Dodge describes the Journey as a mix of minivan and car in a sporty package. Like most motors produced by the Detroit motor manufacturer the Journey offers a ton of metal for the money and helpful bits of kit include a device to reduce the risk of rollovers and another to prevent trailers swaying.
The Journey’s flashy front features a lot of chrome and the exterior offers customers looking for something a bit different just that.
It is an imposing vehicle and the high seating position gives all occupants a commanding view of the road. It is one of the longest vehicles in its sector of the market so offers plenty of room inside. Even when all three rows of seats are occupied there’s a decent amount of head and elbow room – although the final row of seats are really only suitable for children.
Practicality
Access to the Dodge Journey is good and the five rear seats can be folded flat to enhance the amount of luggage space available.
Drivers of almost any shape and size should be able to find a comfortable position behind the wheel as there is an excellent range of adjustment for both the seat and steering wheel.
The centre console and dashboard are easy to use with all the controls well sited so that they are within easy reach of the driver.
The Dodge Journey’s cabin is one of the best that the company has produced with quality plastic on top of the dash and stylish chrome inserts. Everything feels solidly put together.
There are loads of neat cubby holes in the car including a ‘Chill Zone’ storage bin located in the glove box which can hold two 330ml cans and uses the air conditioning to cool the drinks.
Behind the front seats are another couple of storage bins set into the floor of the car which will hold 12 drinks cans plus ice or other items. The rear seat cushion can also be flipped forward to reveal even more storage space.
There are also four 12-volt power points throughout the cabin allowing electrical equipment to be used.
Life Style
The Dodge Journey is designed for families with active life styles. There’s a maximum of 2,296 litres of space available with all but the driver’s seat folded flat. So those with a penchant for the great outdoors have plenty of room to store their equipment.
And with a huge 77.6-litre fuel tank, the Dodge Journey should be able to get you where you want to go as it has a theoretical maximum range of more than 700 miles. On the downside it would cost a lot to fill up but despite being relatively heavy the diesel engine still returns a healthy 40-plus miles per gallon – the petrol power unit is less efficient returning an average figure of 32mpg.
With carbon dioxide emissions of 209g/km the petrol model is far from disastrous as far as the environment is concerned, but the diesel makes more sense both environmentally and financially returning a figure of 164g/km.
Security and Safety
All Dodge Journeys are fitted with plenty of safety equipment including a tyre pressure monitoring system and stability control as standard.
Also included across the range are front, side and cabin-length curtain airbags that provide excellent protection in the event of an impact.
Deadlocks and an alarm are serious deterrents to those intent of stealing your pride and joy.
The Finishing Touches
All Dodge Journeys offer individual air conditioning for every row of seats and all but the entry-level SE model get cruise control, alloy wheels and electric driver’s seat adjustment. The top two trim levels also offer the option of the MYGIG entertainment system which provides ample storage for music files and photos, connects your phone via Bluetooth and includes sat nav.
Summary
It doesn’t look like a traditional people carrier – but the Dodge Journey has space for seven and represents a value for money MPV option.