I've Been Waiting For A [Car] Like You.

No wait - that was Foreigner. I always get them mixed up with Journey.

And it's the Dodge Journey I'm talking about here.

Some cars just sort of sneak up on you. Don't make a lot of noise; they just show up and next thing you know, you're impressed.

The Journey is billed as a mid-size cross-over. What it is sounds like something William Lyon Mackenzie King might have said - an SUV if necessary, but not necessarily an SUV.

In other words, a modern station wagon.

When I picked up my tester, I didn't even know what platform it was based on - Chrysler has quite the selection still.

Turns out its underpinnings are shared by the Chrysler Sebring / Dodge Avenger sedan. Functionally though, Journey is what the minivan-based Chrysler Pacifica was supposed to be, but never quite pulled off - a combination of SUV and minivan attributes, designed to offer space and comfort for up to seven people, with four-wheel drive capability if needed.

The best thing about it though - apart from the fact that it is a very pleasant vehicle to drive - is that it is downright cheap.  It starts around 20 grand, and loaded to the gunwales like my R/T tester, tops out around 35 large. That's about where the Pacifica started.

Need room? Short of cash?

Take a Journey to/from a Dodge dealership.