We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
|
|
||||||||
Dodge is hoping the new Journey will play a leading role in its quest to increase fleet sales.
Despite its bold rugged 4x4-esque looks, the Journey will only be available in the UK in two-wheel drive. An all-wheel drive version will be made, but only sold in the States.
As a result, it will be aimed at the MPV market, with Dodge naming the Ford S-max as its key rival. Seven full-time seats certainly aid this cause. All three rows benefit from a decent amount of legroom in their standard position, but both the first and second rows can be slid forwards and backwards to improve space.
But interior build quality is merely adequate. Some of the soft-touch plastics are nice, but too many materials feel hard and cheap. Also, the cover to our test car's USB port came off in our hands within a matter of seconds.
And while cubbyholes are in abundance, a limited amount of thought seems to have been given to them. A loose bottle in a hidden compartment under the passenger seat drove us mad on our test drive. Having finally located the cause of the noise, we tried to fit the bottle into the chilled glove compartment, but that is only big enough for cans.
Perhaps one of the major reasons why the four-wheel drive version of the Journey will be left in America is the carbon dioxide emission level. Kicking out 170g/km the Dodge is competitive in the sector. It just loses out to the S-max, however, which emits 164g/km and therefore sits two tax bands lower. Ford's fuel economy at 45.6mpg also just edges the big American's still credible 43.5mpg.
One major benefit of a large vehicle should be a reassuringly solid drive, but sadly this was lacking in the Journey. The steering was responsive, however the car felt unstable through corners. Large amounts of body roll were apparent, too, but we shied away from cornering fast enough to feel just how much.
Dodge expects to sell in the region of 3000 Journeys with the majority of those being the 2.0-litre diesel SXT. An automatic to manual split of about 50/50 is expected, both in retail and in fleet sales. Of the two, the manual is definitely the better option, being unspectacular but solid and dependable. The gear changing in the automatic is smooth yet just too slow to make the expected extra expense worthwhile.
The car will be well equipped - the only optional extra will be satnav - while full costs are yet to be released so cannot be commented on.
The Journey's biggest crime is being adequate, and though the CO2 and mpg figures are relatively good, the drive and the interior quality mean that owning something a bit different to the norm comes with its drawbacks.
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
