is a mid-size SUV that seats up to seven passengers across three rows. The 2020 model—the last one before it was discontinued—did away with the optional V6 engine and all-wheel-drive available in previous years in the name of affordability, making it less than suitable for off-roading.

Off-roading in an ill-equipped vehicle is dangerous and potentially costly. A lot of trucks and SUVs look the part but lack the power, features, or dimensions necessary to perform on rough terrain. From

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, here’s a look at the 2020 Journey’s off-road capabilities.

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Can the Dodge Journey go off road?

Probably, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The 2020 Dodge Journey, which had a starting MSRP of $23,675, was just about the cheapest three-row SUV available at the time, ideal for families on a budget and not much else. Car and Driver rated it 3.5/10, citing “sloppy driving dynamics, sluggish powertrain, and lack of driver-assistance technologies.”

These reasons, in addition to its fairly low ground clearance and front-wheel drive, make the Journey a poor choice for off-roading. Here are the specifications:

Ground clearance

A car’s ground clearance is the distance between the bottom of the chassis and the ground. Off-roading is all but impossible in cars with insufficient ground clearance. Somewhere around 8.5 inches is recommended for safely clearing rough terrain, but it depends entirely on the terrain itself.

The 2020 Dodge Journey has 7.2 inches of clearance, making it appropriate for minimally strenuous off-roading and not much else.

Torque

Sufficient torque is essential when off-roading. This twisting force—the same that pushes you into your seat when you floor the gas pedal—is what propels a car over big rocks or steep inclines.

The 2020 Journey’s engine generates 166 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, which is fairly low for off-road purposes.

Tires

The 2020 Journey comes with P225/65HR17 all-season tires, which are designed to ride on pavement in rainy or snowy conditions, but their treads aren’t thick or deep enough to provide the traction necessary for off-roading. You’d want to upgrade to a set of all-terrain tires to confidently take the Journey off the pavement.

MORE:

Do I need all-terrain tires?

Drivetrain

Dodge Journey models used to have the option of all-wheel drive, but the 2020 model only came with front-wheel drive, which isn’t recommended for anything other than the lightest of off-roading.

Angles

Approach and departure angles are the angles between the ground and the lowest part of the front and back ends of a vehicle—usually the bottom of the front and rear bumpers. These determine how steep of an angle the vehicle can climb without interference and are important to consider in serious off-road scenarios.

The 2020 Journey has a 16.7-degree approach angle and 24.6-degree departure angle, which aren’t great anywhere but the paved road. For context, the 2020 four-door Wrangler Rubicon, an ideal off-road vehicle, has a 43.9-degree approach angle and a 37-degree departure angle.

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Off-road rating: In a pinch

We’ve rated the 2020 Dodge Journey using Jerry’s highly advanced and technical rating system, broken down here:

Rating	Meaning	Description
D	Don’t Try It	Vehicles better suited to highway conditions
I	In a Pinch	Vehicles that can handle off-road conditions in certain circumstances
R	Rough and Ready	Vehicles designed for casual off-roading
T	Trail Boss	True off-road vehicles capable of tackling a range of terrain

We’d only take the Journey off-roading in a pinch. It’s a budget-friendly SUV better suited to driving your kid and their friends home from school than scaling rocky mountainsides. You’re better off looking elsewhere for an off-road vehicle.

MORE:Cheap off-road trucks

Alternatives to the Dodge Journey

The Journey remains one of the most affordable three-row SUVs on the market, but that price reflects that the Journey hasn’t aged gracefully and lacks many of the features that make its competitors better. There are plenty of better options out there, some of which aren’t too much more expensive.

Whether you’re looking for an off-roader or a daily driver for the family, here are some alternatives:

Alternative	Model	Price	Description
The off-roader	2022 GMC Terrain AT4	$34,000	The Terrain’s off-road trim comes with all-terrain tires, a front skid plate, and a traction select system with “off road mode.”
The affordable option	2022 Mitsubishi Outlander	$26,095	The 2022 Outlander costs just under $3,000 more than the 2020 Journey but has much higher ratings across the board.
The Journey’s modern successor	2022 Dodge Durango	$37,760	While significantly more expensive, the new Durango has similar seating capacity, an optional V8 engine, and four-wheel drive.

MORE:

The best old-school off-road vehicles

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