2017 Dodge Journey Review

The SE comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels, roof rails, heated mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, cruise control, dual-zone manual climate control, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a sliding and reclining second-row seat, a 4.3-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker sound system with a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack.

Optional for the SE (standard with AWD) is the Flexible Seating package, which adds a 50/50-split third row and tri-zone manual climate control.

Moving up to the SXT adds 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a unique front fascia, LED taillights (also standard on the SE AWD), body-colored exterior mirrors and the Flexible Seating package.

The Crossroad adds 19-inch wheels, gloss black and chrome exterior trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth and satellite radio.

The Crossroad Plus expands upon the Crossroad's feature content with tri-zone automatic climate control, LED interior lighting, leather upholstery with mesh inserts, a six-way power driver seat (with four-way power lumbar adjustment), a fold-flat front passenger seat with a hidden storage bin, an 8.4-inch touchscreen, an in-dash DVD player, an SD card slot and a cargo net.

The GT adds the V6 engine as standard, plus different 19-inch wheels, remote engine start, a body-color grille, a sport-tuned suspension, automatic headlights, perforated leather upholstery with red stitching, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an interior observation mirror, a premium audio system with a subwoofer and a 115-volt power outlet.

Many features on the upper trim levels are available on lower trims via option packages. Other available features (depending on trim) include the Blacktop package (gloss black 19-inch wheels, grille and exterior trim), a sunroof, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, integrated second-row child booster seats, a rear-seat entertainment system and a navigation system.

By default, the 2017 Dodge Journey SE, SXT, Crossroad and Crossroad Plus come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 173 hp and 166 pound-feet of torque. It drives the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg combined (19 city/25 highway), a decidedly subpar rating for a four-cylinder crosstour.

Optional on those trims and standard on the GT is a 3.6-liter V6. It's good for 283 hp and 260 lb-ft and is matched to a six-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard with the V6 unless you get the GT, which offers either FWD or AWD. The front-wheel-drive GT returns 19 mpg combined (17 city/25 highway), while the AWD V6 models get a similar 19 mpg combined (16 city/24 highway).

We recorded a 7.8-second 0-60-mph time in a front-drive, V6-equipped Journey, which is a sluggish showing given this engine's output ratings. Still, the V6 gives you plenty of punch in most situations.