Description

If you are like us, you may be surprised to learn that the 2016 Dodge Journey is still on sale. Other than an admittedly thorough refresh in 2011, under its skin the Journey is pretty much the same as it was when the three-row crossover debuted in 2009. During that time, the Journey's rivals have all undergone complete redesigns to remain competitive, while the Journey watches time pass from the sidelines. Is it a wagon or a crossover? The 2016 Dodge Journey blurs the boundaries. To its credit, the Journey does still have some positive attributes. Its suspension provides a smooth ride even over the roughest road surfaces, and that, in combination with supportive seats and a quiet interior, makes the Journey an ideal companion on long road trips. Pricing is competitive, and if you need to take on more than five passengers, the Journey is one of just a few vehicles in its price range to offer a third row of seating or an optional V6 engine. Time has not been kind to the Journey, however. In most other aspects, it is woefully outclassed by nearly everything in the segment. Both available engines are undesirable in their own way. The base four-cylinder is unexceptional and paired with a four-speed automatic that was starting to show its age when the Journey was first released. At least you can spring for the 283-horsepower V6, which delivers smooth and reasonably swift acceleration. Either way, the Journey drives straight ahead just fine, but trundles through corners clumsily and with a considerable amount of body roll. If you need a vehicle with three rows, you may want to consider the 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. This minivan costs roughly the same as the Journey and offers greater functionality, with plenty of rear cargo space and enough room in the third row to comfortably seat a couple adults. If you're set on a crossover SUV, our top pick for a similarly sized crossover with three rows of seating would be the 2016 Kia Sorento. It's more expensive, but we think its up-to-date design and technology features are worth the extra expense. And if you don't absolutely need a third row, just about any small crossover will give you similar seating comfort and cargo space but with superior fuel economy and refinement.