Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Dodge Journey, 2009-2012

[Autos_Editor]

A used Dodge Journey is an inexpensive vehicle, but unless you shop carefully, you might get what you pay for.

Read More...

[sailor723]

It's no accident that the first syllable of Chrysler is pronounced "Cry" 

[hemusbull]

As the first CUV under Italian control it brought some European flavour known from many Fiat products...

[dencanad]

It's no accident that the first syllable of Chrysler is pronounce "Cry" 

Now, that was funny.    
The only appeal about this car is the price / value.  You get what you pay for though.

[Erik]

As the first CUV under Italian control it brought some European flavour known from many Fiat products...

What a card you are. Too bad your dead wrong, of course.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

It's no accident that the first syllable of Chrysler is pronounced "Cry" 

I bet my uncle's Journey hasn't been to the dealership as often as your Mercedes. 

[hemusbull]

As the first CUV under Italian control it brought some European flavour known from many Fiat products...
What a card you are. Too bad your dead wrong, of course.

As an automotive entusiast who began with an original Fiat 500, I'm quite right about the "European flavour" in terms high value/low price/worse in class reliability! Capiche?

[5 Wheel Drive]

As the first CUV under Italian control it brought some European flavour known from many Fiat products...
What a card you are. Too bad your dead wrong, of course.

As an automotive entusiast who began with an original Fiat 500, I'm quite right about the "European flavour" in terms high value/low price/worse in class reliability! Capiche?

"Introduced in early 2008 as a 2009 model"
That would mean the Journey was in the engineering/design phase long before the merger with FIat in 2009.  There's no European flavor in this beast.

[carcrazed]

As the first CUV under Italian control it brought some European flavour known from many Fiat products...
What a card you are. Too bad your dead wrong, of course.

As an automotive entusiast who began with an original Fiat 500, I'm quite right about the "European flavour" in terms high value/low price/worse in class reliability! Capiche?

"Introduced in early 2008 as a 2009 model"
That would mean the Journey was in the engineering/design phase long before the merger with FIat in 2009.  There's no European flavor in this beast.

Maybe they put some of that flavour with the redesign.  I quite like the interior design and the engine, but the seats didn't do it for me when I got into a 2012 Crew model in a showroom. 

[5 Wheel Drive]

As the first CUV under Italian control it brought some European flavour known from many Fiat products...
What a card you are. Too bad your dead wrong, of course.

As an automotive entusiast who began with an original Fiat 500, I'm quite right about the "European flavour" in terms high value/low price/worse in class reliability! Capiche?

"Introduced in early 2008 as a 2009 model"
That would mean the Journey was in the engineering/design phase long before the merger with FIat in 2009.  There's no European flavor in this beast.

Maybe they put some of that flavour with the redesign.  I quite like the interior design and the engine, but the seats didn't do it for me when I got into a 2012 Crew model in a showroom.

I agree, the 2012 redo is much nicer on the inside than the previous ones.  The dash on the early ones looked like they came out of the original 1984 Caravan.  I quite like the new interior.

[sailor723]

It's no accident that the first syllable of Chrysler is pronounced "Cry" 

I bet my uncle's Journey hasn't been to the dealership as often as your Mercedes. 

I never claimed the "Benz" in Mercedes Benz didn't stand for "Benz-und zee over" once the warranty expires. 

[hemusbull]

There isn't any flavour, just irony, well rough one... Chrysler was absorbed by Daimler-Benz as an widely propaganded "merger of equals". It never worked, at least for the smaller of the equals. The game with Fiat is different story in terms of image and public perception of the both Chrysler and Fiat respective products before the merger. Fiat's cars for the masses (excluding Ferrari, Maserati and so on) in Europe and Chrysler vehicles (excluding Viper, Prowler and so on) were/are the same - traditionaly lowest rated as reliability and overall quality. They are both the lowest priced in their respective classes with the most and earliest incentives. Both vehicles have been bought in bulk by renting companies. All this smells, do you now scent the "European flavour" I'm talking about? 

[canuckystan]

Oh give it up. 

There isn't any flavour, just irony, well rough one... Chrysler was absorbed by Daimler-Benz as an widely propaganded "merger of equals". It never worked, at least for the smaller of the equals. The game with Fiat is different story in terms of image and public perception of the both Chrysler and Fiat respective products before the merger. Fiat's cars for the masses (excluding Ferrari, Maserati and so on) in Europe and Chrysler vehicles (excluding Viper, Prowler and so on) were/are the same - traditionaly lowest rated as reliability and overall quality. They are both the lowest priced in their respective classes with the most and earliest incentives. Both vehicles have been bought in bulk by renting companies. All this smells, do you now scent the "European flavour" I'm talking about?

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I almost bought one of these this summer.  It was one of the redesigned Journeys in the CREW trim.  They gave us one to test drive for 24 hours, so we got a chance to 'live' with it.  In the redesigned form, it's actually a remarkable vehicle.  You got a LOT of kit for not a lot of money, and the Pentastar V6 that was in it was a gem.  Get that thing past 4K rpm and it turned into a rocket ship.  I think the price on ours would have been 24K, and it included a smart key, sunroof, third row, heated seats, rear seat controls, 8" touch screen, 8 speaker sound system with subwoofer, six CD changer, Sirius, power driver/passenger seat, seriously, this thing had ALL the bells and whistles.

I wouldn't buy a pre-redesign Journey though.  Probably not worth it.

[carcrazed]

I almost bought one of these this summer.  It was one of the redesigned Journeys in the CREW trim.  They gave us one to test drive for 24 hours, so we got a chance to 'live' with it.  In the redesigned form, it's actually a remarkable vehicle.  You got a LOT of kit for not a lot of money, and the Pentastar V6 that was in it was a gem.  Get that thing past 4K rpm and it turned into a rocket ship.  I think the price on ours would have been 24K, and it included a smart key, sunroof, third row, heated seats, rear seat controls, 8" touch screen, 8 speaker sound system with subwoofer, six CD changer, Sirius, power driver/passenger seat, seriously, this thing had ALL the bells and whistles.

I wouldn't buy a pre-redesign Journey though.  Probably not worth it.

24K for the Crew trim is a great deal; why didn't you buy one and what did you end up getting?

[Solstice2006]

I almost bought one of these this summer.  It was one of the redesigned Journeys in the CREW trim.  They gave us one to test drive for 24 hours, so we got a chance to 'live' with it.  In the redesigned form, it's actually a remarkable vehicle.  You got a LOT of kit for not a lot of money, and the Pentastar V6 that was in it was a gem.  Get that thing past 4K rpm and it turned into a rocket ship.  I think the price on ours would have been 24K, and it included a smart key, sunroof, third row, heated seats, rear seat controls, 8" touch screen, 8 speaker sound system with subwoofer, six CD changer, Sirius, power driver/passenger seat, seriously, this thing had ALL the bells and whistles.

I wouldn't buy a pre-redesign Journey though.  Probably not worth it.

I too was considering the Journey, but I didn't want a V6, I believe it's a little overkill for grocery getter.  Was not impressed with the 4 cylinder engine, not slow, just not very smooth.  I wanted a vehicle that could seat 4 comfortably, have the option for 2, got pretty good gas mileage, and had a small foot print, and under $20k.  So a 2012 Journey SE Plus, was like $22,500 plus freight, and tax.  I looked at a Kia Rondo, and Mazda5, settled on a 2010 Mazda5 GT (before the ugly redesign) for $17500 with 36,000km and a Mazda extended warranty to 160,000km.   It handles quite good, even through stop and go traffic, worst gas mileage I have seen is 9.5L, best one 7.2L, and it is almost 400lbs lighter than the Journey. 

[easyrider]

I bought the 2001 Journey and have been quite happy with it. Have found it to be very comfortable and well appointed. The only thing I don't like is the light steering.

[Seafoam]

I bought the 2001 Journey and have been quite happy with it. Have found it to be very comfortable and well appointed. The only thing I don't like is the light steering.

Yeah but the 2001 is so rare

[Ace]

FYI, Fiat did rebadge the Journey. It's called the Freemont and I think is can be had with a diesel and MT.
I wonder how the euros like it.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I almost bought one of these this summer.  It was one of the redesigned Journeys in the CREW trim.  They gave us one to test drive for 24 hours, so we got a chance to 'live' with it.  In the redesigned form, it's actually a remarkable vehicle.  You got a LOT of kit for not a lot of money, and the Pentastar V6 that was in it was a gem.  Get that thing past 4K rpm and it turned into a rocket ship.  I think the price on ours would have been 24K, and it included a smart key, sunroof, third row, heated seats, rear seat controls, 8" touch screen, 8 speaker sound system with subwoofer, six CD changer, Sirius, power driver/passenger seat, seriously, this thing had ALL the bells and whistles.

I wouldn't buy a pre-redesign Journey though.  Probably not worth it.

24K for the Crew trim is a great deal; why didn't you buy one and what did you end up getting?

We ended up not buying anything.  We fixed up the wife's car and my truck, and are using the money for something else.