2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: All-New Dodge Journey Crossover

• Competes with: Mazda CX-9, Hyundai Veracruz, Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge
• Looks like: Dodge wasn’t happy with its Dodge Durango SUV or Magnum wagon, so it met somewhere in the middle on this one
• Drivetrain: 235-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 with six-speed automatic; 186-hp, 2.7-liter V-6 flex-fuel engine or 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with four-speed automatic; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Early 2008

We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know the name would be so … 1980s. That’s right, the all-new crossover Dodge is hoping will compete with the Toyota Highlander and newcomers like the Hyundai Veracruz has the unimpressive name Journey, just like the 1980s rock band. Unlike most new crossovers on the market, the Journey comes standard with seating for five, with a two-seat third row optional. Having that choice is good for consumers, but before we start talking about the Journey — no, we can’t restrain ourselves from writing the name over and over — we’ll just point out the fatal flaw: It has three engine choices that are all less-powerful and just as thirsty as the competition. Perhaps the Journey will be to the gas station.

OK, enough of that. The new crossover has a nice look to it, with a profile reminiscent of the Dodge Magnum wagon and a much more pleasing shape than the bulbous Dodge Durango SUV. The interior, however, looks just as plastic-laden as most of Dodge’s current products we’ve tested. Without seeing the Journey in person we can’t say for sure that the quality is as poor as, say, the Avenger sedan, but the photos make us believe it is.

Instead of improving its interiors, Dodge delivers more gadgetry in the Journey. Like the Caliber’s Chill Zone glove box and the Nitro’s Load ’N Go floor, the Journey has a nifty new feature we’ve never seen before: There’s a drink cooler built into the floor in front of each of the second-row seats. Both can hold 12 cans of soda and ice, and can be removed and washed out. Oh, and the Journey has the Chill Zone glove box, too, just in case 24 cans of soda isn’t enough.

Dodge was smart enough to load the Journey up with standard safety features, including side curtain airbags for all three rows, side-impact airbags for the front passengers, electronic stability control, antilock brakes, rollover mitigation, a tire pressure monitoring system and trailer sway control. 

What will make the Journey competitive is its price, and for now we don’t have that information yet. If it can beat the import competition on price, its exterior looks and interior flexibility might draw customers. However, the competition is so good we’re not overly optimistic.