2010 Dodge Journey East Providence RI

TheCarConnection.com has prepared this Bottom Line road test summary from firsthand driving impressions. Editors have compared the Journey to other compact crossovers to help you in the shopping process. TheCarConnection.com has also written a companion Full Review, which condenses opinions from other auto-review sites to bring you a comprehensive look at this recently introduced Dodge .

Likes
Angular, distinctive styling
Tidy size
Improved interior
Wide range of features

Dislikes
Interior styling and materials
Lackluster performance in all versions
Steering feel on all-wheel-drive models
Can get pricey with fun options

The 2010 Dodge Journey is the company's first shot at the crossover market. It combines a wagon body with available all-wheel drive, car-based running gear, and clever minivan-like seating and cargo features. The Journey comes in front- or all-wheel drive, with a choice of four- or six-cylinder engines, options for manual and automatic transmissions, and an available third-row seat. It's priced from less than $20,000 and competes against strong vehicles like the Subaru Forester , Honda CR-V , Kia Sorento , and Hyundai Santa Fe .

The Journey brings an edgy Dodge flair to a segment that defaults to a sleeker, softer look. It has more in common with Jeeps , Land Rovers , and Mitsubishi's Outlander than with vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe . It works in many ways; the upright crosshair grille is distinctive, the silhouette is trim, and it's tall enough to be functional, though it seems a little narrow from some angles. Clearly it's a wagon, but one tending to the SUV spectrum of styling. The Journey's interior falls far below the best in the class, however. The instruments are canted at a strange angle and have a dated typeface. The straight-edge style doesn't play as well on the Journey's dash as it does its sheetmetal and looks less expensive than the Journey can be.

The 2010 Journey's drivetrains are less than inspiring, and its handling is reasonably responsive in front-drive versions, while all-wheel-drive wagons can feel sluggish. The 173-horsepower four-cylinder is a flat performer, and the 235-hp V-6 isn't much more encouraging in low-speed driving, though it's much more capable of passing maneuvers with less noise and angst. Steering comes in two flavors: The front-drive Journey has a little torque steer-the tugging motion under hard acceleration-but is quick and light if not sports-car-accurate. All-wheel-drive Journey wagons require more steering muscle and give less feedback. Ride quality is good, though, with the proper damping and roll control for a family vehicle. Fuel economy hits 19/25 mpg on four-cylinder models, and the V-6 front-drive Journey isn't far behind at 16/24 mpg. The V-6 with AWD drops to 15/23 mpg. A fuel-saver indicator is now installed for frugal, observant drivers, but all figures are below newer class entries like the 2011 Kia Sorento .

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