CAR REVIEW – 2015 Dodge Journey Crossroad AWD SUV

We'd love it if you shared it!

I was provided with a week long test drive of the Dodge Journey Crossroad featured in this post. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own.

I love SUVs. When I decided to buy an SUV well over ten years ago, I looked at a number of brands including Dodge. When I recently was offered the opportunity to test drive a new Dodge Journey Crossroad I was excited to accept. Not only do I love to drive, but I also enjoy seeing how brands and cars evolve over the years.

The 2015 Dodge Journey Crossroad is a midsize all wheel drive SUV. The exterior color of the model I drove was Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat and the interior color was black. Under the hood sits a 3.6 liter V6 24-valve VVT engine and a 6-speed automatic 62TE transmission. Safety features inc this vehicle included advanced multistage airbags, supplemental side-curtain airbags in all rows, supplemental front seat-mounted side airbags, active head restraints, electronic stability control,traction control and anti-lock 4-wheel disc brakes.

I had the Journey Crossroads out on both the highway and in local traffic. It responded well when merging and accelerating. It performed nicely and was very comfortable between 60-80 mph once it got to higher speeds, an important factor for those with a lead foot like me. The transmission moved between gears smoothly. The Performance suspension and power steering allowed the Journey to handle turns without issue, but I should note in tight turns like jughandles it feels almost like it leans a little. The Journey Crossroad has a 21.1 gallon fuel tank. Fuel mileage was acceptable for an SUV, coming in at 19 combined city/highway, 24 highway, 16 city. The vehicle has an average annual fuel cost of $2,750.

The exterior of the Dodge Journey is handsome. The front end features the familiar crosshair grille with a little splash of red. The combination of the pain, fog lights and 19-inch hyper black aluminum wheels help give the vehicle a very strong appearance.

There’s ample seating, along with head and leg room for both the driver and front passenger. The leather seats had sport mesh inserts that made them look, well, sporty. The power seats were sturdy and firm. I enjoyed being able to set the seat to my own level of comfort with the 4-way lumbar adjustment. Ever go on a drive and find that the passenger in your front seat has nowhere to put some things? The Journey Crossroad’s front passenger seat has a small storage space right in the seat cushion, something I have never seen before. What a great place to hide small items like a wallet, camera, phone or even a purse! The model I drove had a remote start and security alarm, as well as heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. I love heated front seats! The heated steering wheel was a real treat for me, and I imagine it would be very nice to have on a cold winter day.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel felt sturdy. The treatment continued with the leather-wrapped shifter knob. There was light gray accent stitching in different areas of the cabin, which gave things a finished appearance.

Gauges and controls are easily accessed right from the driver’s seat. Most of the lights in the displays are red. I have terrible vision, so unfortunately the sharp looking color appears a tad fuzzy for me. Everyone else that saw them found them to be distinctive.

Many of the vehicle controls can be accessed through the Uconnect system’s 8.4 inch touchscreen display. Uconnect gives you access to a Garmin navigation, as well as SiriusXM satellite radio, CD, DVD and MP3. The vehicle’s entertainment system featured a premium sound system, with 6 speakers, 368-watt amplifier and a subwoofer. The large display is easy to use. Connecting my phone using bluetooth wasn’t very difficult. The large display not only provides access to many controls and options, it is also where you see the footage from the ParkView rear back-up camera, which even has a parking assist feature.

The second row had some really nice features. The most interesting to me by far was actually a feature of the front row passenger seat. That front seat can be laid down flat, allowing you to carry really long items or even let a passenger in the middle seat really stretch their legs. Fold-away booster seats (if your vehicle has this option) are integrated right into the 60/40 tilt and slide seats. This would be be a big time saver and convenient feature for parents of growing children. The seats fold flat, allowing you to use part of the space to carry things if need be. The second row is also where you can access the built-in in-floor storage bins.

The second row is also the home of the rear entertainment system. A 9-inch overhead screen tucks up into the ceiling of the vehicle just behind the front center console. The entertainment system comes with a remote control and wireless headphones, which means the passengers in the rear can enjoy a show instead of asking “are we there yet”.

The Journey Crossroad had a third row. There was a time when I had a need for, and actually owned, an SUV with a third row.  I love the idea of having a third row. But, it requires room to carry out and make sense. For me, the Journey’s third row didn’t work well because it had no leg room, meaning no teens or adults could sit there. It could also be a squeeze for infant car seats. I would sooner skip the third row and go with the two row configuration that seats five, giving more room to the middle and back storage compartment. If you have young children in booster seats or old enough to sit on their own the third row might work for you.

I want to note that neither the second or third row of the vehicle have air vents at legroom. Rather, the Journey has vents in the ceiling for a second air conditioner that can be directed to the second or third row.

There is a great amount of storage in the Journey. The storage compartment in the back is very generous. And, the rear seats fold flat, giving you access to more space if you need to carry larger or longer items.

Aside from the red lighting, the only thing I didn’t feel a lot of love for is the fact that the upper part of the interior was a shade of white. It’s such a contrast to the black of the dash that it actually created a glare and a distraction for me until I got used to it.

The Dodge Journey Crossroad AWD as I drove it had a base price MSRP of $28,395, after options an MSP of $34,750. Other levels of trim are available at lower and higher prices, starting at just over $21,000. The pricing is quite attractive for a midsize SUV, making this a sound choice for singles, seniors, couples and small families. The Journey Crossroad is a respectable vehicle and a good value.

CONNECT

Dodge website – Dodge on Facebook – Dodge on YouTube