KEY POINTS:
There is something that all great adventures must do, and that's end - and so has our journey in the Dodge Journey.
After four days and 1600-odd kilometres, the EnergyWise Rally rolled triumphantly back into Auckland to a fanfare of road works.
The biannual event did not finish at the Viaduct, or back at Ellerslie Racecourse where we started, but at the Gull service station at Wiri. Not quite the most salubrious of venues but at least the place had a toilet.
You'll be pleased to note that we did indeed beat the Maloo home, again, and the final tally for jaunt was Dodge six passes and Holden one. Please note, the one time we were passed was the one time I wasn't in the driving seat.
While on one hand it was great to see a 317kW, fat, fire-breathing, R8, V8 monster on an economy run, witnessing it being driven at 1000revs was a bit sad. In fact, the thing looked faster standing still. And seriously, who in a million years is going to believe you can get single-figure fuel economy out of that thing driving it sensibly, let alone normally.
And it's at this point I'm happy to put my hand on my heart and tell the world the Dodge Journey does exactly what it says on the box - 7.1 ltrs/100km.
And having lived with it for four days, I'd give it a solid B+ overall. Two things bothered me a little though, there're small in the scheme of things and one of them didn't really count towards proper decision making, but Chrysler committed a sin when they put the R/T badge on the back of a bus. It's like Porsche and SUV in the same sentence - they don't go together.
To a certain generation, that badge meant fire-breathing dragon - especially when it was on the boot of the Dodge Challengers of the 1970s. R/T stands for road and (race) track. In the Journey's case, Chrysler should have stuck with just the R, 'cause this thing sure as hell ain't going to be any good on a racetrack. Yes, I know it's not supposed to go anywhere near a racetrack, so why use the analogy.
My other gripe, or rather head-scratcher, is why would you a prissy little 2.0ltr diesel into a tank that weighs God knows what and has the aerodynamics of a brick. If you're going to build something big and beautiful, put something big and beautiful under the hood.
Mind you, having said that, I can see a lot of these popping up around Remurera and the like, for dropping little Madeline and Hugo off at school. The small engine just pottering around suburbia will be far more economical than the V8 turbocharged Porsche Cayenne.
One observation I have made of the past few days is the number of people on this jaunt, some motoring journalists, who mention the Dodge was too American. Well it is American, it was built there for God's sake, and no doubt by Americans. It's like the Japanese are annoying because they're, just - so Japanese. So, rather than being racist, are people now being carist I wonder.
As far as looks go, the Dodge and the Holden won that competition hands down. Every time we parked up, either for lunch or at the end of the day, folk would flock over to have a look at the vehicles with the biggest personalities. There were times when I couldn't even tell some of the other makes apart. There were lots of silver/grey things that all looked they'd been designed by a marketing department committee rather than a creative designer. Let's just dumb it down to the lowest common denominator.
Just to let you know, the Smart car did eventually turn up after that rather windy drive into, and out of, Wellington, albeit with a bent bonnet. It had flown open while the poor sods in it were driving, not a pleasant thought.
It was heartening to note that even the best and internationally renowned of economy drivers can stuff up with the rest of us, and some of the driving exhibited was truly appalling and down-right unsafe on occasions. I'm not holding myself up as any paragon of driving virtue, but passing two cars on a narrow country road approaching a blind corner beggars belief.
All in all, the rally was superbly run and organised by the AA who could not be faulted and the officials were among some of the most unofficious I have ever meet.
I'm not too sure what was trying to be achieved here though. The figures gained are so artificial when it comes with living with any of those vehicles that I don't understand the relevance of them. In my opinion, it would have been far better to drive normally and see what happens, rather than plod along at an unrealistic pace cocooned in a steel box, not being allowed to turn any of the gizmos in the car on to make the journey enjoyable.
However, if I'm ever asked back I would to request if I can have a Humvee please and one with a big engine. I'm sure I can keep it in double figures.
Eric Thompson
Pictured above: The Gull station at Wiri at the end of the day when the vehicles all had to topped up to the very brim. The wooden planks ensure all the vehicles were level.
