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6/09/2008 Press Release Dodge Journey: Best in Class Fuel Economy!
All-new 2009 Dodge Journey Crossover Wins Ward's "Clever Utility" Achievement Award
- 2009 Dodge Journey takes a top award at the annual Ward’s Auto Interiors Show
- Award reinforces Dodge Journey’s leadership in design, family-friendly features and innovative technology
Auburn Hills, Mich. - Ward’s judges presented the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey crossover a special achievement award, “Clever Utility,” for its well-thought-out and smartly integrated interior features at the 2008 Ward’s Auto Interiors Show — the publication’s annual auto interior event.
“‘Extreme functionality’ sums up one Ward’s judge of the Dodge’s flexible interior,” said David E. Zoia, Editorial Director - WardsAuto.com. “To start, the Journey has more hiding places than a Nancy Drew mansion. Flip forward the front passenger-seat cushion to reveal a nicely sized compartment for keeping valuables out of sight. There are also concealed compartments under the floor in the rear cargo bay and ahead of the second-row seats — the latter specially lined for potential use as an ice chest.”
A key target for the 2009 Dodge Journey’s design team was delivering a crossover with a practical, flexible interior, and seating and innovative storage features typically found in the award-winning and best-selling Chrysler and Dodge minivans.
“The all-new Dodge Journey right-size crossover is designed to satisfy buyers’ rapidly changing demands by offering a unique combination of versatility and flexibility,” said Joe Dehner, Vice President – Small, Family and Premium Vehicle Design, Chrysler LLC. “The 'Clever Utility' special achievement award validates what our designers and engineers sought to accomplish, and we are honored by Ward’s' judges for this recognition.”
Now available at Dodge dealers nationwide, the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey redefines the expanding mid-size crossover segment, offering seating and cargo versatility, safety and security, child friendliness, great all-weather driving capability, best-in-class fuel economy (19 city/25 mpg highway) and a best-in-class starting price of $19,985.
Designed from the ground up, the all-new Dodge Journey combines the versatility of a large sport-utility vehicle with the efficiency of a passenger car. With bold, capable styling, perfect proportions and an innovative interior design, Dodge Journey is the right-size crossover for people who want the prestige of an SUV and the functionality and utility of a minivan.
Utilizing the Dodge brand’s successful family vehicle formula, Dodge Journey incorporates unique seating and a best-in-class storage system, creating a spacious and flexible interior ready to handle life’s ever-changing challenges. With the simple turn of a single lever, the available Tilt ‘n Slide™ seven-passenger seating system quickly folds the second-row seat cushion upward and slides the entire seat forward, allowing third-row passengers easy in-and-out access. Two available integrated child booster seats — a first in the mid-size crossover segment — quickly pull out from the second-row seat cushion, eliminating the need to transport bulky child seats. Spacious storage bins, including Flip ‘n Stow™ front-passenger concealed storage, Chill Zone™ glove box beverage cooler and dual in-floor bins with washable liners in the second row, offer quick storage and increased passenger comfort.
Dodge Journey offers a variety of innovative technologies that make life easier. A cutting-edge MyGIG® multimedia system provides the driver and passengers 3-D navigation with real-time traffic monitoring, an integrated 30-gigabyte hard drive to store music and pictures, and an auxiliary audio jack to play any MP3 player. Additional features including SIRIUS Satellite Radio, ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera, UConnect® hands-free communication that is Bluetooth® compatible, a UCI for iPod connectivity, and rear DVD entertainment with two wireless headphones, make every day a driving pleasure.
With a four-wheel independent suspension, two fuel-efficient powertrain options and available performance-tuned suspension, Dodge Journey delivers decisive handling in nearly all conditions. Available all-wheel drive further enhances Journey’s all-weather capabilities.
Dodge Journey SE’s standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder World Engine is coupled with a standard four-speed automatic providing best-in-class fuel economy. With 19 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, the Dodge Journey delivers efficient, yet solid performance. The 2.4-liter 16-valve engine produces 173 horsepower (129 kW) and 166 lb.-ft. (225 N•m) of torque and features dual variable valve timing, intake manifold flow control valves, acoustic cylinder head covers, dual counter-rotating balance shafts and an acoustic oil pan.
Dodge Journey SXT and R/T models feature a standard 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 235 horsepower (175 kW) and 232 lb.-ft. (315 N•m) of torque coupled with a fluid six-speed automatic transaxle with Auto Stick that provides quick acceleration and a quite ride. The 3.5-liter V-6 engine on front-wheel-drive models delivers 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway and 15 mpg city and 22 mpg on the highway on all-wheel-drive models.
With more than 35 safety and security technologies available and a Five Star government front- and side-crash test rating, Dodge Journey delivers peace of mind. With standard advanced multi-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, standard front-seat-mounted (thorax) side air bags, standard three-row side-curtain air bags, tire pressure monitoring, four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Electronic Roll Mitigation, Brake Assist, Trailer Sway Control, structural safety cage with side-door impact beams and an available back-up camera, Dodge Journey features the latest safety and security features.
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2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid
Chrysler's long-awaited hybrids arrive late to the game but are the first of many to come with arrival expected Fall 2008.
BY STEVE SILER of Car and Driver Magazine
November 2007
For the better part of a decade, Americans have—rightfully—complained that the domestic Big Three have done little in terms of offering hybrids, concentrating instead on big trucks, where they are traditionally strong, and letting Toyota and Honda become the go-to brands for green-inclined buyers.
The last of the traditional Big Three, Chrysler, has finally arrived at the hybrid hoedown with the 2009 Dodge Durango hybrid and Chrysler Aspen hybrid twins.
Okay, so they ain't no Prius. They do not sport a radical, look-at-me-I'm-a-hybrid shape, nor do they offer anything radical in terms of fuel economy. But they are significant by way of demonstrating the versatility of the new two-mode hybrid system, which was co-developed by Chrysler, Daimler, BMW, and General Motors.
"Hey! Does That Hybrid Got a Hemi?"
Yeah, it's got a Hemi. Rather than installing a puny four-banger to be supplemented with electrical power, Dodge chose to combine two-mode "full hybrid" technology with its popular and prolific 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, which already had cylinder-deactivation technology to help maximize low-load fuel economy.
As full hybrids, the Durango and the Aspen can be driven solely on electric power at low speeds, solely on the gas engine to help charge the battery, or a combination of both when optimal.
The Chrysler hybrid SUVs utilize a clever dual-mode electrically variable transmission that seamlessly transitions between a CVT-like operation and a stepped automatic mode, the latter ridding itself of the inherent internal friction of a CVT by locking into an actual gear for optimal towing, high-load, and even cruising situations—basically delivering a best-of-both-worlds benefit package. Tow capacity for the Chrysler hybrids is 6000 pounds.
The two-mode system gives these hybrids an estimated 25-percent improvement in fuel economy overall, including an impressive 40-percent improvement in city driving.
Chrysler claims that will "reduce fuel consumption by several hundred gallons of gas per year" per vehicle. Chrysler estimates the hybrids' EPA ratings at 18 mpg in the city, 19 on the highway (nonhybrid models currently muster 13-to-14 city and 19 highway rating when equipped with the Hemi).
You won't find many of us complaining about the fuel saving, but our favorite benefit, of course, is the additional power that the 300-watt battery adds to an already powerful engine. In this case, power grows from 340 horsepower to approximately 385. We'll be doing acceleration tests as soon as we get our hands on one of these.
Not for Overt Tree Huggers
Insofar as appealing to tree huggers longing to make a statement with these big utes, hybrid bragging rights will remain the driver's little secret.
Indeed, in most nonpowertrain respects, the Durango and Aspen hybrids are relatively unchanged from the nonhybrid models. On the outside, they're identical. And on the inside, they only come one way: loaded, with leather, MyGIG infotainment, two kinds of parking-assistance systems, and eight-passenger seating, with the standard second-row bench seat covering the pack of batteries that supply power to the electric-propulsion system.
The only tip-off to occupants that they're in a hybrid is the rightmost round gauge, which indicates whether the powertrain is in charging, economy, or power mode.
More Hybrids to Come from Chrysler
Equally interesting is what Chrysler's first foray into hybrids portends for the future. The Hemi in the Aspen and Durango is also used in everything from the Dodge Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee to such cars as the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300C.
Could 385-hp hybrid versions of those vehicles be far behind? The system would go a long way to help bring Chrysler into compliance with the proposed hike in CAFE standards. The automaker has promised us mild hybrids in the future as well, but it seems the possibilities become more endless if consumers could be taught to ask: That thing got a hybrid Hemi in it?
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