diff --git a/BREAKING.md b/BREAKING.md
index 3fd13eaab5..ebff3744f4 100644
--- a/BREAKING.md
+++ b/BREAKING.md
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ This is a comprehensive list of the breaking changes introduced in the major ver
   * [Tabs Config](#tabs-config)
   * [Tabs Router Outlet](#tabs-router-outlet)
   * [Overlay Events](#overlay-events)
+  * [Utility Function Types](#utility-function-types)
 - [Browser and Platform Support](#browser-and-platform-support)
 
 
@@ -309,6 +310,12 @@ This applies to the following components: `ion-action-sheet`, `ion-alert`, `ion-
 </ion-modal>
 ```
 
+#### Utility Function Types
+
+- The `IonRouter` type for `useIonRouter` has been renamed to `UseIonRouterResult`.
+
+- The `IonKeyboardRef` type for `useKeyboard` has been renamed to `UseKeyboardResult`.
+
 
 ### Browser and Platform Support
 
diff --git a/packages/vue-router/src/router.ts b/packages/vue-router/src/router.ts
index dd6b67c0ea..8e7d1f275b 100644
--- a/packages/vue-router/src/router.ts
+++ b/packages/vue-router/src/router.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import {
   parseQuery,
   Router,
   RouteLocationNormalized,
-  NavigationFailure
+  NavigationFailure,
+  RouteLocationRaw
 } from 'vue-router';
 import { createLocationHistory } from './locationHistory';
 import { generateId } from './utils';
@@ -115,13 +116,8 @@ export const createIonRouter = (opts: IonicVueRouterOptions, router: Router) =>
     }
   }
 
-  const handleNavigate = (path: string, routerAction?: RouteAction, routerDirection?: RouteDirection, routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder, tab?: string) => {
-    incomingRouteParams = {
-      routerAction,
-      routerDirection,
-      routerAnimation,
-      tab
-    }
+  const handleNavigate = (path: RouteLocationRaw, routerAction?: RouteAction, routerDirection?: RouteDirection, routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder, tab?: string) => {
+    setIncomingRouteParams(routerAction, routerDirection, routerAnimation, tab);
 
     if (routerAction === 'push') {
       router.push(path);
@@ -247,11 +243,7 @@ export const createIonRouter = (opts: IonicVueRouterOptions, router: Router) =>
   const navigate = (navigationOptions: ExternalNavigationOptions) => {
     const { routerAnimation, routerDirection, routerLink } = navigationOptions;
 
-    incomingRouteParams = {
-      routerAnimation,
-      routerDirection: routerDirection || 'forward',
-      routerAction: 'push'
-    }
+    setIncomingRouteParams('push', routerDirection, routerAnimation);
 
     router.push(routerLink);
   }
@@ -313,7 +305,26 @@ export const createIonRouter = (opts: IonicVueRouterOptions, router: Router) =>
     historyChangeListeners.push(cb);
   }
 
+  const setIncomingRouteParams = (routerAction: RouteAction = 'push', routerDirection: RouteDirection = 'forward', routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder, tab?: string) => {
+    incomingRouteParams = {
+      routerAction,
+      routerDirection,
+      routerAnimation,
+      tab
+    };
+  }
+
+  const goBack = (routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder) => {
+    setIncomingRouteParams('pop', 'back', routerAnimation);
+    router.back()
+  };
+  const goForward = (routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder) => {
+    setIncomingRouteParams('push', 'forward', routerAnimation);
+    router.forward();
+  }
+
   return {
+    handleNavigate,
     handleNavigateBack,
     handleSetCurrentTab,
     getCurrentRouteInfo,
@@ -321,6 +332,8 @@ export const createIonRouter = (opts: IonicVueRouterOptions, router: Router) =>
     navigate,
     resetTab,
     changeTab,
-    registerHistoryChangeListener
+    registerHistoryChangeListener,
+    goBack,
+    goForward
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/vue-router/src/types.ts b/packages/vue-router/src/types.ts
index 74d41e5e68..fd9143fadd 100644
--- a/packages/vue-router/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/vue-router/src/types.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ export interface ExternalNavigationOptions {
   routerLink: string;
   routerDirection?: RouteDirection;
   routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder;
+  routerAction?: RouteAction;
 }
 
 export interface NavigationInformation {
diff --git a/packages/vue/src/hooks.ts b/packages/vue/src/hooks.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f128b9e8ef..0000000000
--- a/packages/vue/src/hooks.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,106 +0,0 @@
-import { BackButtonEvent } from '@ionic/core/components';
-import {
-  inject,
-  ref,
-  Ref,
-  ComponentInternalInstance,
-  getCurrentInstance
-} from 'vue';
-import { LifecycleHooks } from './utils';
-
-type Handler = (processNextHandler: () => void) => Promise<any> | void | null;
-
-export interface IonRouter {
-  canGoBack: (deep?: number) => boolean;
-}
-
-export interface IonKeyboardRef {
-  isOpen: Ref<boolean>;
-  keyboardHeight: Ref<number>;
-  unregister: () => void
-}
-
-export const useBackButton = (priority: number, handler: Handler) => {
-  const callback = (ev: BackButtonEvent) => ev.detail.register(priority, handler);
-  const unregister = () => document.removeEventListener('ionBackButton', callback);
-
-  document.addEventListener('ionBackButton', callback);
-
-  return { unregister };
-}
-
-export const useIonRouter = (): IonRouter => {
-  const { canGoBack } = inject('navManager') as any;
-
-  return {
-    canGoBack
-  } as IonRouter
-}
-
-export const useKeyboard = (): IonKeyboardRef => {
-  let isOpen = ref(false);
-  let keyboardHeight = ref(0);
-
-  const showCallback = (ev: CustomEvent) => {
-    isOpen.value = true;
-    keyboardHeight.value = ev.detail.keyboardHeight;
-  }
-
-  const hideCallback = () => {
-    isOpen.value = false;
-    keyboardHeight.value = 0;
-  }
-
-  const unregister = () => {
-    if (typeof (window as any) !== 'undefined') {
-      window.removeEventListener('ionKeyboardDidShow', showCallback);
-      window.removeEventListener('ionKeyboardDidHide', hideCallback);
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (typeof (window as any) !== 'undefined') {
-    window.addEventListener('ionKeyboardDidShow', showCallback);
-    window.addEventListener('ionKeyboardDidHide', hideCallback);
-  }
-
-  return {
-    isOpen,
-    keyboardHeight,
-    unregister
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Creates an returns a function that
- * can be used to provide a lifecycle hook.
- */
-const injectHook = (lifecycleType: LifecycleHooks, hook: Function, component: ComponentInternalInstance | null): Function | undefined => {
-  if (component) {
-
-    // Add to public instance so it is accessible to IonRouterOutlet
-    const target = component as any;
-    const hooks = target.proxy[lifecycleType] || (target.proxy[lifecycleType] = []);
-    const wrappedHook = (...args: unknown[]) => {
-      if (target.isUnmounted) {
-        return;
-      }
-
-      return args ? hook(...args) : hook();
-    };
-
-    hooks.push(wrappedHook);
-
-    return wrappedHook;
-  } else {
-    console.warn('[@ionic/vue]: Ionic Lifecycle Hooks can only be used during execution of setup().');
-  }
-}
-
-const createHook = <T extends Function = () => any>(lifecycle: LifecycleHooks) => {
-  return (hook: T, target: ComponentInternalInstance | null = getCurrentInstance()) => injectHook(lifecycle, hook, target);
-}
-
-export const onIonViewWillEnter = createHook(LifecycleHooks.WillEnter);
-export const onIonViewDidEnter = createHook(LifecycleHooks.DidEnter);
-export const onIonViewWillLeave = createHook(LifecycleHooks.WillLeave);
-export const onIonViewDidLeave = createHook(LifecycleHooks.DidLeave);
diff --git a/packages/vue/src/hooks/back-button.ts b/packages/vue/src/hooks/back-button.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a79c765b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vue/src/hooks/back-button.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { BackButtonEvent } from '@ionic/core/components';
+
+type Handler = (processNextHandler: () => void) => Promise<any> | void | null;
+export interface UseBackButtonResult {
+  unregister: () => void;
+}
+
+export const useBackButton = (priority: number, handler: Handler): UseBackButtonResult => {
+  const callback = (ev: BackButtonEvent) => ev.detail.register(priority, handler);
+  const unregister = () => document.removeEventListener('ionBackButton', callback);
+
+  document.addEventListener('ionBackButton', callback);
+
+  return { unregister };
+}
diff --git a/packages/vue/src/hooks/keyboard.ts b/packages/vue/src/hooks/keyboard.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..627702e12e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vue/src/hooks/keyboard.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { ref, Ref } from 'vue';
+
+export interface UseKeyboardResult {
+  isOpen: Ref<boolean>;
+  keyboardHeight: Ref<number>;
+  unregister: () => void
+}
+
+export const useKeyboard = (): UseKeyboardResult => {
+  let isOpen = ref(false);
+  let keyboardHeight = ref(0);
+
+  const showCallback = (ev: CustomEvent) => {
+    isOpen.value = true;
+    keyboardHeight.value = ev.detail.keyboardHeight;
+  }
+
+  const hideCallback = () => {
+    isOpen.value = false;
+    keyboardHeight.value = 0;
+  }
+
+  const unregister = () => {
+    if (typeof (window as any) !== 'undefined') {
+      window.removeEventListener('ionKeyboardDidShow', showCallback);
+      window.removeEventListener('ionKeyboardDidHide', hideCallback);
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (typeof (window as any) !== 'undefined') {
+    window.addEventListener('ionKeyboardDidShow', showCallback);
+    window.addEventListener('ionKeyboardDidHide', hideCallback);
+  }
+
+  return {
+    isOpen,
+    keyboardHeight,
+    unregister
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/vue/src/hooks/lifecycle.ts b/packages/vue/src/hooks/lifecycle.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..476551891a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vue/src/hooks/lifecycle.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { LifecycleHooks } from '../utils';
+import { ComponentInternalInstance, getCurrentInstance } from 'vue';
+
+/**
+ * Creates an returns a function that
+ * can be used to provide a lifecycle hook.
+ */
+const injectHook = (lifecycleType: LifecycleHooks, hook: Function, component: ComponentInternalInstance | null): Function | undefined => {
+  if (component) {
+
+    // Add to public instance so it is accessible to IonRouterOutlet
+    const target = component as any;
+    const hooks = target.proxy[lifecycleType] || (target.proxy[lifecycleType] = []);
+    const wrappedHook = (...args: unknown[]) => {
+      if (target.isUnmounted) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      return args ? hook(...args) : hook();
+    };
+
+    hooks.push(wrappedHook);
+
+    return wrappedHook;
+  } else {
+    console.warn('[@ionic/vue]: Ionic Lifecycle Hooks can only be used during execution of setup().');
+  }
+}
+
+const createHook = <T extends Function = () => any>(lifecycle: LifecycleHooks) => {
+  return (hook: T, target: ComponentInternalInstance | null = getCurrentInstance()) => injectHook(lifecycle, hook, target);
+}
+
+export const onIonViewWillEnter = createHook(LifecycleHooks.WillEnter);
+export const onIonViewDidEnter = createHook(LifecycleHooks.DidEnter);
+export const onIonViewWillLeave = createHook(LifecycleHooks.WillLeave);
+export const onIonViewDidLeave = createHook(LifecycleHooks.DidLeave);
diff --git a/packages/vue/src/hooks/router.ts b/packages/vue/src/hooks/router.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..27cf52408a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vue/src/hooks/router.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { inject } from 'vue';
+import { AnimationBuilder } from '../';
+
+export type RouteAction = 'push' | 'pop' | 'replace';
+export type RouteDirection = 'forward' | 'back' | 'root' | 'none';
+
+export interface UseIonRouterResult {
+
+  /**
+   * The location parameter is really of type 'RouteLocationRaw'
+   * imported from vue-router, but the @ionic/vue package should
+   * not have a hard dependency on vue-router, so we just use 'any'.
+   */
+  canGoBack: (deep?: number) => boolean;
+  push: (location: any, routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder) => void;
+  replace: (location: any, routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder) => void;
+  back: (routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder) => void;
+  forward: (routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder) => void;
+  navigate: (
+    location: any,
+    routerDirection?: RouteDirection,
+    routerAction?: RouteAction,
+    routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder
+  ) => void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Used to navigate within Vue Router
+ * while controlling the animation.
+ */
+export const useIonRouter = (): UseIonRouterResult => {
+  const { canGoBack, goBack, goForward, handleNavigate } = inject('navManager') as any;
+
+  const navigate = (
+    location: any,
+    routerDirection?: RouteDirection,
+    routerAction?: RouteAction,
+    routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder
+  ) => handleNavigate(location, routerAction, routerDirection, routerAnimation);
+
+  const push = (
+    location: any,
+    routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder
+  ) => navigate(location, 'forward', 'push', routerAnimation);
+
+  const replace = (
+    location: any,
+    routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder
+  ) => navigate(location, 'root', 'replace', routerAnimation);
+
+  const back = (
+    routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder
+  ) => goBack(routerAnimation);
+
+  const forward = (
+    routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder
+  ) => goForward(routerAnimation);
+
+  return {
+    canGoBack,
+    push,
+    replace,
+    back,
+    forward,
+    navigate
+  } as UseIonRouterResult
+}
+
+
diff --git a/packages/vue/src/index.ts b/packages/vue/src/index.ts
index de3fa2827a..a7fb9212e4 100644
--- a/packages/vue/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/vue/src/index.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@ import { addIcons } from 'ionicons';
 import { arrowBackSharp, caretBackSharp, chevronBack, chevronDown, chevronForward, close, closeCircle, closeSharp, menuOutline, menuSharp, reorderThreeOutline, reorderTwoSharp, searchOutline, searchSharp } from 'ionicons/icons';
 
 export * from './proxies';
+
+export { UseBackButtonResult, useBackButton } from './hooks/back-button';
+export { UseKeyboardResult, useKeyboard } from './hooks/keyboard';
+export { onIonViewWillEnter, onIonViewDidEnter, onIonViewWillLeave, onIonViewDidLeave } from './hooks/lifecycle';
+export { UseIonRouterResult, useIonRouter } from './hooks/router';
+
 export { IonicVue } from './ionic-vue';
 
 export { IonBackButton } from './components/IonBackButton';
@@ -18,18 +24,6 @@ export { IonModal } from './components/IonModal';
 
 export * from './components/Overlays';
 
-export {
-  IonKeyboardRef,
-  IonRouter,
-  useBackButton,
-  useIonRouter,
-  useKeyboard,
-  onIonViewWillEnter,
-  onIonViewDidEnter,
-  onIonViewWillLeave,
-  onIonViewDidLeave
-} from './hooks';
-
 export {
   modalController,
   popoverController,
diff --git a/packages/vue/test-app/tests/unit/hooks.spec.ts b/packages/vue/test-app/tests/unit/hooks.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..544df5b456
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vue/test-app/tests/unit/hooks.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+import { mount } from '@vue/test-utils';
+import { createRouter, createWebHistory } from '@ionic/vue-router';
+import { IonicVue, IonApp, IonRouterOutlet, IonPage, useIonRouter, createAnimation } from '@ionic/vue';
+import { waitForRouter } from './utils';
+
+const App = {
+  components: { IonApp, IonRouterOutlet },
+  template: '<ion-app><ion-router-outlet /></ion-app>',
+}
+
+const BasePage = {
+  template: '<ion-page></ion-page>',
+  components: { IonPage },
+}
+
+describe('useIonRouter', () => {
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    (HTMLElement.prototype as HTMLIonRouterOutletElement).commit = jest.fn((entering, leaving, opts) => {
+      if (opts && opts.animationBuilder) {
+        opts.animationBuilder(entering, leaving);
+      }
+
+      return Promise.resolve(true);
+    });
+  });
+  it('should correctly navigate back', async () => {
+    const Page1 = {
+      ...BasePage
+    };
+
+    const Page2 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page2',
+      setup() {
+        const ionRouter = useIonRouter();
+
+        return { ionRouter };
+      }
+    };
+
+    const router = createRouter({
+      history: createWebHistory(process.env.BASE_URL),
+      routes: [
+        { path: '/', component: Page1 },
+        { path: '/page2', component: Page2 }
+      ]
+    });
+
+    router.push('/');
+    await router.isReady();
+    const wrapper = mount(App, {
+      global: {
+        plugins: [router, IonicVue]
+      }
+    });
+
+    router.push('/page2');
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    const cmp = wrapper.findComponent(Page2);
+    const vm = cmp.vm as any;
+    const animFn = jest.fn();
+
+    vm.ionRouter.back(animFn);
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.path).toEqual('/');
+    expect(animFn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('should correctly navigate forward', async () => {
+    const Page1 = {
+      ...BasePage
+    };
+
+    const Page2 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page2',
+      setup() {
+        const ionRouter = useIonRouter();
+
+        return { ionRouter };
+      }
+    };
+
+    const router = createRouter({
+      history: createWebHistory(process.env.BASE_URL),
+      routes: [
+        { path: '/', component: Page1 },
+        { path: '/page2', component: Page2 }
+      ]
+    });
+
+    router.push('/');
+    await router.isReady();
+    const wrapper = mount(App, {
+      global: {
+        plugins: [router, IonicVue]
+      }
+    });
+
+    router.push('/page2');
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    const cmp = wrapper.findComponent(Page2);
+    const vm = cmp.vm as any;
+    const animFn = jest.fn();
+
+    vm.ionRouter.back();
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.path).toEqual('/');
+
+    vm.ionRouter.forward(animFn);
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.path).toEqual('/page2');
+    expect(animFn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  })
+
+  it('should correctly push a page', async () => {
+    const Page1 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page1',
+      setup() {
+        const ionRouter = useIonRouter();
+
+        return { ionRouter };
+      }
+    };
+
+    const Page2 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page2',
+
+    };
+
+    const router = createRouter({
+      history: createWebHistory(process.env.BASE_URL),
+      routes: [
+        { path: '/', component: Page1 },
+        { path: '/page2', component: Page2 }
+      ]
+    });
+
+    router.push('/');
+    await router.isReady();
+    const wrapper = mount(App, {
+      global: {
+        plugins: [router, IonicVue]
+      }
+    });
+
+    const cmp = wrapper.findComponent(Page1);
+    const vm = cmp.vm as any;
+    const animFn = jest.fn();
+
+    vm.ionRouter.push('/page2', animFn);
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.path).toEqual('/page2');
+    expect(animFn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('should correctly replace a page', async () => {
+    const Page1 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page1',
+      setup() {
+        const ionRouter = useIonRouter();
+
+        return { ionRouter };
+      }
+    };
+
+    const Page2 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page2',
+
+    };
+
+    const router = createRouter({
+      history: createWebHistory(process.env.BASE_URL),
+      routes: [
+        { path: '/', component: Page1 },
+        { path: '/page2', component: Page2 }
+      ]
+    });
+
+    router.push('/');
+    await router.isReady();
+    const wrapper = mount(App, {
+      global: {
+        plugins: [router, IonicVue]
+      }
+    });
+
+    const cmp = wrapper.findComponent(Page1);
+    const vm = cmp.vm as any;
+    const animFn = jest.fn();
+
+    vm.ionRouter.replace('/page2', animFn);
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.path).toEqual('/page2');
+    expect(animFn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    expect(vm.ionRouter.canGoBack()).toEqual(false);
+  })
+
+  it('should correctly navigate', async () => {
+    const Page1 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page1',
+      setup() {
+        const ionRouter = useIonRouter();
+
+        return { ionRouter };
+      }
+    };
+
+    const Page2 = {
+      ...BasePage,
+      name: 'Page2',
+
+    };
+
+    const router = createRouter({
+      history: createWebHistory(process.env.BASE_URL),
+      routes: [
+        { path: '/', component: Page1 },
+        { path: '/page2', component: Page2 }
+      ]
+    });
+
+    router.push('/');
+    await router.isReady();
+    const wrapper = mount(App, {
+      global: {
+        plugins: [router, IonicVue]
+      }
+    });
+
+    const cmp = wrapper.findComponent(Page1);
+    const vm = cmp.vm as any;
+    const animFn = jest.fn();
+
+    vm.ionRouter.navigate('/page2', 'forward', 'push', animFn);
+    await waitForRouter();
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.path).toEqual('/page2');
+    expect(animFn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  })
+})