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Full Test: 19c
What to Buy when a Saab Just Won't Work
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By Christian Wardlaw
Date posted: 01-01-1999
Incomprehensibly, Volkswagen has re-released the EuroVan in the U.S. We say incomprehensibly because this glorified delivery van defies the logic of VW's current marketing plan and sullies an otherwise brilliant lineup of cars, while addressing a segment of the market that has stagnated in recent years. As one of our staff members proclaimed after an interstate run, "I'd take any minivan or full-size van on the market over this waste of sheetmetal."
We know that there is a small contingent of consumers who've gone wild for the EuroVan, and have lamented its disappearance from our roads since it was yanked from the market after the 1993 model year. In fact, after driving this box-on-wheels for more than a week, some of our staff members discovered that they, too, found this van appealing. There are things to like about this capacious VW, but the bad outweighs the good by a wide margin.
But first, a bit of background. The EuroVan is a passenger version of VW's European delivery van, much like the Ford Club Wagon is the passenger version of the company's Econoline workhorse. Previous to 1993, the EuroVan was known as the Vanagon, which was an updated version of the Bus, which was rather popular in the 60s with drug-addled free-love proponents from Haight-Asbury to Woodstock. Back then, the underpowered horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine was mounted in the back, aft of the rear axle, and the driver sat in a death-defying position mere feet from the vertical front end. Passenger and Westfalia camper versions were available, but by the 1970s the mini-sized Bus appealed only to those looking for something other than a traditional full-size domestic van with heart-bubble rear windows, shag carpeting on the walls and a mirrored disco ball swinging from the ceiling.
The Bus died just as the 1980s began, but the Vanagon continued the same powertrain layout: rear mounted, underpowered engine with the driver perched over the front axle. Passenger and camper versions continued. Later in the run, a Synchro four-wheel drive model was available. An improvement over the Bus in terms of design but not personality, the Vanagon was dreadfully slow and provided an uncomfortable driving position that gave owners an idea of what it might be like to pilot a city bus for a living. As the minivan movement gained momentum during this decade, Vanagon sales slid. A change in philosophy was necessary.
Enter the 1993 EuroVan. With the engine mounted up front and the driver mounted to the rear of the front axle, VW took a more conventional approach to small-van design. But by this time Chrysler dominated sales in the segment, and stylish new minivans from domestic and overseas manufacturers crowded showrooms. The EuroVan's weak engine, industrial interior ambience, purposeful design and high price rendered it an also ran from Day One.
The model was unceremoniously pulled from VW showrooms at the end of the 1993 model year, though a few campers and cab-and-chassis models continued to make their way to converters, such as Winnebago, to be used as the basis for small motor homes. Recently, however, a strong resurgence in Volkswagen's U.S. sales has evidently given the automaker enough confidence to return the EuroVan to American roads, albeit with numerous improvements.
Most notable is an infusion of power under the hood. The familiar 2.8-liter VR6 V6 from the Jetta GLX and GTI has been installed in the EuroVan, tuned to make plenty of low-end torque for improved acceleration and towing capacity. Making 140 horsepower at 4,500 rpm and 177 foot-pounds of torque at 3,200 rpm, this engine requires premium fuel and returned just 16.7 mpg during our testing. The EuroVan can handle up to a 4,400-pound trailer or nearly 1,000 pounds of cargo. Additionally, the van accelerates quickly enough around town to remain in the thick of traffic, even leading it when a heavy right foot is applied. The addition of the VR6 engine is the single most improved aspect of the revised EuroVan, and, of the improvements for 1999, goes the furthest toward making the vehicle palatable to Americans.
Another surprise is the EuroVan's competent handling. In parking lots, a 38.4-foot turning circle and power rack-and-pinion steering mean easy maneuverability. On the highway, a four-wheel independent suspension keeps the van planted solidly to the ground, despite more body roll than you'd find on Roseanne...uh... hmmm. What's her last name these days, anyway? Both the steering and suspension communicated more road feel than we could have possibly expected, which was a pleasant surprise. With front-wheel drive and low-speed traction control, our test van handled slippery roads with ease, while four-wheel disc brakes and standard ABS hauled our tester down from speed with alacrity. Overall, the EuroVan drives much better than you'd expect, more like a Golf than a Grand Voyager.
The interior is utterly huge. There is plenty of space for seven adults and a bunch of cargo, and with the individual buckets removed, the EuroVan can carry just over 150 cubic feet of cargo. Because of the van's boxy exterior, interior space can be efficiently used. The tall roof means loading toddlers into a car seat is easy. Mom or Dad can easily stand in the van to strap squirming youngsters down, turning what can normally be a back-breaking nightmare into a slightly uncomfortable bad dream. But the EuroVan proved garageable despite its height, clearing one editor's garage door by an inch or so.
Buyers can opt to use the space inside in one of two ways. Select GLS trim, as our test van was equipped, and you get a conventional van with seven forward-facing seats and a full load of standard equipment. Select MV trim, and you get a van with a conversion-style flavor, thanks to rear-facing second row seats and a third-row seat that converts into a bed. Optional on MV is a Weekender package, which adds a pop-up roof with a two-person bed, swiveling captain's chairs, screens for the side sliding windows, a refrigerator concealed beneath a fixed left-side rear-facing seat, and auxiliary battery and alternator. The package is expensive at $3,495, but will appeal to many outdoorsy types who love camping but hate the rigors of setting up shop in the woods.
Other improvements made since the last appearance of the EuroVan in U.S. showrooms include additional sound insulation, a stronger body, dual front airbags, side-impact safety beams, a child safety lock on the right side sliding door and daytime running lights.
Now you're confused, right? With all this good stuff, what's wrong with the EuroVan? Why didn't we like it? In a few words, the main problems with the EuroVan are the driving position, ergonomics and price.
Getting into or out of the EuroVan gracefully eluded our staff. Footroom is better than what you might find in a Chevrolet Astro or GMC Safari, but is still intruded upon by the front wheel wells. There isn't much space for large, wide feet between the engine cover and the brake pedal, as one driver wearing work boots discovered when he kept contacting the brake as he gunned the gas. The steering wheel doesn't tilt or telescope, resulting in an uncomfortable bus driver positioning of the body and arms. The hard seat needs more lumbar support and fore-aft travel.
Gauges are recessed in a deep binnacle and can be difficult to see during certain times of the day - or night. Our particular test vehicle suffered an intermittent problem with gauge lighting at night. Sometimes the gauges would be illuminated; sometimes not. The tall gear selector has tightly spaced detents and, despite the presence of a dash-mounted gear selection display, we had trouble shifting into the right gear and doing so smoothly. 'Drive' takes its sweet time engaging after shifting from 'reverse,' allowing the van to roll back a foot or so before surging forward somewhat unexpectedly. The floor-mounted parking brake is a stretch to engage. The weak fan cannot clear a fogged windshield quickly, and there are no side window de-misters. The front side windows are power one-touch open and close, but the optional $1,000 sunroof is not. And when the sunroof is open, only a mail slot's worth of UV radiation makes its way to your face. We could find no control that would turn on all interior lighting at once, and the climate control temperature settings are Celsius with no conversion to Fahrenheit.
The interior door handle pull can be hard to find in the dark. The stereo is located closer to the front passenger than the driver. The heavy rear hatch is awkward to close, and closing it results in grimy hands if wet roads have fouled the finish. There is no glovebox. There is little storage. A net or flip-down tray is needed between the front seats to keep small packages and purses from sliding rearward when accelerating. The low-mounted cupholders will not accommodate a Super Size Sprite from Mickey D's. The two-tier shelf system in the cargo area is nice, but without a cargo light items can get lost in the lower portion after dark.
Our test vehicle, at $32,500, did not have remote keyless entry. It did not have an in-dash CD player or a CD changer. It did not have leather upholstery or carpeted floor mats. It did not have a rear TV/VCP setup or auxiliary audio control. We could have done without the sunroof, the heated seats and the metallic paint, which would have brought the EuroVan in under $31,000, but that's still Chrysler Town &Country LXi and Oldsmobile Silhouette Premiere territory. In our opinion, the flawed VW is too sparsely equipped and industrially outfitted to command such a high price, and the answer is not fake wood trim or supple hides. The answer is a complete redesign.
Speaking of design, our EuroVan elicited derisive comment from friends and neighbors. From the folks next door: "Boy, that VW van sure is...um, boxy." (This, from people who drive a '96 Taurus wagon.) From friends after a Christmas party: "So, you heading out to pick up some chicks in that babe magnet?" From a staffer's spouse, riding in the second row and feeding a hungry toddler: "I feel like I'm riding to the airport in a shuttle van." We prefer to think of the EuroVan as purposeful in appearance. And we like the optional BBS wheels. So there.
During our time with the EuroVan, we kept asking, "Who's this van for?" As previously noted, one editor thought this was the perfect vehicle for folks who want a Saab 9-3 but need more interior space. It looks like nothing else in its class, it has plenty of entertaining (or nerve-wracking, depending on your vehicular orientation) quirks and it is reasonably fun to drive in a challenging kind of way. But the unfortunate part is that it is a novelty whose appeal wears thin quickly.
See all the Ratings: 1999 Volkswagen EuroVan 2 Dr GLS Passenger Van Road Test Scoreboard
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