2008 DODGE Journey 2.4L 5MT (170 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Dodge introduced the Journey for the European market in 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and tried to make a good impression for its new customers.

While the MPV segment started to shrink, Dodge offered something bolder: a crossover MPV able to accommodate up to seven people and take them on long trips. The Journey might have been more successful if the 2007 world financial crisis wouldn’t stop. But that happened, and Dodge had to pull back from the European market. Unlike other minivans, it featured an all-wheel-drive version, which made it more capable of reaching a lodge in the mountains.

The front fascia was dominated by Dodge’s chromed cross-hair on the grille and big, squared headlights. Its design made it look like a mix between a minivan and an SUV, and that’s what it intended to be. The design team installed wider wheel-arches, which gave it a stronger appearance on the road, while in the back, it featured a small roof-spoiler on top of the raked-forward tailgate.

Inside, the sloped dashboard design created a roomier appearance for the front passengers. The angular design for the center stack and instrument cluster was inspired by offroad vehicles. Thanks to its high seating position and individual armrests, it proved to be a comfortable vehicle on long trips. The sliding middle row and the 50/50 split-folding rear seats helped increase the cargo area, which was very small with all seats in place.

Under the hood, Dodge installed a choice of gasoline engines and a Volkswagen-sourced 2.0-liter turbo-diesel. Depending on the options, the Journey was available with a manual or an automatic transmission, front or all-wheel-drive.