7 Seater Cars 2012 
Dodge Journey – 7 Seater Car
This macho, rather brutish MPV clearly hails from the USA and enjoys distinctive styling that won’t suit all tastes. Though the Dodge Journey easily carries seven people and has plenty of room inside a shape that does a good job of hiding its people-mover utility, the Journey’s unrefined styling and unsophisticated engineering are joined by low levels of comfort and poor value. Though it looks more like a car than an MPV, some say the Journey drives more like a tractor. However on the flip side others do say that it the Dodge beats both hands down for space, reliability, build quality and comfort. The lower than average price for an MPV may make this one of the best kept secrets of 7-seat motoring.
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Dodge Journey – Purchase Price
A new Dodge Journey can cost just under £17,000.00. Second hand prices are much lower.
Dodge Journey – Car Tax Band (VED)
Ideally, when choosing a car, you want to aim for something that will minimise the regular pain of paying for car tax. The Dodge Journey is unlikely to help much in this regard but sitting as it does in the G band, it’s no worse than its main competitors.
Dodge Journey – C02 Emissions
Shopping for a new car these days offers motorists the chance to reduce their own carbon footprints and do their bit to help the planet. Ideally, we would all drive zero-emissions cars but the Dodge Journey is not practical for most drivers. The Journey’s CO2 emission levels are not exactly tiny but at some 165g/km, (2.0 CRD Manual), they’re not too bad either.
Dodge Journey – Safety Features
What the Journey fails to deliver in terms of styling finesse and dynamic sophistication, it partially recovers with a solid safety offering. In the USA, its home market, the Journey has won many awards for its high levels of passenger safety. Multiple airbags and a secure passenger cell design help minimise the risks from front and side impacts.
Dodge Journey – Miles Per Gallon (MPG)
The Journey does not sell in big numbers so repair and maintenance costs could be driven up slightly by a lack of dealer network, tight parts supplies and import costs. Find a Dodge dealer, however, and this ought not to be a major issue. Thanks to the VW-sourced diesel engine, the Journey enjoys fine fuel economy. The most efficient Dodge Journey does 44.8mpg with 34.4mpg combined and a pretty efficient 55.4mpg on the Extra Urban Cycle.
The Journey is a distinct disappointment when it comes to comfort. There is plenty of room inside but a clumsy suspension and cheap interior materials make the cabin a fairly lacklustre place. The petrol engine is agricultural and the VW diesel has to work a little too hard.
Dodge Journey – Quality Build
Quality is better than we are typically used to from Chrysler vehicles (Dodge is a Chrysler brand). Interior materials are better than many past Dodge Journey cars, though could still be improved. Panel fit and engineering is good but still falls short of the better rivals in this sector. Overall it is not terrible but the Journey is up against some truly excellent competition.
The Journey offers excellent interior space. Seven people can easily enjoy life in the cabin, though legroom at the back is a little cramped, and there is a lot of well-designed room for bits and pieces. The Journey suffers from uncomfortable seats and a clumsy, wallowy ride, which can make extended journeys tiring. Watch out for weak resale values, too, which can make the Journey even more expensive overall than a lot of other options.
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Dodge Journey – Performance
The 2.0 CRD, with a 1,968cc diesel engine from Volkswagen, is generally the most popular option. This is a very good engine but it has to work hard in the relatively heavy Journey, which weighs nearly two tonnes. It will do the 0-60mph dash in about 11 seconds but it fails to crack 120mph at the top end. The 2.4-litre petrol engine is to be avoided.
Dodge Journey – Handling
The Dodge Journey does not offer great handling. Dodge marketing material talks of ‘sporty’. Maybe Chrysler forgot the ‘compared to an inflatable dinghy’ caveat. The suspension crashes over potholes and the cabin feels too tall – an impression worsened by the imprecise steering and bouncy ride.
