2021 Dodge Journey

The current Dodge Journey is priced below 30,000 USD which makes it a hit among price-conscious buyers. However, other than the low price, we suggest you not to expect much from this Dodge’s far-forgotten SUV. With the same traditional 2.4L I-4 DOHC Engine and 4-Speed Automatic Transmission, the Dodge Journey hasn't really evolved much since 2009. Even without offering any best-in-class features, the only reason behind its sales reaching 100,000, is the tempting price tag for a big 7-seater SUV.

The 2021 version is also rumored to come up with the same old engine specs for the Standard trim but Dodge might provide a V6 Engine as an option for the high-end trim. Some rival cars like 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander, 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan, 2020 Subaru Outback, available at similar packages, offer a little better material quality and safety features than the Dodge Journey. Hence its time to see what the 2021 Dodge Journey is rumoured to get and predict what the 2021 model could offer.

The 2021 Dodge Journey is expected to add some performance based trims but the other trims shall remain the same in its line-up. For the 2020 update, Dodge had axed one trim from the trim line up of Journey, which was one above the SE trim. This resulted in some of the features trickling down to the base variant which increased its value for money quotient. You do not get that top of the line GT trim anymore which came standard with the bigger engine. In the 2021 model the GT engine might make a comeback in a different state of tune.

*2020 Figures used for reference

Price

As of now, the 2020 Dodge Journey comes in two variants - Dodge Journey SE Value starting at $23,675 and Dodge Journey Crossroad starting at $28,595. It is rumored that the 2021 Dodge Journey price range will be between $24,000 to $36,000. With added optional engine and SRT on board, it is reasonable that the price may increase up to $36k, for the bump in its performance.

Release Date

The 2021 Dodge Journey is expected to go on roads in the last quarter of 2020 i.e., in November and December of 2020.

There are no official numbers yet available for the 2021 Dodge Journey but it is expected to add at least one more engine option to its list. The current Dodge Journey comes with only one engine option i.e. the Standard 2.4L I-4 engine that delivers 173 hp of power and is mated to a  4-Speed Automatic Transmission. The engine sends power only to the front wheels and all-wheel drive is not available even as an option. Dodge has discontinued the 3.6L V-6 engine which was mated to a 6-Speed Automatic Transmission. The engine feels quite dated and while it offers average performance, the 4-speed transmission is just a let down. Due to just 4 gears under tap, the engine gets noisy at high rpms as it is more strained due lack of gears.

You can take on the city life with ease if you opt for the Dodge Journey but once on the highway you get to feel its drawbacks. It is not the most refined and is to be driven sedately to get the best out of it. The 2021 mode is rumoured to come with Street & Racing Technology which will give it better torque and power output. For an average customer, the day-to-day performance is smooth and again it is good not to expect sporty experience from such engine specs.

The Dodge Journey offers an average power of 173hp and decent torque of 225lb-ft which are not considered values for a grimy off-road. Whereas the GMC Acadia tops the class offering significant 310hp and 271lb-ft of power and torque respectively. The 2021 Dodge Journey is expected to have SRT which may increase the engine's power and torque.

The Dodge Journey has a below-average acceleration and less top speed, probably due to its measely2.4L Engine. The VW Tiguan offers the best gearbox out of the lot while the Kia Sorento scores high on refinement and performance.

How fast is it off the line?

As evident from the spec sheet, the Dodge Journey is no drag machine like the Dodge Challenger. The 2021 model is expected to get the bigger engine option which will improve its performance to quite an extent. The 2020 model is quite slow in terms of the 0-60 mpg timing. The weight of the Journey does not help it either and it is the slowest of the bunch. The V6 engine is no more offered and hence there is nothing you can do about its performance. Hence you would have to rev the nuts out of the engine to move past highway traffic sometimes.

In this comparison, the GMC Acadia and Kia Sorento are the cars to go for if you are looking for performance. The GMC Acadia is the best car in fact in terms of the performance. The Journey is the last car to reach 60 mph from a standstill and quarter-mile thanks to its underpowered engine and heavy weight. The Tiguan, being the second least powerful car, is still faster than the Dodge Journey.

What about the Braking performance?

If the Dodge updates the engine with the 2021 Dodge Journey, then it is sure to ship with better braking setup. For now it offers good braking performance as there are discs on all four corners. The brake pedal feels progressive but can feel wooden too sometimes. Due to softly sprung suspension, there’s heavy nose-dive under braking and the SUV doesn’t always hold on to its line. The ABS is a bit too intrusive under hard braking and sends a bit of judders to the pedal under hard braking.

Dodge Journey comes to a halt from 60 mph in 132 ft. which is not bad for a car of its segment and size. However, the technology on offer leaves some things to desire. The best braking performance is shown by the heaviest car of the lot, GMC Acadia which is due to its grippy tires.

What about the Ride and Handling?

2020 Dodge Journey is a decade old mid-size SUV and it rides like one too. The suspension is softly sprung which results in a jiggly ride over roads with undulations. When pottering around the city, the Journey pampers its occupants with a cushiony ride but as the speed increases, this spongy suspension setup gives rise to a whole lot of vertical movements. One might think that having this soft suspension would be a boon for offroading trails but this is not the case. The Journey is a below-average performer when the trails get down and dirty. 

On-road manners are lousy. The handling is atrocious and the steering doesn’t help either. It’s lifeless and vague and when cruising on the highway, one has to work the steering all the time as it has a bit of play at the center position. Show it a set of corners and the Journey rolls around and loses its line. So, it's best to sit back and relax and don’t drive the Journey in a hurry.

With the update in terms of engines on offer, we could also see a bit of improvement in terms of the fuel efficiency from  the 2021 Dodge Journey. The current model offers a fuel economy of 21 combined mpg (19city/25hwy) which is a flat & tedious rating. When compared to its rivals, others gave a decent 30 combined mpg, thereby being lighter on your pocket. If the 2021 Dodge Journey also follows the same engine specs, there might be identical fuel economy results. But after engaging the SRT, it becomes furthermore difficult to anticipate high mpg output.

From the above readings, we can conclude that though Dodge Journey has high tank capacity as it lacks in terms of fuel economy. Thereby it gives a good range whereas the VW Tiguan offers the best combined mpg due to its turbocharged engine. The Kia Sorento is on the lower side in terms of fuel efficiency due to its heavy weight.

There is not much news about the cabin of the 2021 Dodge Journey but we predict that if its a major overhaul you could see a completely new and modern interior. However, the current Dodge Journey doesn't have any exceptional features of the top class and feels a bit cheap. You can feel the plastic material all around with some trivial leather finishes given to the steering wheel and seat covers. The dashboard layout is also not that attractive and you can easily tell that its car built for the price conscious buyers.

It can accommodate 7-passengers with seats arranged in 3 rows with a Passenger volume of 124cu.ft. There is a 10-way adjustable driver seat. The cabin has decent legroom and headroom space, especially in the front. The second row has good legroom space but you have to compromise if you want the back row seats to get filled. And finally, the back row offers 2 seats which are preferable to children only. Overall, even though it is spacious enough, the seats are not premium and not the most comfortable around. However Dodge has very cleverly designed a host of cubby spaces all around the cabin which only boosts practicality of the Journey.

Though the Dodge Journey gave a tough competition in terms of space, its rivals offer a more premium cabin. The GMC Acadia won in this section with an unbeatable cabin space. The VW Tiguan is also not very far off in terms of the overall space and comes with the best fit and finish in its segment.

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 Journey is going to get an 8.4 digital touch screen, getting rid of its old button based controls. Dodge has finally added the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the UConnect Infotainment system. The current model boasts of a 6-speaker Alpine audio system, SiriusXM satellite radio, DVD Player, Bluetooth Music Streaming and Voice Command. It is fluid to use and offers good resolution.

There will be additional Infotainment features to be on board of the 2021 model.

• A six-speaker Alpine audio system
• DVD Player
• A 115-volt power outlet
• Bluetooth Music Streaming 
• Voice Command

What about the Cargo carrying capacity?

As there are rumours of the Dodge Journey getting a redesigned exterior you might get a bigger boot with the 2021 model. However the current model’s cargo capacity is decent but far from the best in segment. It is big enough to haul in a set of soft bags or some groceries. What adds to the practicality is that the third row has a 50:50 split function which liberates acres of space. The boot is quite practical in shape and the loading lip is not high which makes it easy to load and unload luggage.

The current model offers the least boot space behind the third row among the competition. Hence we recommend you to go with five people on board if you have too much luggage. The GMC Acadia is the biggest SUV in terms of space inside the cabin and its way ahead in terms of boot space as well. The VW Tiguan also offers decent space behind  its third row. Hence, the Journey is totally destroyed by the competition when it comes to cargo capacity. 

Notable interior features on offer?

The Journey is particularly lacking in terms of kit on offer and creature comforts but here’s a list of some of the highlights of the cabin of the Dodge Journey:

• Cloth or leather upholstery
• Six-way Power-adjustable driver seat
• Heated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Sunroof

Since 2009, Dodge Journey has followed the same exterior design with very minimal changes and its looks quite dated now. The 2021 Dodge Journey is expected to come with similar old looks but with  much more interesting design. The current model offers 19-inch alloy wheels, offers some spicy colors, and some sporty blacked-out design elements on the bumpers to make it look interesting. Even with the extra elements on the outside, the Journey looks uninspiring to look at.

The current Dodge Journey looks like a generation old car and Dodge really needs to focus more on its design. From the front it gets the same clear lens headlamps and from the side it looks more of a crossover with its simple and straight lines.  While it received a refresh around 7 years ago, the Journey’s styling is stale. At one point it was almost attractive, with a boxy exterior and off-road flourishes that were Subaru-esque, but every competitor has since surpassed it with more modern and more attractive looks. The exterior look is just ordinary for the price segment with no sharp bends and curves. Overall a decent traditional SUV (not to expect too much for its price).

Exterior wise, the Dodge Journey is no doubt a large vehicle which occupies a huge space of your garage. The 2021 model might run with similar dimensions. So, if you're planning to get this car, then you might have to expand your parking lot. Hence, if you are looking for the road presence, then you are certain to get some.

Summing up the exterior, It has 

• Colored shiny metallic body
• Bumpers made of composite materials
• Fully controlled LED Headlights
• Plastic Roof rails
• Rear Wiper
• Rear Parking Camera

The Dodge Journey on paper seems to be quite lacking in terms of safety equipment on offer. It doesn’t get basics like adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, rear traffic cross alert, blind-spot monitoring system, etc. In addition, it’s crash test results are not great either. The NHTSA has given the Journey four stars whereas every other Journey’s rival gets five stars. The IIHS gave  “Poor” rating for the small front overlap test on the driver’s side. Hence you might have to trade off some safety for the price.

Safety features on offer?

• Post-Collision Safety System
• Child Seat Anchors
• Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
• Stability Control
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
• Rear Height Adjustable Headrests
• Remote Anti-Theft Alarm System
• 2 Front Headrests
• 3 Rear Headrests
• Dusk Sensing Headlamps
• Auto Delay-Off Headlamps
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Traction Control
• Ventilated Front Disc / Solid Rear Disc Brakes
• Front, Rear, And Third Row Head Airbags

2021 Dodge Journey vs 2020 GMC Acadia

The GMC Acadia is perhaps the best performing SUV you can get for the price. It also offers seating capacity for 7 with a better put together cabin. You also get an immense cargo space with better features and safety. The Acadia comes standard with more features so even the base variant is not a bad buy at all. It is better than the Journey in almost every way but once you factor in the pricing you learn that all that performance comes with a hefty price.

2021 Dodge Journey vs 2020 Kia Sorento

Kia is known for its refined engines and extensive features list and things are no different with the Sorento. It is as big as the Dodge and is a lot safer too. Kia offers all advanced features that a customer looks for in a car of its segment which makes it quite a user friendly car. It demands a price premium of $3000 but still comes out as value for money offer. Dodge seems to stand no chance in front of the Kia and can only win the battle with its cheap and affordable trump card. 

2021 Dodge Journey vs 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Tiguan is the smallest car in this comparison but offers the best fit and finish quality. It offers an excellent infotainment system with the best in class cabin materials. It not only offers better features but also offers better fuel economy too. However, it is not the best in terms of performance and can feel a bit underpowered especially if you are into towing. Overall, the Tiguan is a better  car but you also have to trade in a bit of practicality if you compare it to the Dodge Journey

So, wondering if the Dodge journey is the best option?  Well, you should keep this car in your shortlist only if there is a budget constraint and surely check out its rivals. It offers an average engine performance, with low mileage, decent cargo space, and an intuitive Infotainment system. It scores low on safety as well as build quality. We suggest you to wait for the 2021 model.In the end, keeping most features of the 2020 Journey in its memory, the 2021 Dodge Journey might come with major updates in the areas of Engine, Safety, and Comfort.