Eventually, every journey must come to an end, and for the Dodge Journey, 2020 is its final production year, as Dodge has chosen to focus on its performance lineup. So, is the 2020 Dodge Journey an ignominious end for this midsize crossover SUV, or is it a last hurrah before it drives off into the sunset? Well, that all depends on what you might be looking for. There is no denying that there are some legitimate reasons why the Journey has been discontinued, but that doesn’t mean this Dodge is not a solid option for many drivers.
To begin with, the 2020 Dodge Journey is one of the lowest-priced midsize SUVs on the road and an incredibly affordable option if you’re looking for a three-row model with seating for up to seven people. That makes the Journey a great choice if you’re on a serious budget but still want a new vehicle for a large or growing family. The low price point and lack of many customization options also make the Dodge Journey a terrific pick if you are looking to build or add to a fleet of vehicles.
For unparalleled luxury and incredible performance, you’re going to want to look elsewhere, but for what it offers, the 2020 Dodge Journey is a great choice. Let’s take a look and see how the Journey stacks up for its final model year.
Power and Performance
The engine and overall performance of any vehicle are important, particularly with a larger model like a midsize crossover SUV. There used to be two engines available for the Journey, but for 2020 this was paired down to just a single option: a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine that offers up to 173 hp. That’s not amazing for a midsize SUV, especially from Dodge, a brand that is synonymous with raw power and aggressive performance, but it works.
The engine option that was removed was a 3.6L V6 with 283 hp, so you can see that the 2020 model represents something of a loss in terms of performance and drivability. If you’re willing to consider used models, then you might be better off checking for a 2019 model with the V6. That being said, the Journey is noted for offering a comfortable ride, particularly on the highway.
The 2020 model with its 4-cylinder engine also gets pretty good gas mileage, offering up to an estimated 25 MPG on the highway. This gives you some decent range that lets the Journey live up to its name. It’s not the best fuel economy in its class, but it is certainly better than many other options and a good choice if you’re worried about gas prices.
Interior Space
The interior of the 2020 Dodge Journey is arguably its best selling point. This is a three-row midsize SUV, which can be easy to forget given its low price, and offers safe seating for up to seven passengers. It has 60/40-split second-row seating and 50/50-split third-row seats, which lets you easily fold down the seats in the configuration you need to get your passengers and cargo loaded up.
That makes the inside of the Journey very usable, and it offers more than 67 cu. ft. of total interior cargo volume, including a number of storage compartments throughout the interior. One thing to watch for is the available second-row in-floor cooler that is fully waterproof and can be filled with ice for cool drinks wherever you go. This is a terrific option for long road trips or tailgating when you want some beverages that are easy to access while on the road.
Technology Features
Tech features inside the Dodge Journey are another selling point and hold their own against the competition. There’s an available 8.4-inch infotainment display that looks good and runs the intuitive Uconnect software, giving you all the information you need at your fingertips. You get a USB port in the front for connectivity and phone charging, but unfortunately, there’s only one, which can be a problem with seven passengers. However, the 6-speaker audio system sounds good, and the rear entertainment system with its flip-down 9-inch screen will help keep your second and third-row occupants occupied.
There’s also a 3-inch driver information digital cluster display, which makes it easy to keep track of your vehicle’s condition. Similarly, the manual A/C with dual-zone coverage, remote keyless entry using the key fob, and cruise control with steering wheel controls all work well. That’s kind of the motif of this final release for the Dodge Journey: it does what it does well, even though it lacks some of the pizzazz of a brand-new design.
Overall Options and Trims
With the 2019 model, three trim levels were available, but for 2020 only two are offered: the standard SE base trim and the upgraded Crossroad trim. There are both pros and cons to this change, so it really depends on what you need. But that’s true of the features of any vehicle.
The biggest advantage is the fact that it makes looking at options much simpler and lets you pick a vehicle and get on with your day. In large part, this is one of the major reasons the 2020 Journey is such a perfect choice for someone building or adding to a fleet of vehicles. You don’t have to sort through a dozen different trims, multiple engines, and a long list of other options to get a midsize SUV. The Journey lets you easily pick the one that meets your budget and call it a day.
On the other hand, compared to a lot of other midsize crossover SUVs out there, it’s a bit sparse in terms of the options available to you. If you want a really luxurious ride with a tablet-sized infotainment display, heated rear seats, a hands-free liftgate, and other cutting edge features, then you simply won’t find it with the final model year of the Journey. And that’s the ultimate trade-off here: if the Journey works for you, then it works. But if it doesn’t, then there’s really not much you can do to change that or turn it into the perfect model with everything you need.
Who Can Benefit from the Dodge Journey?
This sort of question is what a lot of people ask themselves when looking at any vehicle. I’ve answered this a bit throughout this exploration of the Journey (I’ve resisted the urge to call it a “Journey journey”), but let’s consider it once again. Really, the 2020 Journey is a solid choice if you need seating for seven on a strict budget or if you have a fleet of vehicles that you want to add to or build up.
For a midsize model, with seating for seven, the Journey starts at just $23,675, which is exceptional for a vehicle in this class. And since there really aren’t that many features to be gained by choosing the Crossroads trim or the available options, you can pretty safely keep it at the starting point and call it a day. For a big family on a budget, that’s nearly impossible to beat.
That price point and simplicity of options also make the Journey a great choice for fleet operators. To be sure, it’s not going to win any awards for luxury, technology, or performance compared to many other mainstream midsize crossovers, but you really can’t beat the price. Competitors like the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9, and Honda Passport might have more to offer, but they all start at $6-10k more than the Journey. In the end, the 2020 Dodge Journey may not be the most exciting vehicle on the market, but it is a worthy send off for this 12-year-old model.
