A crowd-pleaser; Staggered 'stadium seats' help the Dodge Journey stand out from its MPV market rivals, says EDWARD STEPHENS.

Byline: EDWARD STEPHENS

IT'S big, it's brash and it's just the job if plenty of space is your main criteria in an MPV.

The new Dodge Journey is like a giant Tonka toy but with extra room, making it ideal for big families.

This huge estate car also boasts seats which fold, slide and bend in all directions so it can accommodate whatever you want to carry.

A seven-seater with a two-threetwo configuration, the Journey has "stadium seating", which means that passengers in the second row are higher than those in the front seats while the third-row passengers are higher still.

The luggage area is capable of accommodating just a few shopping bags. But if you want to carry large loads, just flip down the backs of the third-row seats and you have a vast boot area. Flip down the backs of the middle-row seats as well and you have the carrying capacity of a small van.

The backrest of the front passenger seat folds flat too - in case you have anything the length of the vehicle you need to transport.

A sensible roof-to-bumper tailgate makes light work of loading while rear doors that open 90 degrees make loading from the sides easy too - not to mention making it easier for passengers to get in and out of the rear seats.

In terms of storage, the front passenger seat cushion is hinged. When flipped forward, it reveals a 273 x 222mm bin large enough to store a variety of items - even with the seat cushion in place.

In the floor behind the front-row seats, there are two storage areas large enough to hold a dozen 330ml drink cans plus ice or other items.

These bins have latching lids and have removable, washable liners. And there is an in-floor storage bin hidden behind the third-row seat.

The sheer size of this giant of a car means there is plenty of space for everyone - even when you have seven passengers on board.

At night, the interior LED lighting is not only very effective but makes the Journey stand out to passers-by.

My test model came with the optional extra of GPS satellite navigation, rear back-up camera, "uconnect" phone and rear-seat video for pounds 1990.

While the rear parking sensors would have been good enough to help park this giant, it was always useful to look at the dashboard screen and be able to see what was behind me.

Because of its size and weight, the Journey has a sluggish feel when you pull away and is never going to win a race from the traffic lights.

of But at motorway speeds it's hugely responsive when you put your right foot down hard.

Powered by a two-litre diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, it comes with a host of standard features - including allspeed traction control, electronic roll mitigation and a very useful hill-start assist, which stops the car rolling back while you transfer your foot from the brake to the clutch.

The Journey is unique in name and nature. It is eye-catching and offers an alternative to anyone who needs space in abundance but can't bear to be seen driving an ubiquitous people mover.

Factfile: Model: Dodge Journey 2.0 CRD SXT Engine: Two-litre diesel Power: 136bhp 0-62mph: 11.6 seconds Fuel economy: 43.5 mpg CO2 emissions: 170g/km Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles Price: pounds 19,800 On sale: Now