Dodge Journey lives up to all expectations.

Byline: Maxine Ashford

IT may not be the fastest vehicle on our roads but the latest arrival from Dodge is certainly worth investigating. Renowned for producing plenty of car for a relatively small outlay, the American manufacturer has lived up to all expectations with the diesel-powered Journey.

Designed to carry up to seven people in style, the Journey comes packed with classy technology and top notch features plus a price tag that will keep you high on your bank manager's Christmas card list.

Immediately recognisable by the traditional Dodge grille and macho ram's head emblem, the vehicle has a tough and rugged appearance, but also has plenty of attractive and subtle touches throughout too.

The 2.0-litre engine delivers plenty of power and although the Journey felt a little heavy on the steering at times, it does boast very good fuel economy figures. So in a way you get the best of both worlds with all the versatility and practicality of a multi-purpose vehicle combined with the running costs of a family saloon.

The standard spec on the Journey is most impressive with leather-trimmed heated seats, a rear parking camera and a multi-functional trip computer. The test vehicle was also kitted out with a great entertainment package which included an 8in colour screen that drops down from the ceiling, plus headphones so second row passengers can enjoy DVDs.

Although it felt a little cumbersome to drive around busy city centre streets, the excellent all-round visibility made driving and parking quite simple.

But for me, the Journey really came into its own out on the open road with plenty of power and smooth gearchanges helping to eat up the road.

The safety spec is comprehensive with anti-lock brakes, hill-start assist, advanced multi-stage front airbags, numerous other airbags, electronic stability programme and much, much more.

If I had to find fault, then at times gusty blasts of wind really caught the fairly lightweight Journey and steering correction was needed.

But that aside, the Journey is a brilliant vehicle for the driver who likes to get out there and make the most of life... but on a budget.

CAPTION(S):

GOOD CONCEPT The excellent all-round visibility made driving and parking quite simple. DIESEL POWER The Dodge Journey 2.0 CRD RT.