2010 Dodge Journey Review - Ultimate Family Travel

The 2010 Dodge Journey continues to represent Dodge in the crossover market. It has a starting MSRP of $20,490 - $28,545, and an EPA Fuel Economy of City: 15 - 19 and Highway: 23 - 25. The Dodge Journey comes with either two or three rows of seats, a powertrain choice of four-cylinder or V-6 power, and either front- or all-wheel drive. The Dodge Journey is a midsize crossover that is based on a car-like structure. It's also capable and versatile enough to compete with large truck based sport utility vehicles. One of the Journey's greatest draws is its 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. Crossovers are becoming an increasingly popular segment of the market, and the Journey continues to hold its own among the competition. 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. New for 2010, the Dodge Journey sports antilock brakes on all trims, as well as driver and front-passenger active head restraints.

Inside the '10 Journey

One highlight of the Journey's cabin is 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 view from inside the Journey is generally unobstructed front and rear. This Dodge vehicle is packed with convenience and organizational features. 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. The choice of materials is much improved inside the '10 Journey compared to past models. The improvement is most evident in the R/T model, which has a black dash center section that, while plastic, looks good and feels better than the plastic center stack in the SE and SXT models. Cloth seats are standard, and leather is optional. The second row is equally as ingenious. 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. Each bin can hold up to six soda cans plus ice. The seat backs are split 60/40 and fold flat.

Dodge Journey Exterior

Overall, the Journey is bigger than it looks; in overall dimension, it is only slightly shorter than the Ford Explorer, and it's actually longer than such seven-passenger crossover competitors as the Toyota Highlander, Subaru Tribeca and Hyundai Veracruz. It's about six inches shorter than the Pacifica. The Journey's size translates to plenty of interior cargo room, but the design isn't as space efficient as some of its competitors, including the Pacifica. The roofline flows nicely from the windshield, curving down slightly front to rear. The B- and C-pillars are blacked out to give the look of a car-like greenhouse and an SUV-like lower half. On the outside, the Journey announces its presence with the familiar Dodge crosshair grille.  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 no SUV sells by looking like a minivan.

Journey Crossover Power and Handling

A 2.4-liter engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission is standard with the SE trim. SXT and R/T models are powered by a 235-hp 3.5-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The base engine four-cylinder 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. This is not an off-road-oriented SUV, and as such it seems that Dodge could have made it sit a bit lower and therefore improve the handling characteristics. The steering is light, but accurate, And if you are looking for vehicle with an easy handling properties the Journey accomplishes this.

2010 Dodge Journey Trims

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. The SE model comes with Dodge's 173-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The SXT and R/T models use Chrysler's 3.5-liter V6.It makes 235 horsepower in the Journey and it puts its power to the wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission with Dodge's AutoStick manual shiftgate.

Standard features on the SE ($19,360) 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 ($22,360) 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 2010 Dodge Journey offers a few improvements form the previous year, and compared to the original generation it has made huge strides in overall quality and design. Standard safety features include six airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, brake assist, traction control, and stability control. The Dodge Journey was designed as a family mover, and that is certainly what its best at. The vehicle is perfect for those who need extra seating but are looking for an alternative to a minivan.