Big, well equipped and a daring design – this seems to be the Dodge ethos with cars such as the Nitro, Caliber and Avenger all offering something different to the norm.

And now the American car maker has turned its hand to the MPV segment with the Dodge Journey – a seven-seat people carrier that Dodge claims will ‘deliver bold attitude, purposeful versatility, safety, quality and reliability at a great value.’

Adrian Hearn got behind the Dodge Journey at the UK launch to see if it answered its claims.

On first sight, you can’t fault the Dodge Journey’s design. It’s picked up the baton from the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso and Ford S-Max and moved the looks of the MPV forward.

Aggressive looking

The Journey is anything but dull thanks to its muscular frame, huge chrome grille and flared wheel arches which house a set of 17-inch alloy wheels. It looks less of an MPV, more of a large estate – and it is large, measuring 4.88 metres in length and 1.8 metres wide.

With this size, you’d expect masses of space inside and the Journey doesn’t disappoint. The seat formation of 2:3:2 means there is adequate room in the back for two adults but three across the middle may struggle. There’s plenty of headroom and lots of useful cubby holes placed around the inside.

The most impressive of these are the storage bins located behind the front row seats. Completely hidden away, these bins can hold anything from 12 330-ml drink cans to a pair of muddy football boots. The dishwashing bowl-sized bin can be removed and cleaned as well. The seats are simple to slide and fold flat, almost transforming the Journey into a mini-van.

Well equipped

The Journey is available with three trim levels – SE, SXT and RT. As with the Dodge range, all models are fairly well equipped, The SE features electronic stability programme, three-zone climate control, eight airbags and anti-lock brakes.

Upgrade to SXT and the Journey gains 17-inch alloy wheels, trip computer and fog lamps while the trim-topping RT spec adds 19-inch alloys, leather trimmed seats, electric heated driver’s seat and steering wheel mounted controls.

Our SXT model had the optional MyGIG multimedia infotainment system with sat-nav, Bluetooth, reverse parking camera and rear seat DVD screens. Having tested many entertainment packages, this £2,000 option is one of the best, with uncomplicated controls and a quality service.

View more images of the Dodge Journey

However, while the Journey is well equipped, it is let down by poor quality plastics which is a regular occurrence in the Dodge range.

On the road

Practicality and equipment wise, the Dodge scores highly but, as with many American cars, will it struggle on the road? The Journey isn’t great with the bouncy suspension and high roofline causing excessive amounts of bodyroll.

Under the bonnet are a choice of two engines, a 2.4-litre petrol and a VW-derived 2-litre diesel. We got behind the wheel of the manual diesel which develops 138bhp and 229lb/ft of pulling power. Having driven this engine in a host of other cars from the Chrysler Group there were no surprises. It’s adequately powered, accelerating the Journey from 0-62mph in 11.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 113mph with a useful amount of mid-range pull for driving up steep hills.

The petrol (with 168bhp and 162lb/ft) is slightly quicker, despatching 62mph in 10.1 seconds and hitting 117mph, but we’d stay clear of this model. While £1,000 cheaper than the equivalently specced diesel it’s far thirstier, averaging 32.1mpg opposed to the diesel’s 43.5mpg and is in tax band F, costing £210 per year with the oil burner costing £170.

Service intervals for the petrol are every 8,000 miles with the diesel every 12,000 miles. It’s £1,000 cheaper but if you’re planning on driving it a lot then you’ll soon recuperate this loss with the diesel.

In terms of driving dynamics, the Dodge Journey is a way off the Ford S-Max, but it’s also cheaper and better equipped than the Ford, but with cheaper looking and feeling plastics. If you’re a fan of the design, are looking for a well-equipped, highly practical, left field MPV then have a look at the Dodge Journey.

Key facts

Model tested: Dodge Journey 2.0 CRD SXT Manual
On the road price: £19,995
Price range: £16,995 – £22,995
Date tested: August 2008
Road tester: Adrian Hearn