2010 Dodge Journey R/T

[oneframe]

Hello! Got the vehicle on July 9. I came from a sporty station wagon and with my wife expecting, we needed a more "mature" vehicle to accommodate the growing family. Previous car was an Audi A4 Avant (Wagon) with sport-tuned suspension and 18" low profile wheels. So after almost 5+ years of ownership, we were already used this kind of "rough" ride and hard seats. At that point, it was a no-brainer to get the sport suspension for the Journey as I knew after driving American car rentals that they basically favoured a floating suspension.

However, even with the sport suspension of the Journey the ride was still too disconnected with the road. I felt like I was on a big boat. There was no steering feedback. I've been hearing the seats were too hard, but I feel otherwise. It felt like it had it's own springs.

So for the first two weeks of driving it daily I felt like I was always getting dizzy from the overall ride quality. Mind you this was after years of being basically in a lowered car. Finally, my brain got used to the disconnected feel and now feels more normal. I have transitioned almost successfully.

Fit and finish is good, actually. Well, for the price. If it were any more expensive then of course it wasn't acceptable. I do enjoy the rubbery dashboard and side door material and don't mind the plastic knobs and switches. The Audi had an excellent tactile rubbery feel on it's switches and knobs, but after a few years they began to have peeling problems of the rubber coating. Those cars became horrible to look at and it was a hit or miss with the dealer to replace it. Finally, Audi switched to a more plastic feel but never issued any recall to admit the problem. So I'm really okay with these kind of plastic switches which are longer lasting and cheaper to replace.

I enjoy the hidden storage features found all over the vehicle. The most enjoyable are the compartments under the second-row seats which a washable liner. Very smart.

The cooler box by the front passenger is kinda useless. I know it's not a refrigerator and it really does just depend on the temperature of your A/C setting. However, there should be a better insulation around the perimeter as well as a thicker front cover if the car would be sitting under the Sun. So if you need additional storage space, it's best to use it as another glove compartment. You can easily remove the rubber divider and thereby allowing you to place more stuff in it.

My most hated design is the out-dated driver dashboard with the miniature displays peeping thru the steering wheel. Although I'm used to it by now. In hindsight it is a pathetic design that looked like parts carried over from the 1980's era. And although there is a cute lighting set up when you enter the vehicle, the green colour is too old school. How about a simple white against black lighting, if you aren't able to make a cool red or amber effect. It's less tacky and more classy.

Speaking of tacky, I do enjoy the chromed accents from the door handles to the roof rack. However, they should have just deleted the chrome plastic covering on the 19" optional rims. While we're in that area, why the odd tiring sizing of 225/55 19"? It's too thin and you won't find any tire manufacturer offering this size except for the single Kumho Solus model that is flying solo in this tire sizing segment. This is dangerous in terms of being readily available as well as having a monopoly in pricing. If no one else will make this tire size down the road, what happens if Kumho stops manufacturing or if there is a recall on the tire?

The 7-seating capability was what I was after. I know the third row is useless, but it's a good compromise to have a vehicle of this size and still be able haul cargo without extending into the bigger SUV segment. The length and width is perfect enough for me. I can decently fit into any parking slot without encroaching into the next space which usually happens when you see big trucks and SUVs that belong to the country-side than the city.

I was hoping to get the booster seat option for the second row, but it surprisingly was not available for the R/T model here in Canada. Of course with my luck it will be available next near when I would have purchased this already. No harm as I still have a few years to go before I need a booster seat. By then I can hopefully trade this in for the latest Journey.

The 3.5 V6 engine is underpowered on it's own and especially when mated to a vehicle this heavy. How can other manufacturers massage 100HP and the same LB-Feet of torque per litre, while others still don't have the capability. If they did this, it would have been capable of pulling the vehicle and be very fuel efficient at the same time. The Pentastar engine is the one to watch next year.

While we're in the engine compartment, why is the hood prop up not hydraulic? How much could it have added to the cost of the vehicle to install one just like the rear?

There are still a lot of old-school aspects in the vehicle wrapped around a almost-there manly outer shell. However, I can only hope that this is good indication of where they are headed for next year since it can only get better than this.

In the meantime, I'm hoping to be able to enjoy this vehicle with not much trouble as was experienced when it was initially released.

[jmjit]

Ok ,So exactly Why Did YOU buy the Journey?? i see nothing positive in your post...I have been driving Jeeps since 1996 I Love the Soft ride and smooth Looks.As for the interior.I knew what i was buying,and for what the Journey gives you for the money.... i drive a 2010 SXT Silver Steelblue and we Love it.....

[oneframe]

I answered the WHY on my second sentence - "I came from a sporty station wagon and with my wife expecting, we needed a more "mature" vehicle to accommodate the growing family."

My review wasn't meant to be positive. It's just another insight from a person coming from another manufacturer. I understand why you would love it because as you said you've been driving a vehicle from the same manufacturer for over a decade. I was just comparing Dodge's design ideas versus what else is out there.

I've owned the vehicle for a month already and I'm beginning to appreciate the Journey. I can't complain for the price of the Journey. Even if I invest in another automobile down the road, I hope to keep this Journey for our family "journeys".