Test Drive Tube / Dodge / Dodge Journey

Proudly Closed Captioned. Adam Barrera at highmileage.org reviews the 2009 Dodge Journey crossover and places it in the context of its competition. 24x7: http://twitter.com/highmileage

Chrysler -- is in trouble. No analyst knows this icon's ultimate fate.
The best gauge of Chrysler's future viability is the promise of its most recent products.

I'm Adam at highmileage.org. I have good news:
this Dodge Journey isn't perfect, but it demonstrates a solid foundation to build on.

The Journey's excellence isn't in execution --
which is frankly unrefined and at times not fully thought out.
The Journey excels in its *ethic.*
This crossover somehow seems lighter than its competition.
Clever packaging solutions prove the Journey is built by people who really live in their cars.

Though this crossover form factor is creative, and DNA from the Dodge Caravan is evident,
the Journey is most comfortable when used as a five-seater.
An available third-row bench increases seating to seven,
but the rearmost bench is tight for bigger occupants -- that makes it: a 'sometimes seat'.
Behind the second row, the Journey offers 7 cubic feet more cargo space than the competing Toyota Venza.
But the Journey's storage story hardly ends in the hatch.
A fold-flat front seat helps the Journey handle long loads,
and a 'chill box' can cool down two twelve-ounce cans.
Your kids will figure out how to fill the rear in-floor storage space.
Clever seating systems and storage modules position Chrysler as a multi-purpose vehicle innovator --
IF that talent is nurtured and engineers' brave ideas are respected.
A mostly pedestrian interior design ethos is executed using average materials --
and exhibits none of the shockingly careless panel gap found inside the Toyota Venza.
But at night, a comprehensive LED lighting pack floods the cabin with crisp light on approach.
Ambient lighting in the front footwells is tasteful, but doesn't extend to the rear.
That's too bad -- kids are more appreciative of lighting that chases backseat boogiemen away.
Center stack ergonomics -- deserve revision.
Climate controls are simple to remember and usually don't require a driver's eyesight.
The stereo head unit, on the other hand, sometimes requires a driver's eye to operate.
As a general rule, displays should be close to the driver's line of sight to reduce distraction.
Inexplicably, the Journey's climate controls are stacked atop the stereo.

It's amazing that, after decades, the gunsight grille hasn't grown stale.
As new materials and aero techniques emerge, the crosshairs can evolve and take new forms.
Tight panel gaps and squinting headlamps lend a sense of precision to the front quarter.
Rear styling is contemporary, if not tall and narrow.
The Journey loses exterior design points for being available in five shades of greige,
but gains them back for offering two bright blues, a declarative red, and a fresh sage hue.
The optional performance package combines sportier suspension and steering feel
with 19-inch alloys that nicely fill the wheel wells.
This front-wheel-drive model's pavement tackle couldn't accurately be called 'performance',
but the Journey is light on its feet at speed and proves easy to manoeuver in sedate situations.
The 3.5-liter V6 is noticeably underpowered, especially in comparison to the Ford Edge and Toyota Venza.
Both competitors have around 30 more horsepower, more useful torque, and deliver more MPG.
At 232 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque, I feel that a turbocharged four-cylinder could do a better job.
More aggressive downshift mapping would help the six-speed automatic cope with freeway passing, too.

The best family haulers can handle people without asterisks.
With slight interior and powertrain tweaks, the Dodge Journey could lead in its class.
Until then, the Journey is a reminder -- that Chrysler might not be down for the count after all.