The classic lines have remained the same over the years. Dodge

Rumors that Dodge will kill off its Journey three-row SUV have been circulating for years, but at last check, it’s alive and kicking. The automaker cropped the number of trims four to two for 2020, leaving just the SE Value and Crossroad. Dodge also made adjustments under the hood, dumping the all-wheel-drive 3.6-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. That leaves the 172-horsepower front-wheel-drive 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a four-speed automatic transmission as the sole powertrain.  

The Journey shares the brand family styling and resembles a three-quarter-scale Dodge Grand Caravan from many angles. In the SE Value, the anonymous look is completed with hubcapped wheels and black plastic trim pieces, but higher trims get a healthy dose of chrome and upscale-looking features. The Crossroad’s large 19-inch painted aluminum wheels and body-colored trim are quite handsome and help bump the vehicle’s looks in a positive direction. 

The Journey’s interior is clean but lacks excitement. As expected, there are plenty of plastics and budget materials, but it’s inoffensive and fully serviceable. The Crossroad trim gets a much bigger 8.4-inch touchscreen (over the 4.3-inch screen in base models), that dominates an otherwise austere dash.

The smooth ride makes up for the underpowered engine. Dodge

The standard 2.4-liter inline-four engine is underpowered for the Journey’s relatively heavy two-ton weight, and is loud under acceleration without pulling very hard. The archaic four-speed automatic transmission doesn’t help matters much either. Previous versions with the 283-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 and six-speed automatic transmission delivered lively acceleration and a smooth feel. It’s the powertrain of choice for buyers shopping in the used market. 

Remarkably, the Journey’s ride is somewhat of a standout feature. It’s comfortable and leans more toward a softer feel than a sporty one. Even with the larger wheels on the Crossroad, the ride maintains a comfortable and composed feel over most road surfaces.

The front seats are comfortable but only offer a six-way adjustment, which cuts away at the degree of freedom other vehicles provide. Passengers up front are not afforded the ability to adjust seat height, so longer trips for very tall or very short people can become uncomfortable. The second-row seats are well-padded and spacious, with plenty of room for two people. Despite the airy feel inside the cabin, three across in the back seat is quite a squeeze for anyone of average size. The rear seat slides, which can open up more legroom for third-row passengers or increase the cargo space in the back. 

The interiors are a tried and trusted design that hasn’t changed much over the year, except for the addition of an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Dodge

The Crossroad’s leather seats make the interior very comfortable and are an improvement over the cloth upholstery in the base models. Even so, it’s hard to ague with the value of the SE’s cloth seats. Loading child seats is simple in the Journey. Its ample headroom and somewhat squared-off door openings make easy work of lifting little ones in and out. When folded, the rear seats open 67.6 cubic-feet of cargo space, which is plenty for even larger items and trips to the hardware store.

The 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen in the Crossroad is parent Fiat Chrysler‘s gift to the automotive world. The system is bright and colorful and uses easily understood icons and menus that make operation easy. Uconnect is responsive and full-featured and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. 

The Journey is a comfortable seven-seater that could use more power and better safety features. Dodge

 The Journey does not check any boxes for buyers looking for plenty of advanced driver-assistance safety tech. There is a standard backup camera and parking assistance, but not much else. In crash testing, IIHS rated the Journey as “Good” in most areas, but notably marked it as “Poor” for small overlap front crashworthiness. The Journey’s headlights also earned a “Poor” rating for lack of brightness, and the child seat LATCH anchors received a “Marginal” rating for ease of use. The Dodge was awarded four out of five stars overall in NHTSA crash testing, again getting a ding for its front crash scores.