Dodge Journey
Don Adair
Marketing Department Columnist
Don's Take
A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single cupholder.
Or at least that appears to be the philosophy of Dodge, as expressed by its new Journey midsize crossover.
Cupholders, bottle-holders, hidden storage containers, seats that do magic, two - count 'em - places to cool your beverages - this is the essence of Journey.
The five- or seven-passenger rig is family friendly and feature-laden. With a starting price that slides in under $20,000, it's priced to move.
Careful, though: the Journey has options on top of options and they add up quickly. Our R/T all-wheel-drive tester loped in at $34,385, landing it among some fairly fast company.
"Fast" probably misstates the case, though; this class is all about comfort, convenience and utility. It's about packing up and heading out. So what if the steering is numb and body lean profligate? Auto-writers care about skid-pad tests and slalom runs. Buyers of midsize crossovers have more practical concerns.
Where practicality matters, the Journey has answers.
It's not a big surprise. For the most part, the goodies that make life sweet with the Journey have appeared before on other Chrysler products. The "Stow-and-Go" seats, the "Chill-Zone" auxiliary glovebox, the MyGIG hard-drive entertainment system and the rechargeable flashlight - all have debuted elsewhere.
Driving while under the influence of a cell phone might not be a great idea, but a nifty foldout phone holder - seen previously in the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass - abets the practice. The kids in the back get a 110-volt outlet for the X Box, while mom and dad up front keep an eye on the proceedings using the "observation mirror."
even younger ones can order the optional pop-up booster seats. Push a button and - pop! - instant booster. Second-row seats slide forward, too, putting tykes within easy reach of the folks up front.
The bottom cushion of the front-passenger seat lifts to reveal a hiding spot large enough for a purse. Hooks on the back of the driver's seat tether grocery sacks. Deep bins in the floor ahead of the second-row seats house the games, toys, books and jewel cases that otherwise would bang around until finally disappearing forever.
Alternatively, you can fill them with ice - they're leak-proof - and chill 12 cans of pop.
The Journey is built on the same platform as the Sebring and Avenger sedans, though its wheelbase extends an extra 4.9 inches to make room for the optional third row of seating.
It's available in three trim levels and ith front- or all-wheel-drive.
The base SE trim is nicely equipped, with air conditioning, six-speaker audio with six-disc CD/MP3 player, tilt-and-telescoping steering, halogen headlights, dual glovebox with chilled storage bin, illuminated cupholders, full interior lighting package and full power accessories.
Safety gear includes antilock disc brakes, traction control, rollover-sensing stability control, and a complete set of airbags.
The SE is available only with the base, 173-horsepower four-cylinder engine, which is coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission. We didn't test this configuration but other testers say it leaves the 3,800-pound Journey significantly underpowered.
Fuel economy is respectable for the class at 19 city/25 highway.
Only 235-hp six-cylinder models qualify for all-wheel drive, which adds 211 pounds, or third-row seats.
EPA ratings for the six can go as low as 15/22 for a fully equipped R/T.
Aesthetically, the Journey plays nicely to family strengths - the strong cross-hair grille, quad headlamps and sculptured wheel-wells - and downplays its excesses. A strong shoulder line angles only slightly upward toward the rear to maintain sight lines and improve the view for back-seat passengers. Blacked-out B and C pillars give the greenhouse a feeling of length.
The interior is somewhat less successful. The dash design is uninspired, the color palette is overly somber and some materials don't measure up. Located at the bottom of a deep and quite busy instrument panel, the audio controls divert the driver's eyes downward and away from the road.
I'd prefer that the front seats be more supportive but I have no complaints about the driving position or the essential ergonomics.
Both sets of rear seats fold into the floor, yielding 67.6 cubic feet of storage space, which is about average for the class. There's scant room behind the third row.
Theoretically, the R/T is the performance trim but our tester failed to inspire me to forsake good sense, despite the optional 19-inch tires. Ride quality is quite good but handling is less than inspirational. Steering feel, accuracy and feedback are, simply, quite prosaic. But show me a buyer who hopes to find driving excitement in this category and at this price and I'll show you a dreamer.
