Overview & Reviews

Dodge showed up late to the midsize crossover SUV segment, finally entering the marketplace with the Dodge Journey. But the company that created the minivan has some party tricks of its own. Dodge has a proven track record of creating vehicles that can quickly transform from people mover to cargo hauler with minimal fuss. Add to that Dodge's characteristically muscular exterior styling treatment, and you have two factors that can help the Journey stand out in a crowded room.

The Journey features an in-betweener size that straddles the compact and midsize crossover segments. It offers cargo and passenger room similar to that of larger compact SUVs, but like a midsize model, offers a more substantial feel and an available third-row seat. As such, the Journey strikes an interesting blend of utility and comfort for families. Unfortunately, early Journeys fell well short of most rivals, particularly in regards to driving dynamics and interior refinement. Major improvements made to the Journey a few years after its debut have rectified most of the model's past ills, but in general, this Dodge lacks the general overall refinement of newer competitors.

Current Dodge Journey
The Dodge Journey is offered in five trim levels: American Value Package (AVP), SE, SXT, Limited and R/T. The entry-level AVP, SE and SXT models come standard with a rather weak 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 173 horsepower, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is sluggish and fuel economy is subpar, so we highly recommend going with the 3.6-liter V6 (optional on the SXT and standard on the Limited and R/T). Its fuel economy and acceleration are mediocre at best, but it can at least get the Journey moving with some authority. A six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control is standard, as is front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is offered as an option.

Even the entry-level AVP and SE trims come very well equipped, with notable features including dual-zone manual climate control, keyless ignition/entry, a sliding and reclining second-row seat, a touchscreen audio interface and USB/iPod connectivity.

As is typical for this class, there is an abundance of luxury and convenience features available by stepping up to one of the upper trim levels. These include power front seats, leather upholstery, heated seats, automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a navigation system and premium audio. Parents and kids alike should appreciate the available built-in child booster seats and DVD entertainment system.

Unlike the first few model years of the Journey, this equipment comes packed into an attractive interior with nice materials and solid construction. There are also myriad storage solutions that increase appeal, with containers that double as coolers and an innovative hidden compartment under the front passenger seat cushion. In terms of space, the Journey's first two rows offer comfort and versatility. The third row is very short on legroom and suitable for small children only, but is nevertheless a rare feature for SUVs of this size. Cargo space is roughly on par with the larger compact crossovers.

As we've noted in reviews, the Dodge Journey has impressed us with its flexible seating and smooth ride. But the base four-cylinder engine is underpowered and lacks any significant fuel savings. The V6 is the engine to get, but in general, the Journey is one of the oldest crossovers on the market and is greatly overshadowed by newer competitors.

Used Dodge Journey Models
The Dodge Journey was introduced for the 2009 model year in SE, SXT and R/T trim levels. We weren't very impressed with these 2009 and '10 models. Besides the weak base four-cylinder engine that carries on today, the other engine option was a lackluster 3.5-liter V6 that made only 235 hp. No matter which engine you went with, acceleration was either slow or glacial. Other Journey drawbacks included soggy handling, vague steering, cheap interior materials, dated design and poor build quality.

For 2011, the Journey was significantly overhauled, and we would suggest considering only models produced from this year onward. That year's refresh brought about a more powerful and efficient V6, revised suspension tuning and a completely redesigned interior with better materials, tighter construction and a smarter control layout. The improvements in ride quality and steering feel made the Journey more competitive with the top-ranked crossovers in this class. Since then, changes have essentially been limited to a shuffling of trim levels and equipment.

User Reviews:

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  DO NOT BUY A DODGE JOURNEY - 2014 Dodge Journey
  By Amber Braan - August 30 - 7:32 pm

  **BE WARNED** My husband purchased a brand new 2014 Dodge Journey last year as a gift for me. It has turned out to be the biggest nightmare in our automobile purchasing history. The car always had a lag when stepping on the gas, but we were told that the reason was because it was a 4.0 and little power. We accepted that answer and, other then the lag, were happy with the car. When the car was approximately 4 months old the touch screen started going out and would turn black for a little under a minute before turning back on. We took it in and were told the diagnostic check found nothing wrong and there was nothing they could do since they could not tell where the problem was coming from. This started happening more and more often. Then, when the car was between 10 and 11 months old the speedometer went out of wack. The dial was reading correctly showing I was traveling at 65mph while the digital screen was showing I was traveling at 115mph. That night, on my ride home from work, the touch screen went out along with the lights. So, here I was, traveling on a dark highway by myself with no lights. I pulled over to the shoulder of the highway and turned the car off, waited a few minutes and turned it back on. When I turned it back on, it drove as normal and all the lights worked. I filled the tank with gas and continued my drive home. When I turned onto my street, my car began making a very loud knocking noise. When I stepped on the gas the noise grew louder. Luckily, I had picked up my 2 sons on the way home. My boys had to get out and push the car 3 blocks to my house since I was the only one could steer. The next morning, my husband towed the car to the dealership. The mechanics then told my husband that we had put the wrong gas in the car and destroyed the engine. My son had pumped the gas the night before and was certain he used unleaded. The attendant at the gas station was nice enough to pull the tape from the night we were there and my husband watched my son use the correct gas. When he went to the dealership to inform them he was told the mechanic said we used ethanol. My husband pointed out that all gas contains ethanol. The mechanic then stated that it SMELLED like 85% ethanol and that was what destroyed the engine. Smells like 85%? How can a regular human being smell a percentage in a liquid or gas? So, my husband asked if it had been tested. The answer was no. My car was in the shop for almost 3 weeks and I was given a rental car with no 3rd row. Mind you, we have 5 kids. For the time we were in the rental we were unable to go anywhere as a family because Dodge refused to give us a bigger rental. Ive had my car back for 2 weeks now and the problems with the lights, the touch screen, and the speedometer have started again. We called corporate and were told the best they could do was 2 years of free oil changes. When we did not accept they asked us to take the car back into the dealership and they would make sure there was a rental with a 3rd row ready for us. On Saturday morning and after a 14 hour shift at work, my husband took the car in. Can anyone guess what happened next? He was told there were no rentals available. Not a single one. When he asked what would happen if the car stopped working during the weekend...he had shoulders shrugged at him and was told to call corporate. So, here we are. Stuck with this awful car because we were obviously sold a lemon and Dodge refuses to correct the situation. Please, DO NOT BUY A DODGE JOURNEY. Save yourself a whole lot of heartache and trouble. But, most importantly, dont buy a dodge journey for the safety of your family. #dontbuyadodge

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  Worst car I ever own - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By sam - August 29 - 10:42 am

  If they said why it s a family car when its an unreliable car it has stop with me twice on the highway with Ann 11months baby the car overheat bought the car in March and 2 weeks after car started give me trouble stay away stay away dont waste your money I regretted buying this car and sad thing is its finance its a death machine that can kill your family anytime

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  One of the lucky ones - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By F. GOMEZ Jr. - August 27 - 8:10 pm

  Review how often brakes and rotors get replaced. Make sure there are NOT aluminum caps on tire stems. I bought brand new and have had few problems. I know have to get a tranny and cost is unreal. Other than that it has been a good vehicle for me. I used to drive it 20k miles plus annually but now I do mainly city driving. Think it does better going long range where I got 35 plus mpg a fee times. Will keep it till it dies (or I do).

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  Do not know what all the complaining is about? - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By Thomas H - August 24 - 1:53 pm

  I love this car. I am a life long GM guy and this puts the Chevy Equinox to shame. The car size is just right, not too big, not too small. This car is fantastic in the Winter. I love the auto heated seats and steering wheel, also the awd. The seats are very comfortable, the radio nav screen is nice and big. The rear air and heat are awsome along with the 3rd row. The 1 big thing it needs is daytime running lites for extra safety.

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  not a reliable car - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By James - August 19 - 8:09 pm

  I bought my car in july 4th abd since then have taken it to the dodge place twice for parts on my transmission failing. It has less than 2000 miles on it and i bought it with 3 miles in it. This is the biggest garbage i have ever bought from dodge. Should have kept my caliber

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  This SUV reliability sucks!!! - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By Vannessa - August 19 - 12:07 am

  We purchased a 2015 Dodge Journey with only 13 miles in less than 24hrs the vehicle shut down on us 3x it has been in for service 3x with the problem happening more than 10x even while on the highway with my children in the vehicle. The dealership refused to trade it out!! Even if we were within our 30day warranty 2,500 miles warranty period!!! I would NOT recommend this vehicle to anyone!!!! Now there is 4 other Dodge journey in for service for the same problem as mine!!! So discussed with the service at Dodge Larry H. Miller in Avondale, AZ.

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  10 Days Experiance Rental in California Mountians - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By Dave P - August 4 - 8:35 pm

  Recently rented a 2015 Journey LTD with V-6 for a 10 day vacation to the Sierra Nevada area of California Sequoia/Yosemite/Tahoe. Traveled one-half of the trip on inter-state or four-lane highways and the other on winding mountain roads with 35 MPH speed limits and grades of 6 to 12%. In total, we traveled 1,301 miles and averaged 21.02 MPG. The car was slightly over-powered on the freeway and slightly under-powered in the mountains no complaints. Shifting was smooth and concise. The seating was very comfortable. Handling was better than expected almost a good as a sedan. Overall, pleasantly surprised. I drive a Toyota now, and would seriously considered - depending upon the reliability rating.

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  Best Vehicle Ive Ever Owned - 2011 Dodge Journey
  By Chris Schumacher - August 1 - 1:32 am

  We bought our Journey used (2 years old with 18k miles.) Weve put 10k miles on it in those 2 years. We put Toyo tires on it about a year ago. The tires they put on all the new cars are crap. We put Toyos on our last vehicle, a 2002 Dodge Intrepid and they lasted five years. We also just put new brakes and rotors on. The rotors had warped. Apparently thats a common issue with the Journeys. We put cross drilled rotors and ceramic brake pads on. Well worth the money- keeps the rotors from getting too hot and warping.

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  Loving my 2015 Dodge Journey R/T.....Edmunds??? - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By Darlene - July 22 - 12:43 am

  Went to the dealer to buy a Jeep Cherokee and test drove three versions, then tested the Journey. The Jeeps were a hard ride and costlier compared to the Journey. There wasnt much difference in mpg with the Jeep Cherokees and the Journey. The ride is smooth, the seats are comfortable and it feels like a solid SUV. The R/T is loaded with plenty of technology, storage, room between the rows and 19 inch tires. The lease was more affordable with better incentices than the Jeep Cherokees. So far, the gas mileage is better that the 19 city/25 highway as stated in the sticker. It has the pickup necessary to get you out of a bad situation, for a vehicle of its size. We all want better mpg, but this is a medium sized SUV and you know the mpg will not match a smaller car. No sure why Edmunds is so hard on this SUV, as it is an enjoyable ride and a good value for the money. I dont regret this lease and actually pleaseantly suprised I picked it over the Jeep Cherokee. I plan to enjoy it for the next 36 months lease and turn it in at that time for another SUV.

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  Here in Brazil its far the best option! - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By fabianodias - June 11 - 9:18 pm

  Weve been on vacation september last in Orlando, where we rented a Journey SXT, being a VW Jetta owner I was a litlle worried about the cars size. We liked so much that returning to Brazil we decided to invest some $$ in a RT JOURNEY V6. Here you also have the Fiat Freemont, that is the fruit of the joint venture of Dodge and Fiat, although they only sell the four cilinder engine. I test drove it and its awfull!! In the othe hand Journey has been an excelent car, strong as hell, confortable as heaven and beautiful as our super model Gisele Bundchen :-)