2009 Dodge Journey

The barrage of family friendly vehicles never seems to come to an end. It’s

Finally! A truly affordable crossover. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

as if with every new day there’s a newer, better, more practical way of getting your family from A-to-B. Many of the headliners, like the Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge, Buick Enclave and Mazda CX-9 are excellent all-round vehicles. Fast, smooth, comfortable and spacious, they’re what the modern automobile has become. And there’s no denying that this sort of vehicle is grabbing the limelight. While automakers are striving to be the best, perhaps they’ve unconsciously lost sight of the real world. Not everyone can afford to buy (or want to buy) their suits from Harry Rosen and their watch from Royal de Versailles or Brinkhaus, so why should people have to put down $40,000 or more of their hard earned dollars for a crossover?

Buying a vehicle can be very tough for a family on a budget that legitimately needs something larger and more spacious than just the average midsize sedan, and the traditional method of finding cheap interior volume, i.e. minivans, is becoming more limited. Ford has completely dropped out of the minivan business, and GM’s entrants will only be around until the end of the year, where upon the new Traverse

Steel wheels with wheel covers come standard. For $500 you can upgrade to aluminum wheels plus fog lamps. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

crossover based on the Acadia, Outlook and Enclave kicks into high gear. Even considering the mainstream minivans from Honda and Toyota, or value brands like Hyundai and Kia would mean spending over $30,000, and crossovers are no better... or at least there wasn't anything to look at until now. Finally there’s a company that’s out to tackle this problem head-on. It’s Dodge, and they’re doing it with the Journey, the first product launched by “The New Chrysler”.

$19,995. That’s what the new Journey SE Canada Value Package costs, a figure that’s going to drive some of its competitors up the wall trying to figure out how they can make a profit, and it’ll make you wonder what’s getting into the drinking water of Dodge’s product planners. If you read my review on the whole Journey lineup yesterday, you already know that this is just $10 off the US price of their base Journey, though our pricing doesn’t include freight and PDI, whereas theirs does. Still, that’s the closest difference between US-Canadian pricing I’ve ever seen.

Nowhere near as basic as you might think. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

What $19,995 buys isn’t just the shell of a vehicle either, but rather it’s very well equipped. Its windows and door locks are power-operated, as are the mirrors (they’re heated too), plus A/C and a six-speaker, six-disc CD audio system with auxiliary input are standard too. All the cubbies and storage bins are part of the base package as well, and so do a surprising assortment of safety features such as dual front, side-seat and side-curtain airbags, plus four-wheel discs with ABS and stability control. There are no two ways around it – that’s a whole lot of content for very little money. Do you really mind that the mirrors are black plastic and the wheels are steel with plastic covers when you’re only spending twenty grand?

Consider, for a second, what else is on the market that offers this kind of size and space, not to mention these features for under twenty grand. There isn’t anything. Consider that the mini-minivan segment, consisting of the Kia Rondo and Mazda5 start with higher MSRPs than the Journey, yet neither have air conditioning as standard

A/C is standard. So is a 6-disc CD player, ABS brakes, stability control, power everything... (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

(and the Mazda doesn’t have auto). Believe it or not, the Journey is way cheaper than the Dodge Avenger that it’s based on; the base Avenger SE is over $2,000 more to purchase than the Journey, and you can’t even get ABS brakes until you step up to the SXT ($24K). Heck, you could even bring the value-for-money battle right down to the level of the Caliber. Equip one of these five-door hatchbacks to the same level as the Journey and it costs $750 more, and doesn’t even have as much power, or anywhere close to the amount of space! It’s really unbelievable the amount of stuff you get for your money with the new Journey. For $1,000 more you can step up to the SE Plus, which adds tinted glass, a roof rack, cruise control, and keyless entry with that really cool Mercedes-Benz style fob. An additional $1,175 buys the Flexible seating group that turns the Journey into a seven seater, complete with rear-seat vents and lighting.

There is only one powertrain choice with SE model Journeys, and that’s the 2.4-litre VVT inline-four that makes 173 horsepower, sourced from the Avenger and Caliber, which is mated to a four-speed automatic that does not have a manual mode. It’s a fairly advanced engine, with

It's not a bad looking vehicle. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

variable valve timing on intake and exhaust valves, and it delivers comparable power to many equivalently sized engines. Because the Journey’s physically smaller than most three-row crossovers (and two-row crossovers for that matter), the four makes logical sense, but small size doesn’t always equate to low weight. In the case of the Journey, it has to lug around 1,724 kilos (3,801 lbs) when empty. It’s not bad, per se, when just driving around in town, but if you were to load it up with five adults, or seven, you’d really be wishing for more power. 0-100 km/h arrives in the neighbourhood of 11 seconds, which is not fast, especially in a class that’s dominated by high-powered big displacement V6s, and this of course is not helped by the long gearing to keep the car quiet at cruise and to improve fuel economy. And don’t even bother towing, even if Dodge says it can haul 454 kg (1,000 lbs).

Where the R/T and SXT were quiet and energetic during moments of hard acceleration, such as passing, I can’t say the same about the four. To get the gearbox to kick down requires you to really press hard on the throttle, and the engine sounds as if it’s truly disgruntled with having to exert itself. The engine

2.4-litre engine is overworked. It's fine for cruising and good on gas, but passing takes patience. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

noise is more evident because the rest of the car is shockingly quiet, and extremely well sound-proofed from wind and road noise. The upside to fitting the smaller engine is very good fuel economy at 11.0 l/100 km in the city and fewer than 8 l/100 km on the highway, which, by the way, is a full 7-percent better than what the old short wheelbase Caravan could achieve, and is more economical than just about any other seven-seat crossover (or minivan) on sale, meaning more money in your pocket.

Without the sports tuned suspension or the big wheels, the Journey doesn't feel as sporty, with a softer more comfortable ride. It’s an easy car to drive, with a light but slightly glued feel, and the wheel is easy to twirl making parking easy. With good sight lines, giant side-view mirrors, a high yet still car-like seating position, and a smaller physical size, the Journey is a breeze to drive in the city, which should help to make it popular. Put it this way – it may not be the most interesting vehicle to drive, but it’s a step above the minivan experience.

Aerodynamic headlamps and flush grille are just two items that make the Journey wind noise-free. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

Being within the most basic level of family transportation, you’d expect the Journey to look pretty barren on the inside. Yeah, it lacks the two-toned interior scheme, and there are quite a few blank switches on the console, but it’s not bad. Because the basic materials used on the Journey are consistent through the lineup, it’s only the finer details like chrome accents that are missing. Fortunately Chrysler hasn’t forgotten how to keep some interior sparkle in a basic vehicle. The Journey offers unique corrugated aluminum-look trim, and the six-way manually adjusted driver’s seat is quite comfortable. Stadium seating and a low beltline give rear-seat riders a good view of the world around, and on five-seaters the cargo area has plenty of space, while the under-floor storage is hidden by a reversible floor a la Magnum; one side’s plush and carpeted while the other is made from wipe-down plastic.

In the real world, people don’t just buy cars with cash; they lease them or finance them. Considering the potential for low monthly rates, I have a feeling this is going to be a big hit. Dodge says

For the money, there's no better value. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

that initially the car will be offered on a 24 month lease with $0 down for $299 a month. What’s more is that the unlike a number of previous Value Packages for Canada, a “base” Journey can be much more than just “base”. Across the board you can upgrade to a third row for $1,175, which, once again, includes second row climate controls and third row vents and lighting, and through the Safe and Sound package you can upgrade to the MyGig infotainment system (sans navigation), which includes the 30 gb hard drive and touchscreen interface with USB connection, plus a reverse camera can be incorporated for just $695. It’s the sort of technology you’d expect to find on $60,000 vehicle, but it won’t add much more than $15/mo in the Journey, something that many people will easily see themselves upgrading to. Buyers can also get a factory-fitted rear-seat entertainment system on the base Journey, at a cost of $1,500. That's pretty exciting stuff for a family on a budget.

Just the same, the Dodge Journey wasn’t designed to excite the senses or ignite a passion for driving; it was designed to be realistic, affordable transportation for budding families. With all the storage bins, the cupholders, and three rows of seating with available integrated booster seats, it’s hard to see how Dodge could’ve designed a better car for the intended purpose. In the coming months and years, I guarantee you’ll be seeing a lot of these vehicles on the road.

Specifications (Dodge Journey SE Canada Value Package):

• Price Range (MSRP): $19,995 - $24,170
• Body Type: 5-door crossover
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 173-hp, 166 lb-ft of torque, 2.4L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 4-spd automatic
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, BA
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,888 / 1,834 / 1,692 / 2,890 mm (192.4 / 72.2 / 66.6 / 113.8 in)
• Curb Weight (min - max): 1,724 - 1,920 kg (3,801 - 4,233 lbs)
• Tires: 225/70R16
• Cargo Capacity (3rd row up / down / 2nd row down): 302 / 1,049 / 1,915 L (10.7 / 37.1 / 67.7 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy: 11.0 / 8.0 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive; 60/100,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Edge / Taurus X, Honda CR-V / Pilot, Kia Rondo / Sportage, Mazda5 / Mazda CX-9, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Murano, Pontiac Torrent, Subaru Tribeca, Suzuki XL-7, Toyota Highlander / Venza / Toyota RAV4
• Web Site: http://www.dodge.ca