Journey41

Seeing as how you are in Canada you will have to add 4 mpg to the US mpg. (imp gl vs US gl)

By the way that is great fuel economy for the V6. Very nice!! Must be FWD right?

There is definitely a hard button for front defrost, and of course also to control the fan speed. So far have never had a screen blackout. Agree that fuel efficiency is not great but the car also has way more power than something like a CX-5 (plus of course much more space). On our RT we are now typically getting 10.5 l / 100 km, but that is with at least 2/3 highway miles.

I am curious why you would cross shop the Rogue and Highlander but skip over the Pathfinder.

Really do not like the look of the Pathfinder. ! Looks more like a station wagon than a CUV. Also like the Highlander it is a three row vehicle and we do not have the need for that option. One of the reasons we dropped the Highlander.

Why are you paying for a rental? Whenever I had to leave my car at the dealer for a few days I am given a loaner. I have never had to pay for a rental. That was picked up under the warranty?

Yes we found the two buttons with arrows which adjusted the heat up or down and the dial that controlled the fan speed but the windows were fogging up and we could not change the "Mode" to direct air onto the windshield. My wife then noticed the button under the screen that indicated "Heat" and a picture that looked like windshield. We activated that and it helped. However the seats were getting pretty warm and we could not turn off them or the wheel heat?

I have researched this on the web and found out that this is one of the problems that some of the owners are finding in regards to the screen. They feel that maybe Chrysler has put too much (seats, wheel, mode) on the touch screen. I loved the Uconnect in the second vehicle but this would be a concern if it ever blacked out like that and my wife was alone in the vehicle. Never did hear from the dealer as to why this happened? Sometimes we get to reliant on these new technologies and when they don't operate as designed we are in a bad situation.

Maybe just a fuse or something but quite alarming just the same.

We are currently looking for a new vehicle and we have tried everything in the segment that includes the DJ. This week we tested the 2014 DJ-R/T. It was early morning and we went to the local dealer and due to a call the day before he had the vehicle ready for us. It was a cool morning so he had the vehicle running to get it warmed up. Also had the seats and steering wheel turned on. We left the dealership and headed for our test drive. I have a test drive set out that includes 15 miles of highway @ 60 mph and then a return via the old hwy which has a very rough surface and bad road seams. We then have a route through the city which includes a lot of stop and go situations.

Well the vehicle was nicely warmed up and we headed out on the hwy. The temp was getting too warm so we touched the screen to lower the heat. When I touched the screen it went black! Pulled over but could not get the screen to come back on. As a result we could not figure out how to lower heat on the seats. Also could not adjust the mode of the air direction etc. Turned back to dealer and he could not figure out what happened. Gave us another vehicle and we headed out again. This time everything worked and we completed out test. However it made me ask the question in regards to the screen going black how do you then control the heat, seats, steering wheel, air direction etc .

In regards to the vehicle performance it rode really well and the wind noise was not present. Seats I found were comfortable and the road noise was non-existent. The 8.4 screen in the replacement vehicle was very bright and the graphics were excellent. However I feel that the lack of backup controls for seat warmers, air direction and wheel heat are a weakness here. The other vehicles we tested with similar screens, (Ford, GM, Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia) all had back up buttons to make these adjustments in the event of failure.

The overall aesthetics of the DJ are okay and they give the DJ a distinct look which separates it from the other bland looking CUVs. It is getting long in the tooth however and needs an update which is apparently in the schedule for 2016. The next weakness I found was the cargo area. We are golfers and found that the clubs did not fit between the wheel wells. This is due to fact I believe that Chrysler finishes the wheel wells in order to accommodate the third seat if opted for. This takes away from the width. I was surprised that with the size of the DJ this was a factor. However there are only two vehicles I this entire segment of CUVs that do have this width and they are the 2014 SFS and the Kia Sorento.

Overall I was impressed with the vehicle in regards to performance, comfort and options for the price. One thing that I was warned about in this forum was if you are looking for fuel economy then look at something other than the DJ especially if AWD is your requirement. I would have to agree computer to monitor mpg.here. Now I know this vehicle is new but so were all the other we tested. Before going out on the hwy I reset the computer to monitor the mpg and it showed 12.5 L/100KM. @ 90 km/hr. (55 mph - 18.8 mpg US) That is about 3 L/100KM higher than the competition. During city stop and go it showed 14 L/100KM.(16 mpg US) Also higher than others we have tested. Talked to a gentleman yesterday about his DJ-R/T 2013 and he indicated that the readings I got were close to his with the winter fuel being used here currently. He too was disappointed with his mileage and he had 20K on his vehicle. He felt the AWD in this vehicle was the culprit in the fuel economy as his brother has the 2013 Crew with FWD V6 and he is getting much better mileage.

The lack of control due to loss of screen was a concern and I know it would be a major concern if my wife was driving alone in the winter. Now maybe there is a work around which is know to owners but with not having any knowledge of the vehicle we could not find it.

Lack of cargo space is also a concern in regards to the golf clubs. I could see if travelling maybe putting the luggage on bottom and then putting the clubs on top would give enough height to clear the side well covering but this is not a preferable way to accommodate.

Anyway that is just my observations on my test drive. Have any of you ever experienced a screen black out. If you have is there any way to make the adjustments manually without the screen in regards to seat heat, steering wheel and mode.

Back to the test drives. Although not sure what we will test as we have already tried the; Hyundai SFS, Kia Sorento, Ford Edge, Chevy Equinox, Nissan Rouge, Mazda C5, Toyota Highlander, Rav4, Nissan Murano.

Brought a 2014 DJ R/T home this week to see if our clubs would fit. My wife and I both have standard size bags not the tour size. The clubs would not fit between the wheel wells. They had to be put in on an angle much like the Equinox. If the woods were removed then they would fit. I was surprised at first however when looking at the cargo area I realised that Chrysler finishes the wheel well area off to accommodate the third row if required. They have a drink holder etc. This takes away from the width between the wheel wells.

The club accommodation is important to us as we do travel with friends and have the need to accommodate the clubs between the wells. My current ride (2010 Santa Fe LTD) does accommodate the clubs between the wells and the 2014 SFS and Kia Sorento also have this feature. They are the only two so far that we have tested that have this nice wide cargo area. We have tried everything in his segment. Also found another flaw in the DJ 8.4 screen as shown in my post under First Impression.

Lobitz68...I am assuming you have the V6 AWD? What mpg are you getting?

We cannot get the AWD here in Canada with the SXT. Have to go with R/T which also has the 19" wheels.

Thanks

FWD vs AWD is a discussion that has gone on for years. What I do not like about AWD is that too many people take the drive system for granted and forget about how to drive in the winter. They think that because they have the AWD they are exempt from the winter conditions and can drive like it is the middle of July. Also the AWD adds more weight to the vehicle and can be attributed to poor fuel economy. I have had AWD in my last four vehicles and it gave my wife the confidence she likes when driving here in Northern Ontario where the winters are brutal. What I have found is that AWD is no different than FWD on the ice when it comes time to stop. The comment about seeing more AWD vehicles in the ditch is very true and is due to statement I made earlier.

I have read many test reports as well as viewed many videos in regards to the AWD vs FWD. The bottom line is that after all the testing it has been determined that " FWD vehicles equipped with winter tires or "All Weather" tires is as good during the winter as an AWD with the standard equipped "All Season" tires. However the AWD equipped with winter/All Weather tires provides the best winter driving experience.

There are other things to be considered as well. If you have a rural residence then AWD would probably be a consideration as plowed roads are not always a timely activity. However in the cities FWD with winter tires will probably be very efficient and also help in the fuel efficiency discussions.

I am currently shopping for a new ride and I have given some consideration to going back to FWD but have not yet made up my mind. Some of the choices out there have very little difference in fuel numbers between FWD & AWD.

I will tell you though that shopping for a new vehicle today is very confusing. Fuel economy today is a top priority in the discussions as well as reliability, service, safety specs and of course you have to love the vehicle. Still have the DJ on my short list but the competition is really great in this midsize CUV market.

As stated you are happy. That is great! However you have an SXT. Seems like the FWD version is okay when I comes to fuel economy. It is the AWD versions that suffer some what. Usually there is a 1-2 mpg difference between FWD & AWD however in the R/T is looks like there is a significant difference and that is the reason for the number of disappointments.

I am sure Dodge will figure this out for the new 2016 DJ and be competitive with the other mfg's. Talked to a gentleman here today who was getting into his 2013 DJ with the R/T and he indicated that he was averaging 14.4L/!00 KM all city. That is certainly higher than most in this segment.

I can.

I have a 2010 Santa Fe LTD - V6 AWD. I am getting 11.0 L/100 KM city. An I can assure you that here in the frozen North we have been averaging -20 deg temps all winter and heavy snow. My brother has a 2014 Kia Sorento V6 AWD and he is averaging 11.5 L/100 KM. He just returned from a 500 mile trip down into Michigan and at 65 mph averaged 26 mpg US. (29 mpg Imp). Temps were in the -18 deg range.

FWD is a better option if the V6 is your choice in the DJ. Talked to a gentleman this am who had a 2014 DJ with R/T pkg and he was very disappointed with fuel economy but liked the comfort and convenience of the vehicle. He indicated that had he done his homework he would have looked elsewhere however he was lead astray by the salesman who told him he would get 32 -34 easily. That is impossible I told him as it is rated in the brochure at 34 mpg (imp). You have to subtract at least 4-5 mpg off the sticker.

He is not a happy customer and I cannot blame him. On the other hand I am very happy with my fuel economy and so is my brother. I am beginning to shy away from the DJ based on fuel economy as I do want a V6 and AWD. I will research further but I have not heard anything real positive about the DJ - R/T in regards to fuel economy.

1) Absolutely; and I did note that in the body of my post. Just presenting another side of the story is all.

2) Agreed as well. My wife and I looked at the preproduction pictures and specs before we ordered our Journey. We didn't look very long. The Journey is highly under-rated, IMO. After spending 600 miles in it this weekend on our road trip, I was ready to turn around and drive across the country. I love driving this car! And if you've looked at all the pictures I've posted of it in the last nine months, you will see that I think it's good looking also

Thanks for the come back. Nice post. Looking forward to test driving the DJ this week. Will drive the DJ with the RT & LTD pkg. We have had AWD for the past three vehicles but maybe not this time. However our winters are bad here in Northern Ont and really felt secure with the AWD. However I have watched a number of videos and read the reports that indicate a FWD vehicle with snow tires is a good as an AWD with all seasons. I have never used winter tires on my last vehicles and have never had a problem. So it is worth considering the FWD with "All Weather tires" like the Nokian WRG3.

Curious about the "Crew". I see a lot of them around town but do not see that option pkg for 2014 here in Canada. Was it replaced by the LTD? Also the mpg's reported on your trip were they US gls or Imp gls?

Thanks again for the info. Great fuel economy with the V6!!

I think you need to read that poll again. *sigh*

92 people responded, 66 people said they had 0 issues. As I said, Cherokees with a build date of newer than December 16, 2013 are likely to have issues but there are 2 TSB flashes that fixes them already and newer builds don't have these issues as they come with the newer firmware.

I would like to point out that when the 2011's came out with the 6 speed, I had to get my transmission flashed too. The DJ isn't holier then thou, and looks are a personal opinion. Also, it looks like that same issue of Consumer Reports had lots of good things to say about it, not that it matters *at all*.

You are correct!!

There were 92 responded and 66 indicated that they had 0 problems. However 26 (28%) did have problems! That is a pretty significant number in my opinion. That I think means that for every 3.5 Cherokees sold to these 92 customers they have been returned to the dealer for a transmission problem. I hope you are right about the build date and that they have corrected the problem. Jeep indicated that the release date of the new Cherokee was delayed due to trany problems and shipments were held until the flashes took place to correct the new shipments. What happened to that corrective measure as there are still failures dating into Feb/14?

I work for a dealer. We've put, on average, 2-3 new Cherokees on the road per week since the car came out.

1) We've had over 60" of snow this winter and no complaints about the lights in any way.

2) Not one single complaint about the transmission. Jeep delayed the release of the Cherokee because of a software issue that affected the engagement of a dog clutch in the transmission. They flashed all the transmission controllers before they left the storage yards and that solved the problem. None of my customers have returned for any shifting issues whatsoever.

3) I have had no complaints of fuel economy specifically for the Cherokee. That being said, consider that the vehicle was released just before the onset of winter. Let's let the engines break in a little and let the temps come up and switch over from winter blend fuels. Everyone is complaining about a drop in fuel economy because of those reasons, on everything we sell.

4) No HVAC concerns have come across my desk, either. As a matter of fact, the only Cherokee that I've seen a problem with was a front end noise when the ambient temperature dropped well below freezing - like in the teens and colder. The problem was traced to an upper strut mount bearing. We replaced both sides and that corrected the issue. Other than that, my customers love them - and so do we. They are selling very well at my store.

I posted this information just to show the other side of a story. Yes, I am a bit biased because I work for a C/J/D/R SRT store, and maybe I sound a bit defensive. If I saw evidence of the issues posted on those forums, I would either concur or offer some insight as to why they are occuring. But so far, the Cherokee has been a good car right out of the box - at least for us at my store. I hope it continues.

The styling is definitely polarizing. I like the front end but not the rear. Kudos to Jeep for giving us something different. Let the people be free to love it or hate it.

Just returned from a 600 mile weekend road trip with our Journey. 27.7 MPG going, 28.1 on the return trip. 3.6, FWD, four passengers and our stuff, 68 MPH with cruise on. Relatively flat terrain. Very impressive for a 4000 lb 283 HP CUV. No complaints from me about those fuel economy numbers. About 2 MPG better than my 300M with a smaller, less powerful V6 and better aerodynamics.

Nice report however with all due respect your first line makes the post some what bias. I mean I would not bit the butt of the guy signing my cheques that's for sure. Do not get me wrong I brought these issues up when I was making comments about the DJ and someone indicated that I should look at the Cherokee. . The details re the problems I listed were all found on the internet seen below.

In regards to the transmission problems they are real and yes they were delayed due to a software glitch causing the trany problems. However if you go here; {

This site gives the percentages of trany problems over 92 that responded to the poll.

http://jeepcherokeeclub.com/4-2014-jeep-cherokee-general-discussion/6177-transmission-issues-11.html

In regards to the "cold Feet" that was noted here;

http://jeepcherokeeclub.com/4-2014-jeep-cherokee-general-discussion/8346-cold-feet-cherokee-limited-2.html

I am sure that the Cherokee will be a very successful vehicle in the future however it is going through the growing pains just like any other new design from any of the mfg's.

Good luck with your Cherokees however for the money the DJ is a better buy for the buck. More room, more comfort, more cargo space, much nicer looking, same amenities and the the same fuel economy.

All new designs come with growing pains, the Cherokee will be no different. To say the transmissions were blowing up like popcorn is a bit of exaggeration. The design was definitely a change that cars need nowadays. Manufactures seem to play it safe and stay with the trends, creating cars that look the same all across the board. Kudos to Jeep for thinking outside the box and pushing the envelope to expand the way cars look today. I also remember in the late 90's when the Dodge Ram was redesigned. Most people I talked to didn't like it, myself included, but it didn't take long before all trucks were made to look like this. Now, 15 years later, the grill and front ends still favor that trend.

Its no secret that CR has never been partial to Chrysler. If I listened to CR, then I would be driving a Toyota, Kia, or Honda. Me personally, I would never be happy driving a gas sipping, economy vehicle. I will gladly spend an extra dollar or two a day to enjoy 285hp and something that can haul my family of 5 and my dog. If gas mileage is a big concern then I wouldn't buy a Journey, but if you want performance and value, I would highly recommend the Journey.

Nice post "Addicted to Dodge"...appreciate your comments and I agree. First year re-designs can be a nightmare.

I suspect you may be happier buying something non Chrylser then.

Not to defend the Cherokee for no reason, but here is some defence in comparison to the Journey for you...

Nose to nose, the Journey and Cherokee are almost identical. There is only like 6" in difference in length (don't quote me, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but its close, I took pictures of them nose to nose). The cargo space difference is a big difference in cubic space because of this, but its actually not, its only a few inches in length in difference from the Journey. The 5 seater Journey actually has worse HVAC than the 5 seater Cherokee. There is almost no heating in the rear because you don't get the extra vents unless you get the 7 seat version (I know, I have owned both) and if you have the 7 seater, there is no cargo space with that last row open. Your engine choices for the Cherokee are almost identical to the Journey and oddly enough the 2 weigh about the same. This means your assumption of the 4cyl isn't worth it, and fuel eco isn't as advertised on the v6 still applies to the Journey. At least the 3.2 in the Cherokee isn't sucking down as much while sitting at a stop light. Keep in mind, while this is the first of this gen Cherokee, this platform is *old*. The Cherokee is built on the Dart which is built on a Alfa Romeo platform. Also, the transmission issues are only in the initial run, units built after December don't have those issues.

I am not here to push the Cherokee, but it is not *that* different from the Journey. If you are worried about fuel eco with the Pentastar 3.6L with a 4,000LB CUV, its the same deal bro. The forums aren't new, if you want to see what issues people have run into, its there. But the truth is, in a small setting like this, you mostly see the problems. There are a million Journey owners out there that aren't registered here that have 0 issues with their car. Forums are a breeding ground of negativity as everyone who has issues is posting to look for help for their issues.

Anyways, it sounds like you came here with some preconceived notions. You know where to look the numbers and information, I recommend you start over on your purchase decision making. If you are such an excellent consumer, I am not sure why you would start a post about a bad review from Consumer Reports and how you are going to let that sway your decisions. If you want to buy that Korean made whatever, then buy that. Don't waste your time spewing crap here.

Wow it never fails! Every forum has their posters that have no respect for others and it is like they know it all.

"Spewing Crap".......Really?

I did not come here as a troll or with any " preconceived notions". I came her to gather information from owners in order to make a decision on a new vehicle. I take the time to do my research and have found over the past 65 years it has proven to be very rewarding when it came time to make the final decision. I knew posting the reference from the CR would bring out the detail from owners who spend more than 2 hrs behind the wheel or derive reports from those that send in the reports that they mail out. Nine times out 10 those returning the reports have had an issue with their vehicle and use the survey to vent.

In regards to the Journey being the same as the Cherokee...Really!!

First of all the Journey is 192.4" in length and the Cherokee is 182".

In regards to width the Cherokee is 73.2" and the DJ is 83.7".

Cargo area in the Cherokee behind second seat is 29.7 cu ft and in the DJ (5 seat) behind second seat is 35 cu ft.

The weight of the Cherokee LTD AWD is 3981 lbs and the Journey RT AWD is 4238.

Both the Toyota Rav 4 and the Honda CRV have more cargo area than the Cherokee.

Now as far as the 3.2 burning more fuel than the 3.6 at idle...give me a break.

If you check "Fuelly" you will see that the 2014 Cherokee V6 is averaging the same mpg as the DJ at 21.5 mpg.

The only real purpose of losing the extra space and comfort of the DJ would be if you intend to do a lot of off road activities. However if this is your goal then according to the experts you will have to opt for the "Trailhawk" version and that weighs in at 4232 lbs.

As far as overall aesthetics go it is my opinion and I see by the following I am not alone.Comparing it to the Pontiac Aztec. OUCH!!!!!!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...est-cars.html?

Maybe you should educate yourself and go out and try some of the vehicles from the other mfg's. It is obvious from your post that you have not driven the new Cherokee nor have you parked them side by side to review. So in the future "zmttoxics" before you feel like you have to bash a poster you may want to get your facts at least somewhat correct and not take wild guesses by using camera photos.

Thanks again to all those that posted good information and facts about the DJ...much appreciated.

It's important to not compare the 2010 3.5L V6 to the 2011-2014 3.6L V6. The newer 3.6L is a completely different, all aluminum cast, dual overhead cam, and variable valve timing. It has more horsepower, weighs less, and is better on gas.

Also, if you aren't %100 convinced on the Journey because of the fuel eco, the new Jeep Cherokee has a 3.2L version of the same engine and the 4x4 model is rated for 7.4L/100Km. The Cherokee is smaller by just a little bit, but if you ask me, has a number of better design decisions (the battery being accessible under the hood is an example). Rumour has it the next Journey will be built on the same platform.

Already test drove the new 2014 Cherokee. Was not impressed and it is "Fuglly"! Yikes could not conjure up any admiration for this new design no matter what we did. The headlights being that low in the body I do not feel will do well in the areas that get a lot of snow. They will be full of snow and slush all the time. The rear end of this vehicle is brutal. Also if you check out the 2014 Cherokee Forum you will find that there are a lot of problems with this vehicle. The new 9 speed trany is blowing up like popcorn, the 4cyl is not recommended and the V6 is not even close to the estimated fuel economy. Also the new owners are have problems with heat in the front and rear seats. Cold feet seems to be the order of the day for this new design. Indications are that it is due to poor design. The cargo area in this new Cherokee is ridiculous!!! Without a doubt the smallest in this segment.

I have always stuck by the rule that I would never buy any vehicle in it's inception year. I have better things to do than sit in the service dept every week having my test vehicle worked on. Give it three years and they will have the bugs worked out. I sure hope the new Journey goes on this platform as it will become another pregnant marshmellow like the Trax, Encore etc.

Hey guys really appreciate the feed back. I am sure you have all gone through the new vehicle search and it does become mind boggling to say the least. We like the size and driving position in the CUV's and will not ever go back to a car. We have driven everything in the CUV segment fro every mfg except the Journey to date. We are looking to buy in the next month and are now doing our research.

We are currently driving a 2010 Hyundai SF- V6-AWD. I live in Northern Ontario and we have gone through a very cold weather with temps in the -30 deg range more often than previous history has recorded. I am averaging 11.5 L/100 KM combined. (24.5 imp gl or 20.45 US gl) This is 1.5 litres higher than in the Summer. In the summer time on the hwy I get 9.4 L/100 KM @ 65 mph ( 30 mpg/imp gl or 25.02 US gl) and my combined is 10.0 L/100KM which is excellent for a 6 cyl CUV. I have checked "Fuelly" and find that the average mpg between the Sorrento, Santa Fe and Journey are all in the same ball park. However when it come to mpg there are a number of factors that weigh into the end result. I have a friend who has a 2010 V6 SF here and he does not get better than 18 mpg??

I really do not want to buy a new vehicle and find my fuel economy has dropped. With the price of fuel these days I would be happy with the same economy but would not want to get worse than current. The Journey offers a lot of amenities for the buck however I am surprised that there is no passenger power seat and no power lift gate? One thing I know for sure is that they say the Journey is "Canada's #1 Selling CUV" and I believe it. There are a ton of them here locally and the owners I talked to with MY2012+ are very happy with the vehicle. I make a habit of talking to the owners of vehicles I am interested in to get their views and the only negative comment I have heard to date was that they had a seven passenger and the golf clubs would not fit in the back without putting down the rear seats. We do not want the seven seat model only five so this may make a difference.

We will be heading down to the local dealer this week to test drive the Journey and with the special offers they have here in Canada ($4,500) discount we will see just what the Journey has to offer. we have to love the vehicle before we buy it. It is in the top three of our short list along with the Sorento and the Santa Fe so we will be able to compare having already driven the other two.

Once again "Thanks" for all you input it is much appreciated. I belong to a number of forums and I find this one very active and very informative. Will let you know what we think of the Journey once the test drive is complete.

got 2014 dodge journey ltd bought it in oct 2013 got 7700 klms on now ,drow to florida for winter months haven't had any problems as of yet now getting ready to drive back home at end of month . it's a 6 i feel i get fairly good mileage approx 500-600 klms per tank on highway, and a very comfortable to drive. that's my 2 cents for what it's worth. but the 2013 -2014's have the bigger brakes on them which the earil one didn't and was costing a lot brake jobs .

Thanks for the respnse. However I took a step back at the 500 kms/tank. That works out to 310 miles. With a 17 gal tank that is only 18 mpg on the hwy? That in my opinion is not good! This is one of the major complaints I have heard about the Journey V6. Great engine but poor fule economy?

We have been shopping for a new ride and we had the Journey on the short list. Other choices were the; Kia Sorento & Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. Went down to the local library today to do some research on the reliablility and rating of the three vehicles. To my dimay the Consumer Report has the Dodge Journey list in the "Vehicles to Avoid" listings? It is there along with the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, Subaru Tribeca and Nissan Amada.

I was really surprised as there a lot of Journeys on the road. Howver I am not sure if I want to buy a vehicle that I was warned about in advance. I have talked to many owners and some of them have indicated that previous to 2012 the Journey was not a good investment. I alsoHe liked the vehicle other than he felt the fuel economy could be better for a 6 cyl.

Not sure what to do but will continue to review before I make up my mind. Road testing the Santa Fe and Sorrento will be next.

Just a question for any Journey owners out there that are golfers.

Can you lay golf clubs and bags across the cargo area between the wheel wells? This is one of the criterias that is on our list when shopping for a new ride.

We have tried them all from every mfg and the Journey is on the short list. We could bring the Journey home and try however the clubs are stored away this time of year and hard to get at. A lot of the vehicles we have reviewed are too narrow and need to have the rear seats folded down to accomodate the clubs. This won't work as we usually travel with another couple.

Thanking you in advance for any detail received.

V6 or I4? Mine usually runs 180 F consistently- V6. When well below 0 F, I turn the controls up to HI which is the next level beyond 86 F. If its on AUTO, I leave it there until it gets warm enough and then turn the fan down manually and then later switch the setting manually to vent/floor. The AUTO setting always puts it on DEF/FLOOR and I done't like the air hitting me in the face off the windshield after awhile. It has the 8.4N and do not like having to press buttons on the screen to make changes. Would rather have knobs or slides- too distracting to make changes while driving because you can not operate the 8.4N by feel requiring taking ones eyes off the road. Dumb.

I would set everything as high a temperature possible on your heater and also watch the engine temp gauge. If temp fluctuates between driving and while sitting still, might be an air bubble in the system. Usually not these days. Only other time I've had problems with heat was a cold weather leak from teh lower radiator hose clamp on our Dodge van resulting in low coolant level. It was winter so engine temp was fine and vehicle is parked in a garage but never noticed anything since the leak drained under the vehicle to the floor drain. Melting ice/snow when parked also camouflaged the situation from being obvious. Didn't do it while engine was warm, just after sitting all night. So there may be some items to check even if the vehicle is fairly new. Extremely cold weather takes it toll on any vehicle.

With that said the only two things I have come to dislike about my R/T is the heater controls and the stupid tranny's inability to downshift properly when climbing hills from 6 to 5-1. No sense in it dropping two "gears" when only one is required. Especially with 286 horsepower. Otherwise it hauls as* and have gotten as high 30 mpg on trips with 28.3 being trip average running 60-70 mph. 20-23 everyday country driving cold weather-around 24 summer.

Hope this helps.

Wow that is excellent fuel economy for the V6. You should pass your secret on to the others that are continually posting about poor fuel mileage!

Very nice.

I noticed this this winter. The first two winters I owned the Journey had been milder. This winter however has had MANY days with temps in the low teens, single digits,and below zero. With temps 20 F or warmer, there's no real issue. But mid teens and colder, especially at night with no sun shining on the windows to warm them, the defroster really struggles to clear the side windows. If you have it set for defrost/heat, it will quickly be almost impossible to see out the side windows, mirrors, etc, at all. You have to peg the heat and run defrost on fan setting 5 or faster. And that's also noisy. If you're not wearing boots, your feet get cold and you're sweltering up top. A major irritation in this exceptionally cold winter.

System must have been designed for Arizona. Even if the front windows are clear, the rear door windows and back windows shrouded in steam. I will look at other vehicles on the road - they don't seem to have this issue.

Just curious and a new member of the forum. Is this a common problem across the Journey models? We were thinking of this vehicle but if this is a common problem it would be a deal breaker for us as our winters are cold.