's no other body style that can haul five adults and their gear in total comfort.
In Boston, I was mostly alone driving this 2011 Routan SE, a mid-level trim with vinyl "leatherette," navigation, and rear-seat entertainment. Following the updated 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan, the 2011 Routan shares Chrysler's all-new 3.6-liter V-6, good for 283 horsepower.
A new 6-speed automatic replaces the 5-speed, and during my drive it was quick to kick down and devoid of abrupt shift changes. The steering wheel receives an upgrade, with a thicker, softer leather-covered rim and buttons for the cruise control and trip computer. On the underside at the "9" and "3" positions are cleverly hidden radio controls.
The best part of the Routan is the steering — nicely-weighted, responsive, and connected to the road. As Bill notes, the suspension is truly surprising in its deftness. Most minivans, even the 2011 Honda Odyssey I'm driving now, are languid and write off sporty handling entirely.
But beyond the attractive styling and real aluminum trim on the doors, there's little to convince us the Routan is a Volkswagen. The brand confusion can be seen at night, where switchgear illuminates in VW's bright red and the instrument cluster stays a Chrysler light blue. Unless you find a good deal, there's little reason to prefer a Routan over the 2011 Grand Caravan or Chrysler Town & Country, which I found quite fun to drive on curvy, back roads.
The Routan isn't a bad choice, it's just lacking the competition's higher-quality interiors and flexibility (the Odyssey's cooled drink bin and flip-up trash container, or the new Caravan's sliding center drawer and those trick second-row seats). While the Routan's driving dynamics impress, for the money it's not the best choice in this segment.
— Clifford Atiyeh

Related articles

• Volkswagen Routan Accessories. (ctsgrilles.wordpress.com)
• Routan production being evaluated (windsorstar.com)
• Bulli: Volkswagen Microbus Reincarnated with an iPad Twist, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings (lowendmac.com)

VW Has Bigger Share of U.S. Under-35 Market Thanks to Routan

Image via Wikipedia

The Michigan Business News Blog may be a venerable outlet, but I don’t know where they are getting their figures regarding the Routan. They miss the fact that it is doing what no other mini-van has been able to do—sell to the under-35 “I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a mini-van like my soccer Mom” crowd.

The Routan is holding it’s own. http://routanowner.blogspot.com/2010/10/routan-september-2010-ytd-sales.html In fact, Routan’s portion of the American mini-van market (3.51%) is more than 50% greater than VW’s share of the overall American market (2.2%).
Routan is selling into a younger mini-van market, which is in keeping with the younger market VW wants for the Jetta. 23.3% of Routan buyers are under the age of 35. The only vehicle with a higher percentage of under-35 owners is the Volkswagen GTI at 23.4%. http://routanowner.blogspot.com/2010/05/top-10-models-for-young-drivers.html

Image via WikipediaVW has the mini-van for the younger driver. Only the Mazda 5 shows up in the top-30 with 17.7% young ownership. All other mini-vans have under 35 owner percentages between 16.2% and 6%.

Volkswagen’s other models are positioned for the younger driver. Volkswagen has 5 of the top 30 cars for the under-35, matched only by Mazda.

Michigan Business News Blog

So far, VW has made some inroads. Through September, its U.S. car sales are up 20.6%, a growth rate outpaced only by Subaru and Ford Motor Co. among mass-market manufacturers. Market share for the VW brand has ticked up to 2.2% so far in 2010, up from 2% a year ago. (Counting in Audi sales, VW's U.S. share is 3.1%.)
Its biggest test comes next year with the launch of a larger sedan intended to replace the Passat. The new Chattanooga plant will have the capacity to build 150,000 of them, 11 times the Passat's current sales, and they'll compete in the auto market's toughest segment—against the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
"Hyundai is extremely aggressive, and Toyota and Honda are going to spend lots of money to hold onto everything they've got," Mr. Ellis says.
VW's struggle with its Routan minivan, introduced two years ago, underscores the challenges the car maker has had in selling cars with more conventional American appeal under a brand that takes pride in German engineering.
After dropping plans for a modern version of its Microbus for fear it would be too niche and costly, it signed a deal with Chrysler to modify and rebrand the U.S. car maker's Town & Country minivan under the VW Routan name. VW tightened the minivan's suspension, gave it a sleeker front end and kept it in the same price range as the Chrysler. With an ad blitz featuring Brooke Shields, it aimed to capture 5%, or 45,000, of the 700,000 annual minivan market.
But the Routan's launch coincided with the auto industry's nose dive in late 2008. So many of them sat unsold on VW dealer lots last year that the auto maker asked Chrysler, which builds them at its Windsor, Ontario, plant, to temporarily halt production. While much of the rest of the minivan market has rebounded, Routan sales have slipped 0.8% to 12,539 vans so far this year, one-seventh of the number of Town & Country sales in the same period.
VW officials argue that the Routan has enabled them to sell to a key new customer segment. The company still expects the Routan's market share to grow as more consumers become aware of it as a minivan option.

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Beach-Bound Beauties

MSN Autos picks the 10 coolest vehicles to take to the shore this summer.

Image via Wikipedia

MSN Autos
By Claire Martin of MSN Autos

The best beach cars are big enough to carry a surfboard or two, zippy enough to hug a coastal highway, and so rugged that you can hose them out when they get too sandy. Preferably, they're all of the above, with a convertible top to boot. From cheap rides that help you work a beach rental into your budget to the coolest convertibles, from solar-powered cooling systems to luxury trucks that convert into campers, here are our choices for the best beach cars of 2010. Each one fits at least one of the above criteria. A few even fit them all. …

[MSN Autos lists 9 other neat vehicles that should be considered, and Claire Martin demonstrates fine, witty writing about all of them. Check out the entire article by clicking the title. I am highlighting only the Volkswagen Routan in keeping with the theme of the blog.—DMW.]

 Volkswagen Routan

Click to enlarge picture

Volkswagen Routan
Reminiscent of the classic surfer-mobile, the VW bus, the Routan is wide and long with plenty of space for surfboards, beach chairs or even a kayak. The rear seats tilt all the way back — a configuration that allows for sitting in the way back and dangling your feet out the back door and over the sand while you're parked beachside. You can even participate in a Frisbee toss, grill a marshmallow over a campfire or watch the surfers hang ten from the comfort of the car. A storage space under the floor in the second row is ideal for stashing pails and shovels, volleyballs and other essential beach gear.
Compare: Volkswagen Routan vs. Kia Sedona vs. Honda Odyssey

The Routan as Political Statement

On Volkswagen Automobile Information you can find a post, "Should Obama Get a Black Volkswagen Routan?" While I dislike it's ranting language, and I don't understand the purpose of the comment, I find it funny on so many levels:

1. The Volkswagen Routan is enough of an icon to become a political statement. Wouldn't it be funny if the upcoming election pins the "Tea Baggers" against the "Routanists"? Or, is it the "Routanistas"?
2. Image via Wikipedia
   
   The blogger ties the Volkswagen Routan to Hitler, yet all the critics exclaim that there is no German in it. It is a mini-van built in Windsor, Ontario by an American (purported) company that has a German automobile badge on it. Since Chrysler is now owned in part by Fiat, the blogger should have referenced Fascist Mussolini instead.
3. People complain about the commercial where people hit each other when they see a Routan. Now it is being used to bash Obama.
4. Since the Routan is bought from a company that Bush bailed out, and it creates jobs here in the United States, both parties could claim that it represents their ideals.
5. The "Tea Baggers" claim that the current administratrion's treatment of the Constitution is a travesty. Certain auto critics claim that the Volkswagen Routan is a badge-engineering travesty. In fact, didn't Chevrolet sell the "Travesty"? Oh, "Traverse".

I don't care what your views are of Obama and the current administration. I do know that more Routans are owned by the under 34-year-old crowd than any other minivan, and only the VW GTI has a higher percentage ownership by under 34-year-olds. It is hip, good looking, reliable, unique, and I got a great deal on mine.

Get It Straight--the Routan Is A Phenomenal Seller

"Image by Getty Images via @daylife"

Volkswagen may or may not discontinue the Routan. For that matter, Chrysler (Fiat) may or may not discontinue the Grand Caravan (GC) and Town & Country (T&C). Understand why before you throw the baby out with the bath water.

Fiat might discontinue or sell off the mini-van line because "that is not the business we are in." That doesn't mean that mini-vans are not profitable or selling well. In fact, the GC and T&C are the best selling mini-vans in the United States.

Why might Volkswagen discontinue the Routan? Corporate management is "less than enthusiastic about it," but why? Is it because VW is about to lose its supplier? If Chrysler/Fiat discontinues-limits-consolidates their mini-van, Volkswagen does not have an American supplier for the Routan. VW doesn't have a viable replacement in their stable. As popular as the Sharan may be outside the U.S., it doesn't have power sliding doors, is smaller than the top 4 mini-vans selling in the U.S., and I suspect hasn't started the lengthy U.S. certification process.

But the Routan is a phenomenal seller. As often as the motor press says otherwise doesn't make it so. There are three solid reasons why the Routan can be considered a great seller.

1. At introduction, VWoA head Stephen Jacoby said management was expecting to capture 3-5% of the U.S. mini-van market. The mini-van market has been hit hard by the Great Recession, but the Routan has captured about 4% of that shrunken U.S. market.
2. Volkswagen has less than 2% of the overall U.S. auto market. The Routan exceeds in its class VW's market share by 100%. Something that sells twice as well is not a bad seller.
3. The Routan has the youngest average ownership of all the mini-vans sold in the U.S. Volkswagen is strongest in the younger market--many of their models have the youngest average ownership in their class. The Routan either draws or feeds the primary market segment of VWs stable.

We also have to take into consideration corporate politics. The Routan was introduced on Jacoby's watch. Jacoby is leaving for Volvo. Whoever takes his place, the Routan will not be "their car." That alone could kill it.

In response to "Volkswagen Routan May Be Dropped From Line-up, Good Idea?"

Image via Wikipedia

Motortrend.com has an article entitled "Volkswagen Routan May Be Dropped From Lineup, Good Idea?" Below is the comment I left on that article.

The Routan has the youngest ownership of all minivans. In fact, there are only a relatively few vehicles that have younger average ownership. The youngest being the Jetta. Routan is positioned right for VW's market.

I suspect that the Phaeton will be positioned as the last car the Baby Boomers buy. We are dying off, and our profit contribution is decreasing for multiple reasons. But VW may be making a demographic play (provide a new luxury sedan that old guys can like because it doesn't look like the car all of their buddies drive.)

VW was smart to start with the best selling minivan in the US. The Routan has the features that Americans want. It is somewhat differentiated from the Honda and Toyota van that are viewed as practical (read, old fogey). It has an up-market feel compared to the Grand Caravan (GC is plebeian). Chrysler Town & Country is for the pre-boomer who can't get in and out of sedans anymore and who remember when Chrysler meant quality and engineering. (My 75-year old Dad drives a T&C--though he likes my Routan and he says that people who call it a T&C wannabe are idiots.)

The Sharan won't sell here in large quantities. The most mentioned feature by Routan owners is the power sliding side doors. The younger American buyers want power sliding side doors. The Sharan has conventional doors that don't convert well to sliding doors. Some complain that their isn't enough room in the Routan--so how will they feel about even less room of the Sharan.

I hope VW continues to target the younger minivan market. I hope Version 2 is built in Chattanooga on a VW chassis but in the same size configuration. They must add a TDI.

I wouldn't be surprised if Fiat drops the minivan or sells it off with the Ram family. That will end the comparison between the VW minivan and the Chrysler minivan.

Now here's a thought, VW should buy Ram and the mini-van, along with the Windsor plant. Then the Routan won't be like the T&C, but maybe VW will sell T&C units through Fiat/Chrysler. This move would also get VW into the US truck business.

I feel that VW should keep an American minivan that draws a younger market, I have mixed feelings about the Phaeton. While I'm a baby boomer (who started late with babies of his own) who is curious about the Phaeton, I wonder why I would buy one instead of an Audi (it's sister car)?

I am a soccer mom

A two-week test drive in two minivans – the 2010 VW Routan and the 2011 Toyota Sienna – reconfirm that minivans have a lot to offer

Baby Boomers - Online Magazine

By Jeff Rundles

… Seems strange really, in that I am a man and not a soccer fan, so I am neither a mom nor have anything to do with soccer, and yet I am, indeed, a soccer mom.

… [The] whole thing about being a soccer mom was really only manifest in one aspect: the minivan. …

The evil aspects of the minivan got so ingrained in the psyche of this generation of women that they will lumber around in a Chevy Suburban or some other large, kid-toting, 7-passenger vehicle – even to soccer practice and games – but never in a minivan. …

Yet, over the last couple of weeks I have had the great pleasure of driving the 2010 VW Routan minivan and the Toyota Sienna minivan, and in spite of my singing their praises – often to women who ask my opinion on vehicles all the time – all I got from women was snickers. …

Another woman, a neighbor, and her husband and children came over to see the Sienna, and to drive it, as the man of the house really wants one and the Sienna is the only minivan left on the market with an All-Wheel-Drive option. … She snickered. “Wouldn’t a SUV be better?,” she asked, obviously harboring soccer mom visions. I pointed out that a minivan is so much easier, that the doors open themselves and the kids can just hop in from school, and if there are friends they can all pile in and you’re good to go. The mom reacted as if this was sound advice, but I believe we’ll be seeing a new 7-passenger SUV in their garage soon.

… My children’s grandfather, who can afford any vehicle he wants, has been driving a minivan for years. He and his wife travel all over and they like the flexibility of a minivan for its gear room and guest-rider spots, and this grandfather says he just likes the way they drive. Good visibility, much easier to get in and out of than a SUV, comfortable, all the bells and whistles, easy to park, loves the sliding doors and the automatic-opening/closing side doors and rear hatch.

That’s me, too. That’s why I am a soccer mom. I love driving minivans. I love driving them around town, to work and on errands, and I think they are the very best highway road vehicles on the market.

VW Routan

The first one I got into was the 2010 Routan from VW. I am very impressed overall with VW, because after a few years of trying things very un-VW-like … they have gone back to what makes them what they are – solid German vehicles with great performance, great looks and a real distinctiveness that is lacking in most lines that aren’t German (re: Japanese cars).

The Routan is an odd duck, however, in that the minivan isn’t exactly a German thing. … [This] is a vehicle made exclusively for the North American market. By saying it is an odd duck, though, I do not mean to cast aspersions: like most all VWs, this is well made and a solid competitor.

What sets the Routan apart from every other minivan I have driven is its heft: this vehicle feels … very solid, much more than anything else. I looked up the weight of this and the Toyota, which felt less heavy, only to discover it is an illusion: the Routan weights 4,621 lbs., while the Toyota Sienna comes in at 4,735 lbs. Nevertheless, the Routan felt more substantial.

I enjoyed driving the Routan right from the start. Equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 engine putting out some 251 hp, the Routan is no speed demon, but neither is it lacking in oomph. … [If] anything it lacked the kind of torque that would make it quick off the line. Until, like most German cars, you figure out how to drive it: the Routan needs to be revved up, and then it really can go.

In the way back of the Routan, behind the automatic liftgate (I love that feature; the side doors were automatic too), the floor is sunken, quite a bit, which makes storage for groceries and the like a breeze. Plus, the rear, third seat folds down into the cavern, so you can make the back of the van perfectly flat for storing things like ski and luggage for a trip. Then there are storage bins in the floor around the second row of seats, and cup holders all around. It’s … all American minivan – but it is a great vehicle. Really liked it.

And the Routan I drove was quite equipped. Great stereo, a navigation system – all the bells and whistles, except that it didn’t have a sunroof (I am sure you can get one).

The Routan comes in 10 trims, ranging from the base model S with a 3.8-liter V6 with 197 hp (rated at 16/23), with a base price of $25,900, to the SEL Premium with the larger engine, carrying a base price of $42,500.

I drove the SEL w/RSE & Nav – the RSE standing for Rear Seat Entertainment system, and like most German cars it took a little while and an education, and the help of my 12-year-old, to figure out how to make the movie play in the rear seat. Then I couldn’t figure out how to play the movie back there and listen to the radio, …

Anyway, with the navigation and the RSE included in the base price, the Routan SEL carried a MSRP of $33,500, and it was pretty loaded at the price. They only added on the destination charge, so the bottom line was $34,300 – a great price in this minivan marketplace, especially for what you get here.

Toyota Sienna

…A few years ago I drove the Sienna and said I thought it was getting dated, …

They have changed that. This is now in a class by itself. … It is beautiful, inside and out but especially on the inside where the leather is perfect, the wood grain on the dash, steering wheel and doors is stunning, and where the driving is effortless, yet has great feel. …

I had the top-of-the-line Limited with the 3.5-liter V6 engine, but even though it was a smaller engine than the Routan, it was more powerful: 266 hp that felt like more (mileage rating: 16/22). …

Our test-drive model had everything: all the bells and whistles, the automatic doors, navigation, one of the finest stereos and sound systems on the market, and all that. But it had extras that made it special. First, the rear-seat entertainment system featured a wide-screen television screen that my son proclaimed the very best on the market. It was easy to use, easy to set up – it took me no time at all to figure it out – and the front seat passengers could listen to the radio while the kid was in back on wireless, and quiet headphones.

It also has two sunroofs – one over the front seats, and one over the middle seats, both of which open up, a real nice touch. The Sienna also has the cavernous rear storage area, and fold-down-flat third row seating, plus the middle captain’s chairs can slide way back or far forward, swivel, and they are easy to remove so the entire rear area can be an open van. Very intelligent design.

But the one thing that separates the Sienna from the minivan pack is the availability of AWD, and my test-drive model had it. …

The Sienna doesn’t come cheap, however. There are 12 trims available, beginning with a front-drive 4-passenger model with a 2.7-liter I4 engine with 187 hp (rated at 19/26), with a MSRP of $24,260 going all the way to this Limited model. Somewhere along the line you can configure the Sienna for 8-passenger seating, in both FWD and AWD models. … My fully-loaded test drive model included a $4,025 Premium Package that had the entertainment system, navigation, upgraded stereo (wonderful), a backup camera, hands-free Bluetooth, an iPod connection, voice commands, and a few more things. They also added $890 for High Intensity Discharge headlamps, automatic high beams, and rain-sensing wipers, and $185 for a roof rack. Add in $800 in destination charges, and the bottom line is $45,670.

…

Routan Is The Minivan for Young People

In my blog entries Automakers Pursuit of Youth and Top 10 Models For Young Drivers the Journalists quoted TrueCar.com. We can deduce from their reports that Routan owners are more youthful than either Odyssey owners or Sienna owners.

The study reports that 23.3% of Routan owners are under the age of 35. By contrast, when the report lists the top 30 models for youngest owners, the Volkswagen Routan was #2, but neither the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna are listed. The 30th "Youngest Car" was the GMC Yukon with 16.2% owners under 35. So, less than 16% of the owners of Odysseys or Siennas are under 35.

The only other mini-van on the top 30 list is the Mazda 5 at #19 with 17.7% of its owners under 35.

If you don't want your father's minivan, be non-conformist like the rest of the young people and buy a Routan.

Disclosure--I own a 2009 Volkswagen Routan SEL, but I do not own stock in any Volkswagen company or any auto dealership.

Automakers' pursuit of youth

MySanAntonio.com

G. Chambers Williams - G. Chambers Williams III

Web Posted: 05/22/2010 12:00 CDT

A new study by the auto website TrueCar.com suggests Volkswagen is doing a good job appealing to youthful consumers. Its GTI compact hatchback had the highest concentration of owners younger than 34, with 23.4 percent. The Routan (above) was the second-highest with 23.3 percent. COURTESY OF VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA

… TrueCar uses the 18-to-34 age bracket in its definition of “young” and says its study showed that 18.3 of Mitsubishi's customers are in that bracket, as are 18 percent of Mazda's and 17.6 percent of Volkswagen's.

…Among specific vehicles identified by TrueCar as having the highest concentration of owners younger than 34 were the Volkswagen GTI compact hatchback and Routan minivan, at 23.4 percent and 23.3 percent, …

“Even though customer loyalty is not what it used to be, capturing young buyers is still critical to the longevity of the automakers,” said Jesse Toprak, TrueCar's vice president for industry trends. “Not only do these younger consumers buy cars for themselves, but they also often influence purchase decisions made by their families and friends.”…

TrueCar says the average age of Mazda buyers overall, 47, is the lowest in the industry. Others that come in younger than 50 are Mitsubishi at 47.2; Volkswagen, Audi and Hummer at 47.5; Mini at 48; BMW at 48.5, Jeep at 48.6; Acura and Nissan at 48.7; Infiniti at 48.9; Porsche at 49.1; Dodge at 49.6; Saab and Honda at 49.7; and Suzuki at 49.9….

Toyota came in at 51, tied with Subaru and just barely beating Mercedes-Benz at 51.1 and both Ford and Chevrolet at 51.9. Hyundai's average buyer age is 52.3, reflecting its popularity among retirement-age buyers who are also quite price-conscious. Kia, the Hyundai subsidiary, came in at an average age of 50.2…

Lexus and Jaguar were in the middle at 53.6 and 53.2, but Chrysler skewed a bit older, at 54.5.

Volvo came in at exactly 50, while the GMC truck brand was at 50.1 and the Smart minicar at 52.3.

The automotive columns of G. Chambers Williams III appear Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Express-News Drive section. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; chambers@express-news.net.

Top 10 Models for Young Drivers

Truecar.com

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 8:39 am

We've all heard the comments: I don't want to get a Cadillac, that's my grandfather's car!

Well, now TrueCar can tell you what the grandkids are driving.

A new study recently completed by TrueCar.com, showed that Mitsubishi,Mazda and Volkswagen have the highest concentration of younger buyers. The study was completed in May 2010 and looked at the last full year of available data. TrueCar also identified the best deals* on models for this demographic based on current actual transactions.

The list, which shows the brands with the highest percentage of buyers that are 18 to 34, is topped by Mitsubishi (18.3%), with its young skewing list of models that includes the Lancer and the Eclipse. Mazda (18%), with the popular Mazda3 and Mazda6, and Volkswagen (17.6%), which features the list topping GTI and Jetta, were next with Nissan (15.6%) and Mini (15%) rounding out the top 5. The industry average was 10.8%.

On the flipside, the brands that have the lowest percentage of buyers in that age range are Detroit mainstays Buick (3.6%), Lincoln(4%) and Cadillac(5.1%). Those three makes manufacture eight of the 10 vehicles with the lowest percentage of buyers under 34 in the study, with the Cadillac DTS(1.1%) at the very bottom of a list that includes two Cadillacs, two Buicks and four Lincolns.

Making this information more valuable for consumers is TrueCar.com's list of the Top 10 Models for Young Drivers that includes the potential discount from MSRP. Topping the list – which is made up of models with the highest percentage of 18-34 year olds within the make – is the Mitsubishi Lancer which shows a possible discount of 25%†. Both the Nissan Titan and the Jeep Commander are showing potential discounts over 30%.

Make	Model	Trim	% of 18-34 Year Olds	Discount off MSRP
Mitsubishi	Lancer	Sedan Manual	18.3%	-25%
Mazda	3	4dr Sedan Man	18.0%	-5%
Volkswagen	GTI	2dr HB Man	17.6%	-3%
Nissan	Titan	2WD King Cab	15.6%	-37%
Mini	Cooper	2dr Coupe	15.0%	-3%
Audi	A3	4dr HB MT	14.9%	-3%
Jeep	Commander	RWD 4dr Sport	14.0%	-30%
Honda	Fit	5dr HB Man	13.9%	-1%
Subaru	Impreza	Sedan 4dr Man	13.5%	-5%
Acura	TSX	4dr Sedan I4Auto	13.4%	-6%

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Just as interesting as these great deals is what TrueCar discovered about actual average age of ownership. While it is fairly well known that Buick, Cadillac and Lincoln are mainstays at the bottom of the list, who would have thought that smart and Hyundai would be over 50 and BMW and Audi – traditionally older, more expensive brands – would be under 50. The whole list:

MAKE	AVERAGE AGE
MAZDA	47.0
MITSUBISHI	47.2
VOLKSWAGEN	47.5
HUMMER	47.5
AUDI	47.5
MINI	48.0
BMW	48.5
JEEP	48.6
ACURA	48.7
NISSAN	48.7
INFINITI	48.9
PORSCHE	49.1
DODGE	49.6
SAAB	49.7
HONDA	49.7
SUZUKI	49.9
VOLVO	50.0
GMC	50.1
KIA	50.2
TOYOTA	51.0
SUBARU	51.0
MERCEDES-BENZ	51.1
FORD	51.9
CHEVROLET	51.9
SMARTCAR	52.3
HYUNDAI	52.3
JAGUAR	53.2
LEXUS	53.6
CHRYSLER	54.6
CADILLAC	57.1
MERCURY	57.3
LINCOLN	58.7
BUICK	61.0

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And, in case you were curious, here are the top 30 youngest and oldest make/models. There may be some surprises on both lists, so enjoy the read, check your age and hit up TrueCar for a pricing report on a Volkswagen GTI, immediately.

TOP 30 YOUNGEST

Make	Model	Percent
VOLKSWAGEN	GTI	23.4%
VOLKSWAGEN	ROUTAN	23.3%
MITSUBISHI	LANCER	22.4%
NISSAN	TITAN	20.9%
SUBARU	IMPREZA	20.6%
NISSAN	ARMADA	20.5%
AUDI	A3	20.2%
MAZDA	3	20.2%
NISSAN	XTERRA	19.9%
VOLKSWAGEN	TIGUAN	18.8%
NISSAN	PATHFINDER	18.7%
MAZDA	CX-7	18.5%
TOYOTA	YARIS	18.5%
MAZDA	6	18.2%
TOYOTA	SCION	17.9%
VOLKSWAGEN	JETTA	17.9%
MAZDA	RX8	17.9%
MAZDA	5	17.7%
CHEVROLET	TAHOE	17.7%
ACURA	TSX	17.5%
AUDI	A5	17.2%
BMW	M3	17.1%
VOLKSWAGEN	CC	16.8%
DODGE	CHARGER	16.7%
NISSAN	CUBE	16.6%
NISSAN	ROGUE	16.3%
AUDI	S4	16.3%
VOLVO	C30	16.2%
GMC	YUKON	16.2%

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TOP 30 OLDEST

Make	Model	Percent
JAGUAR	XK	6.0%
MERCURY	MILAN	5.9%
INFINITI	M35	5.8%
MERCEDES-BENZ	E-CLASS	5.7%
VOLVO	XC70	5.5%
MAZDA	MX5	5.3%
LINCOLN	MKX	5.1%
MERCEDES-BENZ	S-CLASS	4.9%
VOLVO	C70	4.9%
VOLVO	S80	4.9%
CADILLAC	SRX	4.8%
CADILLAC	CTS	4.6%
LEXUS	ES	4.6%
AUDI	A8	4.4%
FORD	TAURUS	4.2%
PORSCHE	PANAMERA	4.1%
CHEVROLET	IMPALA	4.1%
HYUNDAI	AZERA	3.7%
ACURA	RL	3.6%
LEXUS	LS	3.2%
LINCOLN	MKZ	3.2%
LINCOLN	MKT	3.1%
LINCOLN	MKS	2.9%
BUICK	LACROSSE	2.2%
LINCOLN	TOWN CAR	2.1%
CADILLAC	STS	2.0%
TOYOTA	AVALON	1.9%
MERCURY	GRAND MARQUIS	1.4%
BUICK	LUCERNE	1.2%
CADILLAC	DTS	1.1%