2010 Dodge Journey

 The crossovers market is growing each year. Consumers love the fact that they can drive a vehicle with SUV like looks and utility and sedan like handling and mileage. The Journey represents Dodge entry into this market; in fact the Journey was one of the original pioneers. It comes with a number of standard safety features and is available with amenities popular in other Dodge models, such as the Chill Zone beverage cooler in the dashboard. Little has changed for 2010, the Journey looks the same, but it does sport antilock brakes on all trims, as well as driver and front-passenger active head restraints. The 2010 Journey has a starting MSRP of $20,490 - $28,545; it gets an EPA fuel economy of 15 - 19 mpg for city and 23 - 25 mp on the highway. The Dodge Journey is available in five- and seven-seat versions. It faces a number of competitors, including the Ford Edge, Hyundai Santa Fe, Subaru Tribeca and Toyota Highlander. This Dodge model is also capable and versatile enough to compete with large truck based sport utility vehicles.

Journey Power

The 2010 Journey is powered by a choice of four-cylinder or V-6 power, and it can have either front- or all-wheel drive. The base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces an estimated 173 horsepower, and Dodge offers a 3.5-liter V-6 engine upgrade. The four-cylinder drives a four-speed automatic transmission, while the 3.5-liter V-6 uses a six-speed automatic. The Journey comes standard with front-wheel drive, but models with the 3.5-liter V-6 can have all-wheel drive.

2010 Dodge Journey Design

 The Journey gets Dodge's trademark crosshair grille bordered by rectangular wraparound headlights. It features large front and rear fender flares accent wheels as large as 19 inches in diameter. The Journey is only slightly shorter than the Ford Explorer, and it's actually longer than many seven-passenger crossover competitors. It's about six inches shorter than the Pacifica. The Journey's width translates to plenty of interior cargo room. The Journey has a large air intake, it runs the full width of the vehicle and is flanked on either side by integrated fog lights on the R/T model. Around the sides, the Journey features pronounced wheel arches and a creased character line that starts at the top of each headlight, angles upward, and wraps completely around the vehicle. The roofline flows nicely from the windshield, curving down slightly front to rear. On the outside, the Journey could be described as looking bold. However, the upright shape of the grille and its relation to the aluminum hood and windshield is very reminiscent of the current Dodge Grand Caravan. And the bottom line is consumers by crossovers as an alternative to minivan, not something that looks just like one.

Driving the Journey

The Journey handles fine and maneuvers on a variety of conditions with ease; however it is far from exciting. While the high seating position affords a good view of the road, it seems to hurt the feel behind the wheel. The Journey leans more in turns than your better crossovers and is also slower to react in quick changes of direction. The steering is light, but accurate. In short, the Journey doesn't offer the sporty driving character that can be strength of crossover SUVs, but for a family hauler it does fine.

Dodge Journey Cabin

 The Journey does best with its cabin; it is designed for ease of use and convenience. It has standard seating for five and optional seating for seven with a two-person third-row seat. Rather than Stow 'n Go or Swivel 'n Go seating like the Grand Caravan has, the Journey offers a new Flip 'n Stow system, which is essentially a storage bin under the front passenger seat cushion, revealed by tilting that cushion forward. There are also separate bins under the floor in the second row. The second-row seat can slide forward and backward and integrated child booster seats are available. The second row can fold flat into the floor for more cargo room, and Dodge's optional Tilt 'n Slide feature allows the second row to slide forward and out of the way so it's easier to get into and out of the third row. The three-passenger bench seat is 1.6 inches higher than the front seat to give passengers a better view of the road and front passengers. It slides forward and back up to 4.7 inches in seven-passenger models, and can be ordered with integrated child booster seats for the outboard positions. The Journey also has two in-floor storage bins with removable liners. The driver's seat offers plenty of head and leg room for just about any occupant. The view is generally unobstructed front and rear. It is the unique storage and convenience features, however, that really make Journey shine.Up front, models without the navigation system get a storage bin in the top of the center stack. All Journeys have a dual-level glove box with Dodge's Chill Zone up top. Chill Zone uses the air conditioning system to keep up to four soda cans cool. The interior materials represent a step forward for Dodge.

Journey Lineup

The 2009 Dodge Journey is offered in three trim levels: SE, SXT and R/T.The SE is exclusively front-wheel drive (FWD), while the SXT and R/T models are offered with FWD or all-wheel drive. Standard features on the SE model include cloth upholstery; air conditioning; Chill Zone beverage storage bin; AM/FM six-disc CD/DVD/MP3 compatible radio with six speakers; power windows, power heated exterior mirrors; manual day/night rearview mirror; tilt/telescoping steering column; driver's seat height adjustment; second-row reclining 60/40 seat; and P225/70R16 all season tires on steel wheels.

The SXT adds cruise control; remote keyless entry; Sirius satellite radio with one-year subscription; YES Essentials cloth upholstery, power six-way adjustable driver seat, fold-flat front passenger seat with Flip 'n Stow in-seat storage, conversation mirror, portable LED flashlight, cargo net, floor mats, trip computer with temperature and compass display, auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic headlights, a touring suspension, and P225/60R17 all-season touring tires on aluminum wheels.

Summary

The Dodge Journey is a midsize crossover that is based on a car-like structure. The Journey is available in many variations ranging from the entry front-wheel drive SE trim, all the way up to the sporty all-wheel drive R/T trim. The Journey does the job for families looking for a roomy cabin, seats for seven, and better mileage than any truck based SUV. The Journey is packed with convenience features, and while it may not have the flashiest design or best performance abilities it stands strong in the family vehicle market.