2016 journey crossroad review

• Crossroad 4dr All-Wheel Drive

Crossroad 4dr All-Wheel Drive 2016 Dodge Journey Review

2016 journey new car test drive, introduction.

The Dodge Journey occupies a hazy space between minivans and midsize SUVs. More than just about any model on the market, Journey has a foot in each camp, promising strong value for a variety of potential owners. Yet, for reasons that are unclear, it's been largely overlooked by folks who are shopping for a practical vehicle.  Larger than most compact crossovers that compete for the family market, the Journey falls among the least-expensive vehicles that offer a third-row seat. Gas mileage is appealing, and the Journey handily meets the needs of larger families, bypassing the bulkiness of bigger seven-passenger crossover SUVs, such as the Toyota Highlander or Nissan Pathfinder. Body lines are refreshingly different from the crossover pack, if no longer fresh and new.  First introduced as a 2009 model, Journey got off to a poor start with a disappointing interior, but a quick mid-cycle update for 2011 improved it substantially and the current model offers a good value.  For 2016, Dodge has trimmed the Journey model line to four choices: SE, SXT, Crossroad, and Journey R/T, along with a Crossroad Plus package. Garmin navigation is available, which we rank among the best for this vehicle class.  The Dodge Journey offers a choice of two powertrains. The standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine makes 177 horsepower and, with an antiquated 4-speed automatic and front-wheel drive feels strained if anyone other than the driver is aboard.  Better to take the strong 3.6-liter V6, with 283 horsepower and 6-speed automatic, and either front- or all-wheel drive. That version feels modern and authoritative in acceleration and responsiveness. It's quieter, too.  Ride comfort is a strong point, with appropriate damping and roll control for a family vehicle. Steering is somewhat quick for a vehicle of this nature.  Although the Journey can be a solid family vehicle, it lacks some active-safety features. Crash-test scores have been adequate, but not good enough to provide full confidence for families. NHTSA gave the Journey four stars (out of five) for frontal crash and rollover protection, four stars for side-impact protection, and four stars overall (five with AWD). The Journey's aging structure was devised in an earlier era. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it a Good score in most testing, but particularly poor for the small-overlap frontal test. 

The 2016 Dodge Journey comes in four trim levels.  Journey SE ($20,895) comes with air conditioning, power windows, 17-inch aluminum wheels. Bluetooth and a rearview camera are optional. Seven-passenger seating is available. Journey SXT ($24,395) comes standard with the seven-passenger seating, foglamps and appearance upgrades. Blacktop and Chrome packages are available.  Journey Crossroad ($25,995) features special trim and 19-inch alloy wheels. The Crossroad Plus package upgrades with leather seat upholstery with sport mesh inserts, Uconnect infotainment with 8.4-inch screen and Bluetooth, automatic tri-zone climate control, a fold-flat front passenger seat, and power driver's seat. Rear-seat entertainment is optional.  Journey R/T ($31,395) is the sporty model, featuring the more powerful V6 engine, performance suspension, firmer steering, red accent stitching, and a six-speaker, 368-watt premium audio.  Safety features include curtain airbags, stability control, and active head restraints. A rearview camera and parking sensors are optional. 

The styling is dated after eight years of production. Even so, its slab-sided profile, augmented by sheetmetal that exhibits a chiseled appearance, is distinctly different from the crossover SUV pack. The look is helped by flared wheelwells, as well as squarish shoulders and sporadic creasing of the body metal.  More than most, the Journey slips into a middle ground between a traditional wagon and a modern SUV. Despite that styling difference, lacking the customary curves of a crossover SUV, the Journey could be perceived as a somewhat anonymous vehicle. Some might even dub it a relic of an earlier automotive era, but with merits and demerits similar to those of its modern competitors. 

Smooth, simple and swooping in shape, the Journey's interior conveys less of a warmly upscale appearance than other Dodge models. Materials are high in quality, if dark, but offset by sufficient brightwork to reveal a little more upscale aura.  Dials and knobs are large, with fuss-free, easy-operating climate controls. The infotainment screen is big, too.  Seats are smartly arranged in the Journey's nicely configured, family-focused cabin, which contains many small storage spaces. The front seats are wide and accommodating.  Second-row seating is among the best in this size vehicle. The rear seatbacks adjust for rake, and the bench slides fore and aft several inches. The rear seats are contoured to fit adults. Sliding the second row forward eases access to the optional third row, where space is acceptable for smaller-size adults.  An extra step is needed to fold seats forward for cargo hauling, which results in a lower and flatter floor. Cargo space totals 37 cubic feet behind the second row; or 10.7 with the third row (if installed) raised. With only front seats up, it's 67.6 cubic feet.  Visibility can be an issue, due to the tall-shouldered design. A rearview camera is available on upper trim levels, helpful when backing up in this vehicle. 

Driving Impression

When equipped with the optional V6 engine, the Journey is pleasant and responsive. The V6 and 6-speed automatic work well together, even when pushed hard, though the transmission has been known to shudder at times in low-speed stop-and-go driving.  With the four-cylinder, however, acceleration scores no higher than average. The four-cylinder is relatively rough, and the 4-speed automatic transmission that comes with it is disappointing throughout.  Fuel economy is acceptable, but fails to approach class-leading level. The four-cylinder model is EPA-rated at 19/26 mpg City/Highway, versus 17/25 mpg City/Highway for the V6. All-wheel drive drops the V6 figure a notch, to 16/24 mpg City/Highway.  Handling ranks as reasonably responsive, and the Journey's suspension loads and unloads confidently. In fact, it reacts somewhat like a lower and leaner vehicle. Even while taking a corner swiftly, there's no excessive bounding or wallowing when hitting a bump. Ride comfort excels, helped by hydraulic-type power steering that's weighted well, no electric steering here. 

The Dodge Journey excels in value and stands apart with its distinctive design. An older vehicle, it lacks the latest active-safety features. The V6 engine is a better choice than the overtaxed four-cylinder.  Driving impressions by Bengt Halvorson, The Car Connection. James M. Flammang contributed to this report. 

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2016 Dodge Journey trims (8)

(SE) 4dr Front-Wheel Drive

(SXT) 4dr Front-Wheel Drive

(Crossroad) 4dr Front-Wheel Drive

(SE) 4dr All-Wheel Drive

(SXT) 4dr All-Wheel Drive

(Crossroad) 4dr All-Wheel Drive

(R/T) 4dr Front-Wheel Drive

(R/T) 4dr All-Wheel Drive

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Crossroad plus more than expected

I have had my Red Crossroad plus for four months and 5500 miles now and love it. I got the 4cyl engine due to special pricing, the engine is a 4 cyl but does better than I thought it would. The ride is top notch and it is very quiet inside, not that much road noise. i traded in a 2010 Honda Accord, a car that I really liked but its road noise was big distraction. The journey is very quiet and has a tight supple ride. Handling is crisp and steering is nice. Lots of space inside, it looks much bigger inside than it looks on the outside. The crossroad plus has all the bell and whistles, love the nav system and the backup camera. The vehicle turns heads as i drive by. It is a splendid road trip vehicle. We took a trip from Texas to Utah and Colorado and had a wonderful time and love the Journey. So far no problems with the car. Very happy with this vehicle. 11-24-16. Update. four more months have come and gone since the last review and I just love the Journey that much more. I now have 8000 miles on it and the gas milage is even better as it gets broken in. Still no problems what so ever and as quiet and comfortable as ever. FIVE STARS PLUS great job Dodge!

Great Value - Awesome Ride

Great car for $$. Upgrading to 3.6L engine was so worth it. It has very quick exceleration, hugs the road and has a fantastic (touring) suspension system. You can barely tell when you go over a bump. Love the interior with leather upgrade, full power & heated driver and passenger seats, heated mirrors and larger touchscreen in dash. Tons of storage in rear floor, inside front passenger seat and trunk area, especially when 3rd row seats are folded flat. You can fit lots of boxes, lumber and anything else you desire in there. Just wish it had a little better gas milage- abt. 19mpg. for 3.6v engine. Only regret is that I didn't get navigation but I got it a great price with rebates @ 24,995.00 for the Crossroads Plus- 3.6v upgrade and bought what they had in stock and unfortunately it didn't have navigation. Still worth it considering all the upgrades, ie. leather, power heated seats, larger 8.4" touchscreen, 3rd row seats, etc. Definitely feel it was a great bargain for what you get in comparison to the competitors. Overall a wonderful ride.

The car mags are wrong--The Journey works

I sporadically researched mid-size SUVs and crossovers for a couple of years as I pondered replacing my still-running 1997 Dodge "Immortal Caravan" with 280,000 miles. Most of the "professional" reviews I read blasted the Journey as dated and outclassed, so I was reluctant even to test-drive one--How could the collective wisdom of so many "experts" be wrong?! When a local used-car dealer I visited told me the rare V6 Equinox I'd come in to look at had just been sold . . . he said I should look at a low-mileage V6 Journey he just got in. I immediately liked what I saw, and knew almost before leaving the parking lot on the test drive that it was what I'd been looking for. The size is just right--big enough to haul 7 people, but small enough to park anywhere. The Pentastar V6 is torquey and responsive, and recently delivered a stunning 30 mpg on a long trip. Interior fit and finish is excellent, with precisely the level of instrumentation and infotainment features I wanted, all very ergonomically well done. Seating is flexible and easy to operate, with thoughtful features like one lever to access the third-row seating. My biggest beef with the car writers is their condemnation of the vehicle's supposedly sloppy handling. I suspect my SXT (which incidentally is FWD, not AWD, but Edmunds doesn't offer the pre-defined menu choice of SXT/FWD/3.6) has the mid-range "touring" suspension, and to me it has the ideal balance of communicative handling, responsive cornering, comfortable ride, and interior quietness. It can tow 2500 lbs. with standard ABS and stability control. I'm supposed to consider it "dated" because it doesn't offer lane-departure warnings and other naggy baubles I don't really need? As for styling, what the car magazine writers call "dated" or "boxy" I would call "classic," a wonderful blend (at least with the alloy wheels) of square-edged truck-like ruggedness and car-like sportiness, without an ounce of pretentiousness. In short, the car writers are completely out of touch if they think the Journey isn't competitive, or capable of meeting the needs even of picky, enthusiast drivers like me. My only complaint: The fuel gauge doesn't go all the way to "F" when I top off the tank, and when it hits "empty" I typically still have 6-7 gallons in the 20.5-gallon tank. (On the bright side, the mileage I'm seeing and fuel-tank capacity the specs claim means I could go over 600 miles if I don't mind driving on "empty" for a few hours.) Update: This vehicle has been mostly trouble-free vehicle since I got it nearly two years ago. The only thing I've had to fix is one of the HVAC actuators which controls the "mode" louver (determining where the air is directed--floor, dash, or windshield). I found an OEM replacement part on eBay for about $10 and a video on YouTube on how to replace--took me about an hour. I continue to be impressed by this vehicle's comfort, ride, handling, and power. Update 2023: The factory-installed battery lasted a surprising 7 years before needing replacement. The bad news: The battery is located on a cramped platform in front of the driver-side wheel well and you have to jack the car up, take the tire off, and remove a bunch of fiddly fasteners to take out the wheel-well lining before beginning the tedious process of unhooking and removing the battery in tight quarters, then reversing the process to put a replacement in. It was strenuous and frustrating and almost makes me want to trade the car in. Another recent problem: the driver-side seatbelt has stopped retracting, and this will likely be another costly out-of-warranty repair unless I try to fix it myself. Overall, the good outweighs the bad with this car, but it does have some annoying failures which almost make me want to trade it in.

Drive to THE ROCK!

I researched SUV's of all makes since Jan '16, (this is when my second vehicle went to car heaven ...it was 14 years old). Yes, I'm very analytical, and when it comes to my cold hard earned cash... darn right I'm going to do some homework! I went to a Hyundai dealership in Rockwall, (waste of time, as no one was willing to deal, their loss). I then went to dealership right next door... GREAT PEOPLE! They did all they could to get me into a Honda CRV.....(it was almost a sell, those cars are awesome, but without me doing research, and without knowing exactly what trim/ package I wanted I was not going to make a hasty decision! )Although their offers were FABULOUS, and were willing to earn my business with the extras... I just had my heart set on my Dodge Journey, and I was going to find it or go home and start researching the Honda CRV!! They even called me (although too late) to let me know they could get me what I wanted from one of their sister dealerships... NOW that's great customer SERVICE and customer follow up! I purchased a Certified Pre-Owned from ROCKWALL DODGE. Melvin my sales person was fabulous, he took our offers seriously and we made the deal. There was a miscommunication snafu regarding add-ons, but this company was quick, fast, and in a hurry to make any misconceptions on my part or sales persons part to make it RIGHT! ROCKWALL DODGE wanted to make me happy not only right then, but in the long years to come, not only with my vehicle... but with my entire experience! They have! Job well done ROCKWALL DODGE!! (The only thing is I am missing the key to my wheel locks!, I didn't check before driving home, I'm sure this can too be resolved... these guys are great!!) The vehicle is immaculate inside and out; there is one "miniature" ding on the passenger rear door, and it took me a while to find it after I got home. My vehicle is a V-6 FWD however, not 4cyl AWD. I love the "beastly power" when I need it, I love knowing it's there, though I try not to abuse it. (wink) My gas mileage from Rockwall to my drive way was just under 400 miles and I was still able to go to work my first week after coming home without having to fill the tank! (20-25 miles daily). The color is equivalent to a well tailored business man's power gray suit! (place wolf call here). The cargo space is AMAZING, with the third row, I simply keep it laid down for my ladder, and I still have plenty of room for vacation luggage, there are also lots and lots of secret embedded compartments for added storage. The only thing I will be adding to this new love in my life is a AMP step for both sides of the vehicle that will drop for me when I open the door. I'm 5'0 nothing, and enjoy climbing on things normally, but I'm at a point in life when I can afford to do things the easy way. So ladies... don't be afraid of this vehicle, it handles like a dream and if you have kids with lots of stuff, and they have friends with lots of stuff, you'll still have plenty of room for your stuff.

Awesome affordable buy!!!

Went from a 2004 Toyota Sienna to this. Was amazed at the space and storage areas. Especially having 3 ypung kids. I needed a decent amount of space! Mileage has been great! I went with the crossroad edition. 4 cylinder instead of the 6 cylinder. Awesome features. With rebates I saved a ton of money. Started out at $27,000 and got down to $19900. Absolutely love it!!!

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