Skip to content

REVIEW: Family life is in the Journey

They say that life is in the journey, not the destination. Well, Dodge might be asking you to take a fairly literal interpretation of that saying with their family-sized crossover, a three-row replacement for the venerable Caravan minivan.
Dodge Journey
Today's young parents don't want to look like their parents, hence the rise of the three-rowed Dodge Journey SUV at the expense of the discontinued Caravan minivan. The Journey is available at Destination Chrysler in North Vancouver.

They say that life is in the journey, not the destination.

Well, Dodge might be asking you to take a fairly literal interpretation of that saying with their family-sized crossover, a three-row replacement for the venerable Caravan minivan.

That's right, the Caravan is no more. You'll still be able to buy a Chrysler Town and Country, but as for the inexpensive van that got all kinds of Canadian families to hockey practice, soccer practice, dance recitals, and piano lessons, sliding doors are on their way out. Minivans as a segment are in a slow decline as more young parents try to avoid looking like their parents.

Thus, the rise of crossovers like these, which aren't as thirsty as the old body-on-frame SUVs that once dominated the road but still have some of that rugged image. Problem is, they're usually compromised in one way or another, trying to be both cargo-hauler and still retain a modicum of street cred.

So, how does the Journey fare? Let's wrestle in a couple of car seats and find out.

Design

Swathed in bright red paint and fitted with 19-inch black alloys, the $35,395 Crossroads-trim Journey certainly looks tough enough to handle a Canadian winter. That big Dodge crosshair grille has presence, and the curved bar that's meant to imitate a lightbar/skidplate combo looks ready to ram its way through the nearest snow bank.

From other angles, the main impression is one of useful boxiness. That's great — if the old Caravan didn't have much to recommend it as a status symbol, it was at the very least extremely practical. The Journey has much better ground clearance, of course, but it's still got the same squared-off lines, and doesn't appear over-styled at the rear, favouring function over form.

Environment

Inside the cabin, yes indeed, it's quite roomy. There are three rows of seats here, but the rear is really only a jumpseat for temporary soccer team carpool duty. However, the first two rows have plenty of space for passengers, whether they ride in Gap khakis or in a rear-facing child seat.

What's more, there are cubbies aplenty hidden all over the place, more nooks and crannies than you'd find in the Millennium Falcon. The glovebox isn't especially huge, but there's a bin under the passenger's seat, and two more under the floorboards on each side in the back. Emergency snacks, backup Lego for long ferry waits, or maybe just a diaper emergency kit? That's up to you, just be aware you can't really access them when on the move.

Rear seat passengers also have access to a conventional household plug and 12-volt power outlet for charging electronic devices. My tester also came with the $1,200 rear video entertainment group, but given that most young kids these days have iPad minis and the like for much less than that, know that there are enough outlets to keep everybody charged and quiet.

For the driver, the Journey's dashboard is a very plain affair, almost completely without ornamentation except for the 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen. This controls everything in the car including the heated steering wheel — always a nice touch when the thermometer starts dropping — and is very easy to navigate through. Uconnect's voice command is better than some other options out there, and its display is large enough not to distract too much from the task at hand.

Performance

The Journey comes with two engine options: a 2.4-litre four-cylinder making 173 horsepower and Chrysler/Dodge's ubiquitous 3.6-litre V-6, which puts out a distinctly healthier 283 h.p. All-wheel drive is only available with V-6 models, and the base four-cylinder comes mated to a four-speed automatic transmission — pretty outdated technology.

On the other hand, the V-6 and AWD tester had more than enough shove for passing and highway onramps, even when loaded up with the entire family and all the cargo needed to spend a few days travelling. The six-speed automatic is a bit rough in engagement, especially when cold, but the ride and handling are quite good, even on a winding country road.

You don't really hustle a car with a small child strapped in the back, not if you don't want to end up hosing vomit out of the backseats, so for slow and smooth driving with some kid-friendly tunes on the stereo, the Journey proves agreeable. Grip from the all-wheel-drive system was perfectly acceptable on slippery roads, and at-speed on the highway, wind noise wasn't really an issue.

"Nice" can be a bit of an epithet, but apart from a slight tendency to lurch when called upon to shift quickly, the Journey's unremarkable ride, handling, and performance blended into the background, just what you want in a family vehicle. It didn't thrill, but neither did anyone complain.

Features

Being a high-level trim priced north of $33,000, my Crossroads tester came with every conceivable feature. Leather seats were heated up front, there was the aforementioned heated steering wheel, and everyone had a chance to fiddle with the temperature with three-zone automatic climate control.

I'd probably give the optional DVD system a miss, but the satellite navigation and backup camera package are probably a must-check at this level. Both were very easy to use, as was the streaming Bluetooth audio and handsfree phone operation.

Fuel economy for all-wheel drive and the V-6 get somewhat unimpressive scores of 14.5 litres/100 kilometres city or 9.9 l/100 km highway, and real-world figures were similarly in the low teens.

Buying the four-cylinder for economy might not be the smartest move, however, as it's only a few litres better on paper, and being so much down on power, you'd have to push it a little harder.

Green light

Good feature load-out; smooth, comfortable ride; easy-to-use infotainment; excellent space.

Stop sign

Quite thirsty; transmission could be smoother; four-cylinder option needs better transmission.

The checkered flag

A smartly equipped machine for Canadian families who wouldn't be caught dead in a minivan.

Competitor

Nissan Rogue ($23,798): Available only with a four-cylinder engine, but with seven-seats and all-wheel drive on the table, the new Nissan Rogue is currently a hot seller in the crossover market. Like the Journey, those third-row seats are emergency-only, but they're there when you need them.

Step up to the SL trim, and the Rogue and Journey go toe-to-toe on features and pricing. However, the Dodge has the power advantage with that V-6, and the Nissan has the better fuel economy with a four-cylinder and CVT combination. Pick which works best for your needs.

mcaleeronwheels@gmail.com