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2018 Dodge Journey - The perfect car to contain my whole family.
My Dodge Journey is the first SUV I have owned, and I cannot look back to owning a mid-size sedan ever again! I have always wanted to sit up a little higher in my ideal car, but SUVs usually come with a price tag that is too steep for my liking. As my family began expanding, I found the need for more seats a major reason for starting my vehicle search, which strictly lead me to a Dodge dealership. The first thing I noticed was the roomy third-row seating, which looked supremely built for comfort. The second and third rows conveniently collapse so that hauling bigger items is possible. So for me, owning an SUV seems like the best cross between a sedan and pickup truck. The Journey has a pretty smooth driving experience, which I'm no expert on, but I find for its size, it really handles ... (more)
Story
My two children love the idea of picnics in the car, so occasionally, we will get some lunch out on a Saturday and fold the seats down in order for the girls to sit in the back and have a "picnic" near a lake close by. They get so excited when we let them eat back there, and my husband and I get a small, moment to pretend that we are on a little date in the front.
Pros
My favorite features are the second- and third-row foldable seats, the roominess of the interior, the smooth drive, and climate control system for the heat/AC, hidden storage under middle row floor, keyless ignition.
Cons
The manual trunk door (heavy), no sunroof, no power seats.
2018 Dodge Journey - Good quality family vehicle
Great vehicle if you like basic and don't want to spend a fortune. This vehicle has most of the things that are on most factory standard vehicles these days. It has plenty of room for the family and has third-row seating. The second and third rows of seats fold down, giving us plenty of room to put groceries.
Story
It was when we were going to the beach in Alabama on vacation. We were with friends and they were laughing at us because they had a sports car. They ended up not having enough room for all of them in their car so they had to ride with us, which embarrassed some of them.
Pros
It has lots of space for everyone to sit, and it is quite comfortable. It gets really good gas mileage and handles turns great. The braking on it is sharp, and it has anti-lock braking. It also has built-in coolers in the floor boards of the second row seats. The cloth seat fabric feels really nice but the carpeting isn't the best. Great back-up camera and it is very accurate.
Cons
The fact that it looks like a "soccer mom" vehicle is a little bit annoying. It doesn't have a large amount of horsepower so it isn't a speedy vehicle. While the mileage is great, mountains and steep hills are tough on it. The air conditioning could be better and blow colder. Needs more power for long drives and has limited acceleration. Not sure how long the automatic transmission will hold up as their have been reported issues with them already.
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Pros:
Cons:
Would we buy one? IDK.
Vehicle Type: 4-door, 7-seat midsize crossover.
Price Range: Pricing for the 2018 Dodge Journey starts at an MSRP of $23,590 in base SE trim, while top-tier GT trim begins at $33,590. Pricing includes destination, but no optional equipment.
Powertrain: The standard engine in the 2018 Dodge Journey is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder making 173 horsepower. That engine is backed by a 4-speed automatic transmission.
An available 3.6-liter V6 engine making 283 horsepower is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is available on V6 equipped Journeys.
Competitors: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Pilot, Kia Sorento, and Toyota Highlander.
The 2018 Dodge Journey includes standard safety features like airbags, electronic stability control, and active head restraints. Available safety equipment is also slim, with a rearview camera and park assist available only as part of an added package on higher-end Dodge Journey Crossroad and GT trims.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety scores the Dodge Journey its highest Good rating on all but the small overlap crash test, where it receives a Poor rating. The Dodge Journey also receives a Poor designation for its headlights and Marginal rating for the LATCH safety seat attachment systems ease of use. Similarly, the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grants the Journey four out of five stars in their crash testing.
The lack of safety tech and Poor rating in the overlap crash test are emblematic of the aging structure of the Dodge Journey and it does not compete with what is offered by more modern options in the segment.
Considering it has three rows of seating, the Dodge Journey was found by most reviewers to be a great value, despite its aging chassis and engine options. Starting at under $25,000 and well optioned under $35,000, the Dodge Journey is definitely one of the more affordable 7-seaters on the market.
That inexpensive pricing is exposed in the areas of fuel economy, safety, and styling, where the Journey fails to outshine any of the competition. However, the Dodge Journey does offer AWD and pricing that makes it an appealing option for those looking to avoid settling for a minivan.
The Dodge Journey comes with a 3-year/36,000 mile limited warranty and 5-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Base Dodge Journey trims are equipped with keyless entry, a 4.3-inch touchscreen, and a six speaker audio system which has one USB port and one audio jack. Optional tech on Dodge Journey SXT and SE trims includes satellite radio and a CD player.
Crossroads and GT trim get a standard 8.4-inch touchscreen, which includes Bluetooth and voice command capability. The infotainment system runs Dodge's Uconnect interface which reviewers found to be one of the most user-friendly in the industry. Navigation and Back-Up Camera can also be had as part of a package and add to the functionality of the touchscreen. A Premium Sound System package, which adds a subwoofer and amplifier, is also available on Crossroad models and standard in SXT trim. A Rear-Seat Video package adds a 9-inch overhead entertainment system, with wireless headphones, for a little front seat peace and quiet.
The Dodge Journey is only configured with a 3rd row for the 2018 model year, which means it comfortably seats up to five adults in the front seats and second row, and has room for two kids in the back. Third row seating would not accommodate adults for any period of time. Seating for seven make the Dodge Journey a good compromise for those not wanting to commit to the sheer size of its larger sibling, the Durango.
The Dodge Journey has 10.7 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and up to 67.6 cubic-feet when the seats are stowed away. Those are average numbers, but don't take into account all of the small cubbies and storage compartments within the cabin. Borrowing somewhat for the excellent Stow 'N Go found in the Dodge Grand Caravan, there are underfloor compartments under the feet of the middle row seat passengers as well as behind the third row seats. All these little spaces provide plenty of room for passengers' personal items.
Outside, the design language of the Dodge Journey follows the Grand Caravan, and smaller Caliber, neither of which are overly attractive. From some angles, it is difficult to tell which you are looking at. Dodge did try to bring the Journey into more modern times with the Blacktop Package, which includes black painted alloy wheels, grille, roof rails, and mirror caps. The package does give the crossover a slightly edgier, tougher look.
Inside, the Dodge Journey's design is basic, but not bad. As previously mentioned, storage cubbies abound, and the simple design is acceptable in an older chassis. The trim levels bring the expected sturdy fabric upholstery in Dodge Journey SE and SXT trim, to perforated leather seats, and heated steering wheel in GT trim. Reviewers barely mentioned the interior fit and finish, which at this low price is honestly a pretty good sign, as it means they were not offended by cheap plastics and found the build quality to be at least up to standard.
Both engine options could be described as sluggish, with even the V6 taking about 8 seconds to get to freeway speeds. Reviewers found the four-cylinder Journey to be even slower, and the four-speed automatic to shift roughly. The six-speed automatic also did not receive rave reviews, as shifting was inconsistent.
Handling was described as carlike compared to larger 7-seater SUV's, but body-roll was a consistent issue, and the suspension failed to absorb road imperfections without jostling the Journey. Reviewers did find the feedback from the steering wheel to be excellent, due to the use of older technology, hydraulic power steering, compared to most modern cars electric power steering systems.
When equipped with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder drivetrain, the Dodge Journey receives EPA estimated fuel economy of 25 highway mpg and 21 city. The Dodge Journey GT, which can be had with FWD and the V6, rates out at 25 highway mpg and 17 city. Other V6 models with standard AWD only pay a slight penalty for the added grip, at 24 highway mpg and 16 city.
Even in 4-cylinder form, the Dodge Journey isn't a fuel-sipper, and the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and Kia Sorento all offer better mileage.
