![]() ![]() Clearly it's a wagon, but one tending to the SUV spectrum of styling. It has more in common with Jeeps, Land Rovers, and Mitsubishi's Outlander than with vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe. The Journey doesn't fit the more usual sleekness of the crossover class. The 2010 Dodge Journey brings an edgy Dodge flair to a segment that defaults to a sleeker, softer look. A rearview camera is available, as are integrated second-row child booster seats. Standard safety equipment on the 2010 Dodge Journey includes dual front, side, and curtain airbags stability and traction control and new for 2010, active head restraints and four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock control on all models. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) calls it a Top Safety Pick. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) gives it five stars for front and side impact protection and four stars for rollover protection. Safety is a strong selling point for the 2010 Dodge Journey. The cargo hold is a big 37 cubic feet behind the second row and 10.7 cubic feet behind the raised third-row seat with only the front two seats raised, it's a usefully large 67.6 cubic feet. Interior storage is a coup for the Journey, which has lots of bins and cubbies under the seats and between passengers, as well as in its door panels. If you're shopping the next larger class of crossovers-Highlander, Edge, Murano, and Pilot-the Journey will seem like a tighter fit, but it's as roomy as the Honda CR-V. The second row slides for more legroom, and front seats have storage built in beneath the seat cushion. ![]() The optional third-row bench is for two children, max. The seats are flat but are given enough head- and legroom in both the front and in the second row. The Journey is a functional place for bigger families-just not too big, please. Braking is strong, and wheel sizes range from 16-inchers on base vehicles up to optional 19-inchers. A fuel-saver indicator is now installed for frugal, observant drivers, but all figures are below newer class entries like the 2011 Kia Sorento. 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. Ride quality is good, though, with the proper damping and roll control for a family vehicle. All-wheel-drive Journey wagons require more steering muscle and give less feedback. 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. 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. 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 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 instruments are canted at a strange angle and have a dated typeface. The Journey's interior falls far below the best in the class, however. 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. The Journey brings an edgy Dodge flair to a segment that defaults to a sleeker, softer look. 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 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 combines a wagon body with available all-wheel drive, car-based running gear, and clever minivan-like seating and cargo features. The 2010 Dodge Journey is the company's first shot at the crossover market. 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. Editors have compared the Journey to other compact crossovers to help you in the shopping process. has prepared this Bottom Line road test summary from firsthand driving impressions. ![]()
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