Dodge Journey Ground Clearance: What To Know
Dodge Journey by Vauxford — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Dodge Journey is one of the most affordable mid-size crossover SUVs available today. As with most cars, many people are interested in finding out the amount of ground clearance that comes with it.
Ground clearance is a basic dimension that defines how high your vehicle sits in relation to the ground. It’s higher when the vehicle is empty—due to the weight, the distance reduces once it’s filled with cargo and passengers.
Higher ride height provides enough room for your vehicle’s underbelly to move over objects. In today’s post, we’ll take a look at the Dodge Journey ground clearance and how well the car performs when it comes to moving over road bumps and large debris.
Dodge Journey Ground Clearance
Before diving straight into ground clearance, it’s important to first find out the number of trims that are offered with the Dodge Journey. The SUV first debuted in 2009 as a smaller version of the large Dodge Durango. It was then sold until 2020 before being discontinued. FCA initially marketed it in three trim levels—the SE, SXT, and R/T.
The company later revised it in 2011 to include new features and trims. The SE and SXT were replaced by the Express and Mainstreet respectively. Dodge also added the Crew and Lux to the lineup.
In 2012, FCA returned to the old trim levels. The Mainstreet and Express trims were replaced by the SE and SXT. The Blacktop package for the SE, SXT, and GT was released in 2013 and the Journey Crossroad trim in 2014. All Limited models were discontinued in 2016 and the Crossroad Plus added in 2017. The R/T was then replaced by the GT trim.
If you’re wondering about the amount of Dodge Journey ground clearance that you get in each trim, here is a breakdown of what they all have to offer.
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The Dodge Journey SE offers the least amount of ground clearance depending on the year you choose. You get 7.0 inches on some model years and up to 7.2 inches on others. The R/T, Mainstreet, and Crew come second with 7.2 inches while the SXT, Lux, Crossroad, and Crossroad Plus offer the highest ground clearance at 7.4 inches.
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How Does the Dodge Journey Compare to its Competitors?
The Dodge Journey competes with other well-known SUVs in the same market segment. These include the Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sorento, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Jeep Compass, Ford Escape, GMC Acadia, and Jeep Cherokee.
Here is a list of how these models fare against the Dodge Journey’s ground clearance.
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The Dodge Journey provides more ground clearance when compared to the Chevrolet Equinox. The same applies for the GMC Terrain, GMC Acadia, and Kia Sorento. For this second group, however, it all depends on the model you pick both for the Dodge Journey and its competition.
The Nissan Rogue rides at almost the same height, but only for a specific trim. The other makes and models that ride higher include the Ford Escape, Jeep Compass Volkswagen Tiguan, Jeep Cherokee and Mitsubishi Outlander. The last two offer far more ground clearance than your average SUV.
Ultimately, the Dodge Journey sits in the middle to lower end in terms of ground clearance. That said, many drivers prefer a bit of a lower ride for increased stability.
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Activities that you can do with the Dodge Journey
The Dodge Journey isn’t the most powerful midsize SUV that you’ll come across. It comes with a 2.4L engine that churns 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. It can tow up to 1,000 pounds and boasts a highway fuel economy rating of 25 mpg and a city fuel economy rating of 19 mpg.
Below are some of the activities that you can do with the Dodge Journey.
- #### Space for seven
The Dodge Journey offers third-row seating that provides additional space for seven passengers overall. This makes it a great option for larger families. It’s important to note that only the first two rows are roomy.
The third row is smaller and can only accommodate shorter passengers. For comfort, the vehicle comes with a standard cloth upholstery with leather being optional. Child safety seats are available for the rear outboard seats with latch connectors.
- #### Transporting cargo
The Journey offers 10.7 cubic feet behind its third row. You get about 37 cubic feet of space when the second row is folded and 67.6 cubic feet when the third row is folded. The interior is practical enough and provides enough storage space for most of the items you own.
The front-passenger seat can also be folded to provide more cargo-carrying flexibility. You get a storage compartment underneath and plenty of cubbies within the interior. Some are hidden from plain sight.
- #### On-road driving
While it may offer adequate ground clearance, the Journey falls short when it comes to tough off-roading. The competition offers way more power under the hood and better driving dynamics.
Critics claim that the Journey is slow to accelerate and features an automatic transmission that hesitates during downshifts. Its handling makes it feel like a large and heavy vehicle on the road. Nevertheless, it’s still good for daily normal driving.
This is thanks to key performance features like electronic stability control, antilock brake system, a fully independent suspension, electronic roll mitigation, and standard trailer sway control.
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Conclusion
The Dodge Journey ranks lower in terms of handling and driving dynamics. This can stand in the way of owners taking advantage of its ground clearance when driving off-road. However, it sits high enough to ensure that you’re safe when moving over bumps and obstacles on the road.
You’re sure not to scrape its underbelly and cause any unnecessary damages. If you’re primarily driving a Dodge Journey on the road, that lower ground clearance can increase the smoothness of the ride on the interstate and elsewhere. It all comes down to your lifestyle and what you need to get out of your vehicle!
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