When the Routan minivan debuted in 2009, the seven-passenger minivan offered two engine choices: a 3.8-liter V6 with 197 horsepower and a 4.0-liter V6 with 253 horsepower. For the 2011 model year Routan, the lone offering is a 3.6-liter V6 that bests the power of both previous engines. The new engine provides 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Beyond the new engine, the 2011 Routan has other changes, including an all-new leather-wrapped steering wheel with multi-function controls. This minivan is a testament to plain and simple offerings, so the interior doesn’t suffer from techno-overload.

Routan has plenty of cargo room. Remove the second row seats and stow the third row seats by pulling straps marked 1, 2, 3, 4 (this design makes it real simple to know the order for strap pulling), and there’s 144 cubic feet of open space. Cupholders are everywhere, and dual sliding power side doors make it easy to bring beverages in/out of the vehicle. From the safety perspective, the Routan is now fitted with standard side airbags and driver knee airbag. Estimated mpg is 17 city/25 highway. Routan SE (with rear seat entertainment and Garmin navigation) carries a suggested MSRP of $34,750.