Dodge's Journey reaches Australia

Dodge has just launched its new people mover, the Journey, in Australia. Whilst it's tempting to describe the Journey as a 'crossover', it is, by definition, a people mover. As per our report last month (more here), no all-wheel drive variants will be sold in Australia, despite those variants being available in North American markets.

With all-wheel drive variants here, the vehicle would have fit snugly in the VFACTS medium SUV segment, as the Ford Territory and Toyota Kluger do. But the Australian-spec Journey is sold with front-wheel drive only and is treated as a people mover on the basis of its seven-seat capacity, meaning it shares the same market segment with Kia Carnival and Toyota Tarago.

Dodge still sees the Journey's logical competitors as Territory and Kluger, pointing to the SUV-like looks of the American vehicle -- which is built in Mexico, by the way. The company believes that prospective buyers will be guided by its looks and packaging, in establishing for themselves the Journey's competitors.

Chrysler Australia's General Manager for Marketing, Craig Bradshaw, was on hand for the media launch of the new model and specifically responded to this point when the matter was raised.

"It should be classified in the people mover segment. [The four-wheel drive] is not available for right-hand drive markets... So front-wheel drive only, for us. It obviously affects our ability for it to be classified as an SUV, as it's not a four-wheel drive.

Questioned further on that point, Bradshaw admitted that any gain from marketing the Journey as an SUV in Australia may have been an illusion anyway, following the recent downturn in sales for the offroad segments.

For the Chrysler-owned brand, the Journey fills a gaping chasm in the local line-up between the Nitro medium SUV and the mid-sized Avenger sedan. It will also pick up buyers whose budget doesn't quite stretch as far as Chrysler's Voyager.

The Journey is built on a modified version of the platform that underpins the Avenger and is longer than both the Territory and the Kluger. As well as being longer than the Avenger, the Journey's platform has been modified to allow under-floor storage, following the lead of the Chrysler Voyager. For the Australian market, the Journey -- specified with 'European' suspension tuning -- boasts two levels of trim and three different variants.

Starting at a Territory-nobbling $36,990, the Journey SXT features a 2.7-litre V6 from the Avenger, driving through a six-speed automatic transmission. The same drivetrain combination is also fitted to the higher grade Journey R/T, priced at $41,990. Sitting at the top of the range is the Journey R/T CRD, the top-spec vehicle fitted with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder, coupled to a six-speed 'DCT' transmission.

The petrol V6 develops 136kW of power at 5500rpm and 256Nm of torque at 4000rpm. Fuel economy, based on the ADR81/01 combined cycle test is 10.3L/100km and the V6 emits 246g/km of CO2.

In the case of the turbodiesel, peak power of 103kW is produced at 4000rpm and the engine's 310Nm of torque occurs between 1750 and 2500rpm. Fuel consumption with this engine is 7.0L/100km, for 186g/km of CO2 emissions.

The six-speed automatic transmission matched to the V6 is a conventional epicyclic unit for the most part, but with an additional kickdown ratio for fourth, which is not normally available during upchanges, providing the optimum ratio for emergency acceleration in fourth. In effect, Dodge tells us, this makes the transmission a nominal seven-speeder. Furthermore, this box has been revised for the Journey application, with a higher ratio 6th gear and lower ratio 1st, addressing open-road economy and acceleration from a standing start, respectively.

With the help of German transmission specialist, Getrag, Dodge's DCT box for the Journey R/T CRD (diesel) is Chrysler's version of the Volkswagen DSG transmission. As is the case with this kind of twin-clutch transmission, the DCT uses two clutch packs to ensure a gear is pre-selected in advance of a gear change, ensuring speed and smoothness in the change. Dodge makes the claim that the DCT is more efficient than a conventional automatic transmission also.

As already noted, the Journey drives through the front wheels only, in this country. The drive wheels are suspended by MacPherson struts, with the rear wheels working through a multi-link IRS set-up. Brakes are discs all around and the steering is by rack-and-pinion. The Journey's turning circle of 11.7 metres -- larger than that of the Territory -- is a by-product of the Dodge's front-wheel drive and longer wheelbase.

Packaging has been a major priority for the Journey's designers and engineers. The 'Flip 'n Stow' facility in the front passenger seat permits the driver to tip forward the passenger seat's base to accommodate up to 4.8 litres of items which might otherwise roll around the cabin loose.

There's a refrigerated upper glovebox that will hold a standard-sized wine bottle or a couple of drink cans and keep them at a temperature of four degrees. In addition, there's under-floor storage in the second-row footwells -- with removable bin liners -- and further storage under the floor, behind the third-row seat.

A tilt/slide facility for the second-row seat allows easier access to the third-row seating and features a memory function to return the second-row seating to its previous position. The second-row seats comprise a triple-split-fold (40/20/40 ratio) and will fold flat as well as folding the centre backrest position separately to provide a flat platform for a centre armrest and cupholders. Both rear rows of seats fold completely flat, as does the front passenger seat, providing nearly the facility to carry objects almost 2.9 metres in length inside the cabin.

Standard safety features for all Journey models include: Dual front airbags, seat-mounted (front) side-impact airbags, side curtains for all three rows of seats, driver's seatbelt reminder, ABS, stability control, brake assist, traction control, Electronic Roll Mitigation, Trailer Sway Control and tyre pressure monitoring.

Comfort and convenience features fitted as standard to all Journey models comprise: three-zone climate control (two zones in front, one in the rear), cruise control, electro-chromatic mirror, electrically-adjustable exterior mirrors (heated), electric windows, six-disc MP3-compatible audio system with input jack, remote central locking, six-way electric adjustment for driver's seat, flat-folding front passenger's seat with 'Flip 'n Stow' in-seat storage and reach and rake-adjustable steering.

Over the entry-level SXT specification, the Journey R/T also features: leather seat trim, leather gearshift knob, front-seat heating, a full-length premium centre armrest for driver and front-seat passenger, bright-finish exterior door handles, Electronic Vehicle Information Centre, premium instrument cluster with bright-finish bezel, swivelling front and rear LED map lights, LED footwell lamps, bright-finish roof-mounted side rails and 19-inch alloy wheels (over the 17-inch alloys fitted to the SXT).

Dodge is offering buyers the (now 30gig HDD-equipped) MyGIG entertainment system for the Journey, priced at $3250. For that money, Journey buyers will score the ParkView reversing camera, satellite navigation, UConnect hands-free Bluetooth connectivity and an upgraded audio system.

Among the other options available to Journey buyers, rear park assist is a $400 option a power sunroof costs $2000 as an option and those with kids to transport will willingly stump up the $1500 for a second-row seating video screen..

Eight exterior colours comprise seven (optional -- $300) prestige paints and one solid colour (Stone White). The metallics are: Bright Silver, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl, Deep Water Blue Pearl, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl, Light Sandstone, Melbourne Green Pearl and Silver Steel.

All the colours can be specified with Dark Slate Grey/Light Greystone interior trim, with five of the colours (Bright Silver, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl, Light Sandstone, Melbourne Green Pearl and Stone White) also being available with the option of Pastel Pebble Beige.

In the lower-grade SXT variants, the trim combination is Bamboo and Racine cloth, whilst the Journey R/T is trimmed in Bristol leather and Bristol vinyl.

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