Review
Dodge Journey MPV
/5
- Pros:
- Low purchase price
- Strong diesel engine with low running costs
- Loads of standard equipment
- Cons:
- Firm suspension sends vibrations through the body
- Cabin lacks the sophistication and build quality of rivals
- Not great to drive
reviewed by Carbuyer
“Affordable, cheap to run and loaded with equipment, the Dodge Journey is a budget people carrier.”
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The Dodge Journey is a low-cost alternative to established seven-seat people carriers like the Ford S-Max and Renault Espace. When it's fitted with a Volkswagen-sourced 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, fuel economy is good for a large people carrier and performance is adequate. The chunky, squared-off styling gives it a lot of road presence and you get far more standard equipment than you would in the majority of rivals. Only poor build quality and an uncomfortable, noisy ride let it down compared to European and Japanese alternatives.
Drive
Feels as big as it looks, and is slow too
Light steering makes the Journey easy to manoeuvre, but it's not particularly precise. You're aware of its size in corners too, as there's quite a bit of body roll. The 2.4-litre 168bhp petrol engine is more powerful than the diesel option, but it needs to be revved very hard to achieve the extra performance. The 2.0-litre 138bhp turbodiesel engine is far better, as it's more economical and has plenty of mid-range punch, which is useful if you’re filling all the seats up with passengers for a long journey.
Comfort
Firm suspension spoils comfort
The Journey actually has quite a firm ride, as Dodge claims that it's quite sporty. But as we have described, that's not really the case and the Journey jiggles passengers around on the move. It doesn't help that the seats squabs are quite hard. The diesel engine isn't particularly quiet, but at least it is smooth.
Reliability
There's plenty of standard safety kit
The top part of the dashboard is actually quite well finished, with soft-touch plastics and chrome. The lower part lets it down though, as the materials are cheap to look at and touch. The Journey hasn't been crash tested by Euro NCAP, but there's plenty of standard safety kit including stability control, brake assist and traction control. Front, side and cabin-length curtain airbags are also standard, as is a 'Roll Mitigation' system that reduces the chances of the car turning over in an accident. A clever Trailer Sway Control system knows when your trailer or caravan has started to writhe around behind the car and can help to counteract it. Dodge didn't appear in the 2010 JD Power Satisfaction survey or Driver Power, so reliability is hard to gauge.
Practicality
With the rear seats folded flat, boot space is unbeatable
There isn't much boot space with the two rear seats in place, but fold them down and you'll have a very impressive 816 litres available. Drop the middle row of seats as well and there's an utterly enormous 2,117 litres of space, which is hard to beat. The back doors open through a full 90 degrees, which is more than most cars, and makes accessing the rear very easy. The middle seats slide, which makes it easy for passengers to reach the two seats in the back. There are plenty of storage spaces throughout the cabin such as trays under the seats and a flip-up storage area for the front passenger. The only downside is legroom for centre seat passengers, which could be better.
Value for money
Competitively priced, well equipped, lacking in quality
The Dodge Journey is a very affordable alternative to the Ford S-Max and Renault Grand Scenic. It's well equipped, too: with triple-zone climate control, tyre pressure monitors, electric windows and mirrors and a CD multi-changer with mp3-connectivity are all standard on entry-level SE models. The Journey SXT adds 17-inch alloy wheels, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, cruise control, front fog lights and stain resistant seat fabric. RT versions get 19-inch alloy wheels, leather, heated front seats and a multi-function steering wheel. Resale values are low, as Dodge is a budget brand and a relatively unknown quantity among UK buyers.
Running costs
The 2.0-litre turbodiesel is the top pick
The 2.4-litre petrol model is quite expensive to run with 32.1mpg and 209g/km of CO2, so road tax costs £245 per year. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel is much better at 44.8mpg and 165g/km, so you're looking at £155 for annual road tax. Insurance groups range from 20 to 22, which is reasonable.
