Volkswagen could lay claim to building the first minivan. The iconic Type 2, more commonly known as the Microbus (or just VW Bus) drove onto U.S. shores in 1956, decades before Chrysler introduced the "first minivan" in 1984. Ironically, for 2009 Volkswagen partnered with Chrysler to build a new minivan called the Routan. Volkswagen’s version of the Dodge Grand Caravan had VW-ish styling and interior materials, a much-needed suspension re-tune, and that’s about it. The Routan didn’t appeal to many Volkswagen customers used to Microbus-concept vehicles. After the 2012 model year, the Routan vanished from VW showrooms.