Dodge Journey 2009
By Benjamin Cyr
Briefly, there’s a trend in all of this; the Dodge Journey relies on its versatility to seduce modern families. The lack of third row comfort (optional) won’t hinder its general usefulness. Another plus is its handling: the ride is good and less sleep inducing than that of the vans. Therefore, it is mission accomplished for Dodge although it seems that certain engineers were never consulted... The SE’s power train cannot handle the vehicle’s weight and to make matters worse, this four banger comes wedded to an automatic transmission with only four speeds; it reacts slowly and seems overtaken by the task. I actually cannot remember the last time I’ve driven a vehicle that takes 12 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standing start. The in gear acceleration creeps along as well. Imagine the length it takes with five passengers and loaded with luggage!
Luckily, a 3.5 litre, 235hp V6 comes as a standard feature in the SXT and R/T versions, along with a six-speed automatic transmission. On second thought, you may sour on this power train when you pull in to your local service-station and find that the V6 burns a lot of fuel. So, it’s one or the other: a sluggish engine which consumes on average 11.8 1/100km or a fast V6 which needs a minimum of 14 1/100km. As for competition, the only real options are the Kia Rondo and the Mazda5.
An impressive versatility
The Journey’s strength lies in versatility, price, standard features and interior volume. I would have certainly preferred a worthy power train and a better interior finish, but considering our trial model’s price (SE Plus version) of $20,995, I think the Dodge Journey will find many takers but for the only reason of avoiding a van at all cost! |
Previous page 
