Close friend of mine has pretty much the exact same vehicle as the tester (i think i've mentioned it before in a previous thread)
I just want to start by saying that i cannot begin to explain the improvment in interior materials and how said materials are bolted together. From sitting in journeys at auto shows in 2008 compared to this refreshed one, it makes the former seem like it could have been built beside dodge colts and plymouth reliants. Only complaints i have about it from the passenger perspective is that the infotainments system, although better than 1st gen MyFordTouch, is still relatively sluggish in it's performance and the screen itself, awashed in all that red just looks plain ugly. Also the front seats were clearly designed for huge fat people and are not terribly supportive for thinner frames.
I've never actually driven my friend's journey (or any for that matter) so i can't comment on dynamics, but the pentastar sounds great, and i 283 hp is more than any buyer for this type of vehicle will ever need i would imagine
Dressed up in the R/T trim (lol at the fact we have R/T branded crossovers now) i will admit to liking the journey's chunky style (if not adoring it) compared with the softer, rounded tones of some competitors edge/Murano/Santa Fe. The thing i dont get about the exterior (and it's probably only for the R/T trim) is some elements of styling confusion: the grille, exhaust ports, rear roof spoiler and wheels all say "urban cruiser type crossover", but then the roof rack, ride height, and front bumper swathed in black plastic with satin silver chin spoiler say "cottage carrier". Why not just do an "adventure package" (like they did in the older durango) for the outdoorsy people, and then keep the chrome and ground effects for the R/T? just a thought