Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Dodge Journey

Chrysler is recalling 6,692 Dodge Journey crossover vehicles equipped with its 3.5L V6 engine due to a wiring harness problem that could potentially result in an engine fire. NHTSA says the issue can occur when the wiring harness becomes dislodged and makes contact with the transaxle mount. Effected vehicles need to be checked out at your local Dodge dealer where the wiring harness will be inspected for damage. If the harness is damaged it will be replaced, and all harnesses will be secured with a tie wrap to ensure the issue doesn't reoccur. Chrysler has known about the issue since mid-March, but no actual fires have been reported as of this time.

The Journey recall is the second NHTSA action on a new vehicle this month, the Volkswagen Tiguan being the other, with each model having less than 7,000 units effected. Though nobody wants to see a time-consuming recall, it's good to see that issues are being discovered well in advance of any freeway carbeques.

[Source: Inside Line]

Click above for a gallery of the Baby Made on Board promo materials

When we read the tip from reader Thijs B. telling us that in Belgium, Dodge is planning a Journey launch promo centered around backseat baby-making, we thought it was a big joke. So we started using our Google powers to see what else we could dig up. And guess what? It's legit.

If you go to babymadeonboard.be, you'll be greeted by the screen above, which features a play on those annoying "Baby On Board" window signs that were ubiquitous during the 80s. It's paired with a countdown timer that will zero out on the weekend of June 14, which is when the Dodge Journey officially launches in Belgium. A quick WHOIS lookup on DNS.be reveals that the site's domain name is registered to someone at the Brussels office of Proximity BBDO, a BBDO partner. BBDO is Chrysler's ad agency.

More Googling led us to a Dodge press release posted on a Belgian media portal. The car is being targeted toward men, and its launch slogan roughly translates to "Become a father, stay a man." According to the PR, Dodge suggests that "everyone try out the back seat of the Dodge Journey in a little unorthodox manner." Well, that's one way of getting folks to look past Chrysler's lamentable interiors. People whose "backseat trial" is successful and subsequently produce a newborn child 9 months after the car's launch weekend have a chance to win themselves a new Dodge Journey, and the baby's picture will be posted to the website.

We don't think that Dodge really wants people taking special test drives out of Belgian dealerships for the purpose of steaming up the windows the old fashioned way (we can imagine porters quitting en masse on June 13th if this were the case). This particular assignment can probably be completed at home, too. To help encourage people to take action, however, all Journey floor models will have those "Baby Made on Board" signs in their windows. If you're in Belgium, are planning a family, and are in the market for a new car, you might want to (ahem) get to work on or around June 14. Maybe earlier. After all, a little practice never hurts. Thanks for the tip, Thijs!


[Source: Dodge Belgium]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Journey

Making a step towards a more fuel-efficient vehicle lineup, and reducing the number of overlapping vehicles between its brands, the plug has been pulled on a Chrysler-branded version of the 2009 Dodge Journey. Chrysler LLC will instead focus the resources on a Nissan-manufactured compact car.

While the automaker currently captures the bulk of its sales from light trucks and SUVs, Chrysler is trying to pare down its lineup significantly to cut costs. So far, they have cut four models. Moving forward, the Jeep Commander SUV is expected to be dropped next year, and the company has already said they were canceling the PT Cruiser Convertible. While the 2009 Dodge lineup gains the aforementioned Journey, Dodge Challenger, and a redesigned Dodge Ram pickup, Chrysler's product lineup for the next twelve months looks particularly bleak with nothing significantly new in the pipeline. Company officials are holding their breath for 2010, when the new Nissan-built compact, new Jeep Grand Cherokee, and redesigned Chrysler 300 sedans arrive.

[Source: Bloomberg]

click above image to view high-res gallery of the Dodge Journey

According to the sprawling press release pasted after the break, Dodge is planning their largest ever digital marketing push to accompany the launch of its new Journey CUV. "The campaign ties consumers to the new Dodge Journey emotionally by helping them realize their dreams, then drives them to action," according to Dodge's Senior manager of Communications, Mark Spencer. While we recognize the Journey as a credible entry into the crowded CUV segment, we don't feel any special emotional attachment to it, nor are we sure that it'll be making people's dreams come true -- unless they were dreaming for a price break on their next vehicle purchase. Still, for those who sit at the I'll-never-own-a-minivan table, the Journey offers a nice option, with lots of clever storage solutions, save the poorly placed sat nav.

Dodge's dreamy Journey strategy is closely related to Chrysler's new "If you can dream it, we can build it" campaign, which will debut on April 14.


[Source: Chrysler]

You thought you knew how much a Dodge Journey costs. Well, it's actually a thousand dollars less than that. Why? Because Chrysler is offering that much as an incentive to folks who plunk down the balance on a 2009 Dodge Journey. On the This Is Not Good side, it's the first 2009 model of the year to put money on the hood, and frankly, it just never looks good when the manufacturer offers cash to entice buyers. On the This Is Really Not Bad side, has anyone had a look at the things folks in Journey's market segment are enduring right now? (Hint: rhymes with "portgage misis.") Yeah. So we won't hit Dodge over the head... but we will be watching...


[Source: Kicking Tires]

Click the image above for a gallery of the 2009 Dodge Journey.

Dodge's next entrant into the Crossover soirée will come in under $20,000 when sales begin in the first quarter of next year. The base model 2009 Dodge Journey SE will be priced at $19,985 (including the $625 shipping charge), equipped with a 2.4-liter inline four sending power to the front wheels.

The 3.5-liter V6-equipped model with a six-speed automatic is available in SXT or R/T trim and comes in at $22,985 and $26,545 respectively. Both top-end models will be available with all-wheel-drive, with the SXT priced at $25,530 and the R/T coming in at $28,295.

All the pricing and trim details are available after the jump in Dodge's press release.

click above image to view high-res gallery of the Dodge Journey

Chrysler fired its biggest salvo yet in the CUV wars by officially unveiling the Dodge Journey in front of a throng of mildly interested in journalists. Truly, if you've seen one CUV, you've seen them all, and the Dodge Journey is all kinds of derivative. Coming from the automaker that brought us the Viper, Charger, Magnum and Challenger Concept in recent years, the Journey's design comes off as eminently safe. Perhaps Dodge is playing to the middle with this one, hoping to boost sales by appealing to the masses. What will sell the Journey are some of its clever interior storage solutions, including two bins in the floor directly behind the front seats, and more storage underneath the front passenger seat cushion. While the Journey could seat seven in a pinch thanks to its optional third row, it's obvious after having seen it in person that those venturing aft must be small and limber. What won't help the Journey is its powertrain lineup, which includes a 2.4L World Engine four-cylinder with unimpressive fuel economy, a 2.7L flex-fuel V6, and a 3.5L V6 that produces a meager 235 HP. The latter mill is mated to a six-speed automatic, but is still noticeably underpowered compared to other 3.5L V6 engines offered by its competitors while not delivering an appreciable gain in fuel economy to make up for it.

Europeans, however, can also choose 2.0L turbo diesel producing 140 HP and 229 ft-lbs. of torque, which is then mated to a trick dual-clutch six-speed automatic. Sigh... the grass sure is greener over here in Frankfurt, at least for Dodge Journey customers.

click above image to view new high-res pics of the 2009 Dodge Journey

We're still divided on our feelings about the 2009 Dodge Journey, and after reading the comments can tell that many of you are, too. To help us decide one way or the other, Dodge has released some new pics of the CUV, all of which show the vehicle being driven on the open road. Truthfully, these shots were conspicuously absent from the batch we received when the Journey was unveiled a few days ago, as it always helps when judging a design to see it in the environment we expect it to be used.

The design of the 2009 Journey is by far the safest introduced by Dodge in a long time. This is the brand that brought us the Charger, Avenger, Nitro and Caliber, all of which stand out in their segments for better or worse. Perhaps Dodge knows that the CUV market is ripe, and just offering a product in the segment will attract sales. With that in mind, they may have settled on the design that was least offensive to the masses in order to maximize sales.

[Source: Dodge]

click above image to view high-res gallery of 2009 Dodge Journey

Meet the 2009 Dodge Journey, a new crossover from the crosshairs brand that will debut early next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. Why the international debut? The 2009 Journey will be an international vehicle, sold both in the U.S. and Canada, as well as markets outside North America. The new Journey is one of those vehicles that wants to look like an SUV, haul stuff like a station wagon and ride like a passenger car.
Known by the code name JC49 for months, the Dodge Journey is actually based on an Avenger chassis with a wheelbase lengthened 4.9 inches. That provides extra room for an optional third-row seat for "occasional use". The Journey also includes some clever features like a large storage bin beneath the front passenger seat cushion, as well as two in-floor bins behind the front seats big enough to carry a 12-pack each and some ice.

Dodge designed the Journey with a traditional crossover look, eschewing the amped up machismo look of many recent Dodge looks. Of course, the monochromatic R/T looks the best, especially wearing 19-inch wheels. The interior of the 2009 Journey is also not traditional Dodge fare. While we can't comment on how the materials feel, it does appear the Journey is sporting new switchgear, and a lot of it. The audio and HVAC controls are a barrage of buttons that could be intimidating to some.

More info after the jump, along with VIDEO, Dodge's full press release and the gallery of high-res pics below.

[Source: Dodge]