Dodge Journey

Overview

The Dodge Journey is a SUV, unveiled first at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and later appearing at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Identified internally as the JC49, the Journey shares a modified platform with the Dodge Avenger and an identical wheelbase to the outgoing short wheel base Chrysler minivan, a slightly shorter wheelbase 113.8 in (2,891 mm) than the outgoing Chrysler Pacifica. Featuring 5 or (5+2) passenger seating with four forward-hinged doors, the Journey is available with a four-cylinder engine, as with past models of the Chrysler minivans.

Production versions of 2009 model year vehicles went on sale in March 2008 in North America, and mid-2008 elsewhere. A version for the Chinese market was unveiled at Auto China in 2008, marketed as the JCUV. Initial model production began in 2009. Freemont went on sale in Russia in 2013.

Halfway through the 2009 model year, the model name emblem moved to the right-end of the trunk lid, replaced by the brand emblem.

2011 update

Revisions for the 2011 model year include modifications to the grille, lower front fascia, redesigned interior, suspension, steering, powertrain, and use of Dodge's new logo, launched in 2010, as well as LED Taillights as standard on SE and above trim levels.

For the 2012 model year, the Journey becomes Dodge's smallest SUV after FCA stopped manufacturing smaller but more expensive counterpart, the Nitro. In 2014 the Journey Crossroad was introduced, with a crossover theme. The Crossroad has "platinum chrome" accents along the lower part of the body and in the interior, a large bumper, smoked head- and taillights, a black grille, rocker panels, rails for a roof rack, and a skid plate simile at the rear. Chrysler added the revised Dodge logo with two slanted rectangles for the 2013 Model Year. For the 2016 model year, the Journey's AVP and Limited trims are discontinued and the Crossroad Plus trim is added and also for the 2017 model year, the R/T trim is replaced by the G/T trim.

North American models

The following trims were available in North America from 2008 to 2010:

Features:

Fiat Freemont

Chrysler rebadged the Mexico-manufactured Journey in Europe after model year 2011 as the Fiat Freemont, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show 2011, and began marketing the Durango.

The Freemont had its Italian launch in the end of May 2011. It has two front-wheel-drive turbodiesel variants the 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp) and the 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) version of Fiat's 2.0 L Multijet turbodiesel. Later will be introduced all-wheel-drive version of 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) diesel and the Pentastar V6.

In Australia and Brazil, both the Freemont and the Journey are available for sale. However, to create a distinct market for the two vehicles, the Freemont is only available with the 2.0 and 2.4L 4-cylinder engines, while the Journey is now only sold with the Pentastar V6 engine (both engines were available before the launch of the Freemont).

The Freemont was originally available in LHD markets only, except the Netherlands. Fiat Group Automobiles Netherlands did not offer the Fiat Freemont on the Dutch market, owing to the Dutch tax climate, that would make the car too expensive to become a sales success. However, a RHD model was introduced to Australia, but not the United Kingdom. In January 2011, What Car? expressed doubts for the model to reach the United Kingdom.

Engines

The available four-cylinder is a 2.4 L (146 cu in), with 173 hp (129 kW) and 166 lb·ft (225 N·m) of torque; a version of Chrysler's GEMA built, World Engine class of four-cylinder engines shared with Hyundai and Mitsubishi.

Through 2010, the V6 offered in North America was a 3.5 L (214 cu in) with a six-speed automatic transmission, producing 235 hp (175 kW) and 232 lb·ft (315 N·m) of torque. For 2011, it was changed to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, producing 283 hp (211 kW) and 260 lb·ft (350 N·m) torque. Other markets offer the six-speed automatic transmission with the flex-fuel (E85 compatible) 2.7-liter V6. All-wheel drive is only available with a V6.

Also through 2010 a Volkswagen-sourced diesel engine was available outside of North America with an automatically shifted dual clutch transmission. Chrysler performed primary engineering for the dual-clutch transmission with support from long-time partner Getrag, which was to build the transmission in the United States. Due to funding issues, this did not happen, and the factory, nearly finished, was sold and used for other purposes.

For the second generation in 2011 it was replaced by the Fiat 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine with 140 hp (100 kW) or 170 hp (130 kW) and 258 lb·ft (350 N·m) of torque and a manual or optional automatic six-speed transmission.

Production

Chrysler manufactures the Journey at the 220-acre (0.89 km²) Toluca Car Assembly in Toluca, Mexico, on the same assembly line as the Fiat 500 (2007).

Marketing

Dodge Journeys marketed in Japan are known as Dodge JC because "Journey" has been used by Isuzu Motors. JCs were qualified by the Japanese government to be included in Subsidy Scheme for Environmentally Friendly Vehicles.

As part of the vehicle's introductory promotion, Dario Franchitti's No. 40 Dodge Charger carried a "Journey" paint scheme for the 2008 Daytona 500 on February 17, 2008.

Future

While Chrysler CEO announced, on 25 March 2013, the company's desire to discontinue most of the Dodge brand outside North America the same year (rebranding 2013-14 Journeys as "Fiat Freemonts" for some markets), there was no further update for the North American market.