Ford Flex vs. Dodge Journey
Coming soon to MoneySense magazine – a battle between two of the latest SUV alternatives. The 2009 Ford Flex and the 2009 Dodge Journey are both vying for drivers who are thinking of trading down from their monster trucks into something better on gas but still roomy inside.
I don’t want to give away too much before publication, but I am impressed with these two new people haulers. Both seat up to seven people in three rows with fold-flat seats in the back and lots of cargo space. You’ll have to read the article to see who comes out on top, but I think it’s fair to say the Flex wins on style, but if fuel economy is your driving concern then the 4-cylinder Journey model comes out on top at the pumps.
Unfortunately, automotive writers are often handed the top of the line version of each vehicle they test drive, so it is sometimes hard to get a feel for the base or mid-level models that most people will likely buy.
The Journey I drove last month was the RT version, while the Flex I am driving right now is the SEL version. Both are nicely equipped but pricey.
As with any brand new model though, there can be first-year glitches to work out so savvy buyers might want to wait until those bugs have been squashed and the initial buzz has died down. The deals and financing offers are also likely to be more generous in the second year, especially if fuel prices keep going the way they are.
CarBlogger- Carblogger on CablePulse24 tonight at 8 p.m. October 19, 2008If you happen to read this in time and live in the right area, tune in to CablePulse24 tonight (Sunday, Oct. 19) at 8 p.m. for my latest appearance on AutoShop. The regular guest expert, Mohamed Bouchama of Car Help Canada, is away for a bit and I’ve been asked to return again. I’ve lost track, [...]
- Installing a ScanGauge is a gas, gas, gas September 30, 2008My ScanGauge arrived today from Gifford Automotive in Ottawa (thanks Tom!) and the set up was really quite easy. If you didn’t read my last post, I’m preparing an article on “hypermiling” for MoneySense magazine. In a nutshell, hypermiling is about modifying your driving habits to gain real fuel savings. The ScanGauge is a device that […]
- Can hypermiling really save on fuel costs? September 27, 2008In a couple days time I will be taking delivery of a Scangauge trip computer from a Canadian reseller of this U.S. device. My goal is to test the practice of hypermiling by tracking real-time fuel consumption in my 2004 Chevy Venture van. The results will be published in MoneySense magazine after a few thorough [...]
- Are “certified” used cars worth the money? August 26, 2008Many people assume there is some tangible benefit to drinking certified organic coffee or talking with a certified financial planner, but can the same be said for buying a certified used car? Certainly, sales of Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles have been steadily rising in recent years, according to consumer researcher J.D. Power and Associates. But [...]
- ‘08 Ford Escape Hybrid – a real truck with a heart of green? August 14, 2008I recently had the pleasure of driving the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid for a full week and must admit that I like this truck…a lot. It’s not overly big, but it is large and boxy enough to haul a decent amount of cargo. In fact, its gas guzzling big brother the Ford Explorer is hardly much [...]
- Lexus tops J.D. Power dependability study…again August 8, 2008Lexus is tops in quality in yet another J.D. Power and Associates survey of vehicle owners. So that’s good, right? Maybe, maybe not. Manufacturers who rate well love these surveys because they can use them in their marketing and advertising campaigns to assert their superiority. Those who do poorly, of course, are dismissive of the results. [...]
- Smart buys and dumb car options August 7, 2008(originally published in the August 2007 issue of Today’s Parent) After weeks of painstaking research and pushy salespeople, you’ve finally decided on your next family vehicle. But now you’re facing a whole new set of options, and most seem to come with a confusing acronym and a steep price [...]
- Getting a little extra green for your hybrid August 5, 2008So there you sit in your favorite café, sipping a Fair Trade latte, pondering your carbon footprint and admiring your gleaming new Toyota Prius parked out front. There’s never been a more rewarding time to save the environment—while also luxuriating in that wonderful new car smell. Under the ecoAUTO program, the federal government will hand you [...]
- Lemon-aid author says Ford’s rescue plan ‘too little, too late’ July 25, 2008Ford Motor Company is bleeding red ink and embarking on a desperate plan to convert their truck plants and import six, smaller European vehicles. But Lemon-Aid author and self-professed car curmudgeon Phil Edmonston says “it may be too little, too late.” “Plant conversions will burn through more billions and new products won’t likely be introduce […]
- Eat your import? I think not July 24, 2008Two news stories caught my eye this week. The first concerned the Honda Civic’s enduring popularity with Canadian drivers, while the other predicted that Toyota would shortly topple GM as the world’s top automaker. Neither of these items should be a surprise to anyone who follows the auto industry, but they do once again highlight [...]
- Carblogger on CablePulse24 tonight at 8 p.m. October 19, 2008
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