The V-word that has never been associated with Volkswagen vans is Velocity. After years of building a van with what German engineers think drivers need, they finally built one with what American drivers want: power, 201 horsepower, to be exact.

While they were at it, they lowered the price more than $5000, which brings in another V-word: Value. The price-performance ratio that had kept American buyers away in droves has been flipped, and if all is right with the world, customers should be beating down dealers' doors for this better mousetrap. Perfect it's not, but this Van has Volume, Velocity and Value, and yes, it's a Volkswagen.