Test Drive Dodge Journey since 2008 SUV
Stray Orchestra
It would seem that only a couple of days ago, one of the most memorable presentations of the Moscow Motor Show Dodge Journey's presentation: the crowd of painted girls with guitars, dancing around Journey for energetic music. The representative office of Chrysler say that Dodge is the most musical brand. Let's see what rock and roll will play Journey. Behind the wheel of the new Dodge model, we were with a colleague along the way from Seliger, at our disposal it turned out to be about 400 km on two times enough to listen to the new album from Dodge Journey. Body journey real Heavy Metal. It is more than a third consists of high strength steel. But for those who do not particularly feel heavy music, there are good news: the front and middle racks are made by the method of hot stamping, which facilitates the top of the car by 14 kg and, accordingly, lowers the center of mass. The rear door is composite, and not all-metal, which reduces weight and allows you to close it with a smaller force. The front of the car has a programmable deformation zone, which in front of the front impact allow you to maintain the power structure of the cabin. For special strength of the compounds, special elastic glue is used.
Well, this is all the starve. And outside the mixture of Industrial branded lattice Dodge radiator, sharp faces and impressive bumpers with funk performed by the circular wheeled arches and chrome-plated door handles. But the general understanding of the concept does not contribute. So Industrial or Funk, Minivan or Crossover? Representatives of Chrysler in one voice say: both! It turns out fusion! In fact, Journey is much closer to the minivan, and the increased clearance and large 19-inch wheels (in the R / T version) is not yet a reason to record the car in the SUV detachment. After all, the platform is from the Avenger sedan, and even with a stretched wheelbase. And the full drive is not offered in Russia. Only in the States is possible such Journey, with the engine V6 of 3.5 l, which will not be in our market.
We are offered only front-wheel modifications. The simplest of them, SE, is equipped with a 2.4-liter World Engine about four cylinders. From this motor, especially in combination with the mandatory four-stage transmission (as on the same Avenger), I did not wait for any drive, so I first got behind the R / T steering wheel with a V6 of 2.7 liters and a six-speed automatic machine. Maybe this journey will give Jazz? After a dozen kilometers, I understand that the jazz today will not. Despite the extra 15 forces and a pair of cylinders, this engine gives a car with only sufficient dynamics, no more. In which, by the way, the considerable merit of the modern six-speed ACP. Switching box smoothly. By the way, and the voice of the engine so-so, like that of peacock from the cartoon about Münhhausen. What a jazz here! More like a guarantee, in the tact of periodic howls of the engine at high speed chanson. Well, the simplest modification of SE is a blues in pure form: so slow and slowly four long-term steps of the machine are used by the 170-strong motor potential. And at the speed of 120 km / h, psychedelic motifs are becoming noticeable. The box is nervously jumping with the fourth on the third and back, forcing the engine to shut out for a second and reassure again. Forcing myself not to put pressure on gas more than in the flooded. In this mode, quietly and smooth, excellent blues in the style of Howlin 'Wolf! What is needed for a family car! But I suddenly understand that the guitarists somewhere inside the car are increasingly pressing on the fuz, moving gradually on rhythm and blues, and later on hard rock. This road has become winding, and its covering is not so smooth. The suspension earned on the entire coil. And earned perfectly! Good energy intensity and elasticity perfectly get along with the beautiful smoothness of the course. A little more information on the steering wheel, and the handling of this rather big car could be set as an example to many classmates. In my opinion, the best suspension among CHRYSLER corporation models today. Good hard rock, good. So before Deep Purple not far.
It's time to consider the interior. At first it seemed that this is a disco 80s. The dashboard is exactly from that era. But the quality of the materials, the original center console and the optional MYGIG multimedia system screen with the display of information from the ParkView reverse camera and the possibility of navigation and DVD playback moved me back to the XXI century. And when I got to various kinds of tanks for trifles, pockets, compartments and experimented with the seats, I realized that it was a real rock and roll! What is there just no! If cooled boxes and large subboatants have become a common place for many cars, then a folding front passenger seat cushion (under it one more storage), huge tanks under the legs of the second row passengers and in the blink of the eye-folding seats are far from all. For Dodge Journey for the first time, the embedded seats of the Child Booster are offered. They increase the landing on the second row by 102 mm. It is very convenient for children and ordinary belts you can fasten, and it becomes more convenient to the window. In addition, each subsequent row is initially located higher than the previous one. In the cabin, everything is really well thought out. I like this music. It is a pity that most of these interesting and useful things are available only in R / T version, which is at least $ 11,000 (!) It is more expensive. So what you want to save will have to be content with blues. And those who want real rock, will have to fork out the real rock and roll now rare, and therefore roads.
Engines
Both engines installed on Dodge Journey are no longer new and widely known to the automotive community for other CHRYSLER Corporation models. So the 2,4-liter 16-valve four is equipped with Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Pt Cruiser and Chrysler Sebring. WORLD ENGINE has in its asset variable gas distribution phases (VVT), air flow control valves on the intake manifold, sound-absorbing cylinder head and pallet crankcase, paired balancing shafts. Motor develops 170 hp and 220 nm. The only lack of the possibility of layout is only with a four-stage automatic machine.
The six-cylinder motor volume of 2.7 liters also occurs on the CHRYSLER 300C and SEBRING models. His advantages: Characteristic for V6 smoothness of work, slightly large power (185 hp) and torque (256 nm) and a duet with a six-speed ACP
Story
The first Dodge Caravan appeared, like his two twin brothers Chrysler Town & Country and Plymouth Voyager, in 1984. It is this trinity that owns the authorship in the class of minivans. The first generation became extremely popular all over the world and with several restyings lived as much as 1990, when the next generation of the model appeared. The current Journey to some extent comes to the change of Caravan, produced from 2000 to 2006.
Dmitry Krotov
A source: Motor magazine [October 2008]
