2017 Dodge Journey Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2008, 2012 and 2015 Dodge Journey as a used buy. Despite looking like a macho SUV, perhaps even a full-on 4WD, the Dodge Journey is actually a sensible people mover with three rows of seats and the ability to carry seven adults. Four adults and three children is a more realistic load. Note

Dodge Journey combines rugged SUV looks with the functionality of a people mover. Although it’s very much a bit player in Australia the Dodge brand has been around for just over 100 years and still remains one of the world’s most recognisable names. For most of its life Dodge was owned by Chrysler until the

Graham Smith reviews the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Dodge Journey as a used buy.

Holden has unveiled a new Commodore running on fuel that is up to 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. Caltex is opening its first E85 pumps around the country with up to 100 to be available by next year.The good news is that apart from ethanol being cleaner and greener than petrol, the fuel company vows the new fuel will be "priced significantly below unleaded petrol."Unlike diesel or hybrid cars, you don't have to pay a premium for the E85 compatibility. And unlike LPG, which is also cheaper than petrol, you won't need to lose most of your boot space for a tank. However you will need to buy a car whose engine is equipped to run E85. Apart from the upcoming Commodores and some Saabs, Dodge's Journey people mover and its sister Chrysler Sebring Cabrio share an E85 compatible engine.VALUEPriced about the same as many of its competitors, the flexible-fuel Journey could become a thrifty option for families once you have somewhere to fill up.With the Journey range priced from $36,990 to $46,990, we tested the mid-range $41,990 2.7-litre petrol V6 R/T. That's the same price as the glamour-leader among people movers, Honda’s Odyssey, significantly cheaper than the class-leading Toyota Tarago but a few thousand dollars dearer than the base Kia Carnival at $35,990.While the Journey is seen as a seven-seater, it’s really a 5+2 as there's not much leg room in the third row for anyone other than small children, and in this mode there's also very little boot space. The seats are easy to manoeuvre by a lever, making it flexible for a variety of uses and for family access.Integrated child booster seats come standard with the extra row, eliminating a need to carry child seats. There are plenty of cupholders, side and front row central storage compartments, a cooler in the glovebox, but it misses front row armrests.The sound system is good without being great; the reversing camera is handy in a car of this size while features such as satellite navigation and TV screens in the back of the front row headrests are available as options.When you can buy E85 you will need to buy more to go the same distance than a petrol car would travel, as ethanol has less energy. The saving is in its cheaper pump price.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.7-litre engine puts out 136kW/256Nm, slightly better than the Odyssey and the huge Hyundai iMax, but well below the V6 Tarago and V6 Grand Carnival. It has a workhorse six-speed auto gearbox. In full petrol use it averages a claimed 10.3l/100km, though in city traffic that leaps to 15L. Without an E85 pump to be found we couldn't test that figure.DESIGNThere are people movers that look like vans, some that look like mini-buses, others that resemble wagons and none that look like sports cars. The Journey is unique because it can easily be taken for an SUV. Its high stance, squarish shape and the Dodge grille give it more macho looks than its competitors.Drivers buy people movers out of necessity rather than desire. For those who don't have large families, coach sports teams or run a chauffeur service, it’s easy to look down at many bland people movers. But not the American Journey, its tougher looks give it a meaner presence on the road.SAFETYThere's plenty of the basic essential safety gear on board with Electronic Stability Control, brake assist, front and side airbags among the standard equipment. The SUV-like high seating position is also a bonus to see ahead in traffic. It's a pity the features don't extend to an automatic opening rear hatch on this model as it is heavy to lift and high to reach when you need to close it.DRIVINGThe Dodge is a keen worker. I first tested it under light load as the sole occupant and it showed spritely acceleration and a smooth and comfortable drive, even on notorious bumps and potholes.It also got loaded up with boxes and gear to help move house. Although it felt more sluggish as would be expected it showed some guts when laden. In fact the drive was better with some weight on board. It made the car more stable on the road.One concern is how noisy it us under acceleration from a standing start, with the engine roaring as it searches for the next gear.VERDICT: The Journey is a versatile, competent people mover with good looks and comfortable ride. I just wish it had armrests. Its E85 fuel-compatibility may prove to be a sleeper for boosting sales.DODGE JOURNEY R/TPrice: $41,990Engine: 2.7L/V6 136kW/256NmTransmission: 6-speed autoEconomy: 10.3L/100km (official), 14.9L/100km (tested)

Here's our guide to the five biggest-selling people movers on the market (2010 year-to-date, VFACTS).

It's even better for a family van, since every family is some sort of journey and every family trip becomes a journey.So Chrysler did the name game exactly right with its latest people mover, and there is a lot of other stuff to like about the American seven-seater.For a start, the styling is a cross between an SUV and a people mover, with a chunky nose that is typical of Dodge and a pumped-up body that looks a little like an over-inflated Holden Zafira. So it's not a giant spaceship and it doesn't promise off-road ability it can never deliver.Dodge describes the Journey as a two-box design and it is built up with a stretch of the mechanical package from its mid-sized Sebring sedan. That means it is also comfortable with a 2.7-litre V6 petrol engine or a 2-litre turbodiesel.There is good space and a lost of smart thinking from slide-fold-tilt seats that maximise the cabin space and make access easy to little touches on the comfort, fun and storage fronts.The pricing is reasonable, too, and from $36,990 it even undercuts the class leading Kia Carnival as well as benchmarks like the Toyota Avensis and Tarago. Chrysler Group prefers to have it considered against the Toyota Kluger, Holden Captiva and Ford Territory, which shows the range of contenders for today's big mixed families."This is a unique vehicle that will appeal to a crowd of consumers who want a reasonably priced, fuel efficient vehicle with seven seats today - not tomorrow," says Chrysler chief, Gerry Jenkins.He has solid sales hopes for the Journey, nothing outrageous, although its a vehicle which could easily become a cult hit in the same way as the PT Cruiser. It's not retro in the styling like the PT, but different enough to have cut-through on the school run and in touch with the needs of families in 2009.That is reflected in the list of optional equipment as much as the basic design of the Journey. The car comes with all sorts of storage nooks and cupholders and safety gear and the rest, but the options list runs to a master-blaster MyGIG sound system with huge built-in storage for $3250, a rear video screen - with headsets - for $1500 and rear parking camera at $400.Those are the sort of things that every Journey on a journey really needs.The diesel is a good idea, too, for long-distance travel with fuel economy in the 7 litres/100km range, although lots of people will prefer the 136 kiloWatts that comes with the V6.Either way, its a vehicle which provides a different set of solutions to the same family transport questions which are common in Australia - and around the world.DRIVING:On paper, and sitting in the driveway, the Journey looks like a smart choice.It ticks the boxes for space, value, safety and equipment and it looks tougher than any traditional people mover. So that should be the bottom line …But, before I get too carried away, it has some flaws.The quality is not up to Japanese scratch, even though it has improved from earlier Chrysler work, the tail is a bit pinched for people and luggage space, but - most important - it falls down on the driving front.When I first sat in the Journey I expected Forrest Gump to drop down beside me.It has nothing to do with the Dodge's home country, or a Tom Hanks obsession, but the size and shape of the seats. They feel more like a park bench.The best thing I can say about the seats is that they do not get any worse on a long trip. But they don't get any better.The Journey tester also came with the turbodiesel engine package and, despite excellent fuel economy, it never seemed completely happy. It's noisy at idle, takes a long time to run freely in the morning, and has an unhappy link between the engine and gearbox.It often takes too long for the engine to hit its sweet sport and the transmission, although a smart design which can be controlled manually, can struggle to find the right gear.But there is good stuff. And lots of it.The body has plenty of space and lots and lots of flexibility, there is huge storage, the optional MyGIG and rear video screen are excellent, and so is the rear-view camera. They should be on the shopping list for anyone considering a Journey.It's also great to watch the onboard trip computer logging fuel use at less than 10 litres/100km around town, with much better on the highway.But you still have to put the Journey up against its rivals, and then the choices get much tougher.It does not drive as well as a Ford Territory or a Toyota Kluger, although the value is great and so is the space. Although it's much trendier than a Kia Carnival, it's not as big and not as cheap. And compared with a Holden Captiva diesel it's not as good to drive.But, despite the questions created by its rivals, the Journey answers the needs of family motoring and has the advantage of a diesel. As well as a chunky look that does not shout people mover at the shops.PRICE: $52,140 (Dodge Journey R/T CRD as tested, MyGIG, video, rear camera)ENGINE: 2-litre turbodieselPOWER: 103kW/4000revsTORQUE: 310Nm/1750-2500revsTRANSMISSION: Six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive 

Because basically it's got everything that opens and shuts – and lots of it.There are storage bins in just about every bit of spare floor, most of them with removable and washable liners to accommodate holding dirty gear or anything you might want to add ice to. The glove box is split into two with a chill zone to keep a couple of cans (or even a large bottle of wine) cold. And every seat except the driver’s shuts down for more storage space, with the front passenger seat featuring a handy hard tray set into its back.The secondary doors open to a 90-degree angle for easier access to get people and cargo in and out of the back.And if you go for the optional $3250 MyGIG in-dash audio/nav/comms system – which now comes with a 30GB hard drive – you can also have a $1500 second-row DVD player that opens down from the roof.Reclining second and third rows, theatre seating that lets the kiddies all see out, stain-resistant upholstery and foldaway wing mirrors for easier parking.Then there’s the lure of goodies like heated seats and leather trim for the top-spec variant.All that, wrapped in SUV styling with a Dodge crosshair grille on the front? It’s a soccer mum’s dream.And its maker hopes about 100 of them will turn up each month to take one off the showroom floor.Dodge is calling it a crossover between a passenger car, SUV and people mover.But will it cannibalise sales from Chrysler stablemate, the Grand Voyager people mover?Chrysler Australia managing director Gerry Jenkins doesn’t think so.“Grand Voyager is king of all People Movers. It's for those interested in the best with all the bells/whistles and comfort,” Jenkins says.“Journey is targeted to active lifestylers looking for capacity, flexibility and utility in a stylish and affordable package.“Not as much room or comfort as a Voyager but not the same price either.“On the emotional side, great looks and an exciting different brand. On the rational side, tremendous creature comforts, utility, safety, etc. It looks modern, is modern and will appeal to the mass market.”Drivetrains Dodge’s Journey R/T arrives with the choice of a turbo diesel mated to a new dual-clutch automatic transmission for $46,990 or a V6 petrol engine mated to the six-speed auto previously seen in the Avenger for $41,990, with the SXT only available with the petrol engine at $36,990.The 2.0 litre turbo diesel develops 103kW and 310Nm and uses 7.0 litres per 100km.The 2.7 litre V6 petrol engine produces 136kW and 256Nm. Not surprisingly, the petrol uses around three more litres every 100km than the diesel.Exterior Quad halogen headlights, body coloured fascias and the crosshair grille set off the muscular styling that is Dodge’s trademark – although it’s been softened for the Journey.A sloping windscreen starts a flowing line to the rear spoiler, highlighting the stainless steel roof rails and three large side windows. Short front and rear overhangs, sculptured wheel arches and low gloss B and C pillars help give the car a sporty appearance.Safety A comprehensive airbag package begins a long list of safety features for the Dodge Journey, including ABS, ESP, Electronic Roll Mitigation, trailer sway control, tyre pressure monitoring, traction control and brake assist.Driving The first thing you notice about the Journey’s interior is the quality of the surfaces, which are a huge improvement on some of the previous models. The plastics are soft – even padded in some places on the dash – and the fit appears tighter all round.And once you work out the sequence of handles, it’s a snap to lift, drop, fold and stow the seats in their various ways.Cargo space of 397 litres balloons out to close to 1500 when you have all the seats folded flat, and there is excellent room for second row passengers, although the third row is too close to the floor to be comfortable for long legs.Both engines are willing enough, but the V6 fights against the Journey’s 1750kg bulk when you attack hills, and it’s likely to feel the extra weight if you’re packed to the scuppers.The turbodiesel delivers a better response, although it can tend to be a tad noisy at idle.There’s a bit of body roll if you corner quickly, but generally the road manners are quite good at normal speeds for this kind of vehicle, and it soaks up patchy bitumen surfaces easily until you step on the accelerator, which can make it lumber around.The steering was marvellously light at low speeds, however didn’t seem to add enough weight at the higher end of the dial.But all this was going on over some interesting rural roads at the highway speed limit much of the time. And most Journeys will be city ones, which is where features like lighter steering will be an advantage.For buyers looking for an urban family warrior with a good price point, it’s worth taking the Journey.