Edit 20-1-2020
Based on the responses (including the greys, don’t worry, I read those too!), the general consensus is that the Journey is the only way to get 7 seats at a low, low price. Some people seem to be enjoying the fact that it’s not as high tech as its competitors, either.
I suppose that explains the tens of thousands of people who still buy Journeys every year, then.
For the 2020 model year, this undying piece of antiquated technology loses both of its possible redeeming factors by removing its more modern components, the 6-speed automatic and the V6 engine. This is a strange decision, but there’s likely some corporate sleight of hand in the background. Either that, or maybe it’s just ineptitude. Who knows?
There’s exactly two trains of thought going through my head to begin to even explain this strange decision.
- They’re desperately trying to kill off this thing by making sure all you can get is the garden variety inline 4 and the ancient minivan 4-speed automatic.
Counterpoint: Nobody really cares how awful a car actually is half the time... - They’re cutting costs for production by using the oldest, cheapest technology that they can offer for this car.
Whatever the case is, if these 4-speed autos are almost the exact same (if not the exact same) as the one in the 4th gen Chrysler minivans, then I can expect plenty of spare transmissions... right? Right?
Or we’ll just get the modern equivalent of the Volkswagen Beetle, a car that continues to get sold for decades with minimal changes even after the competition has moved on and made better cars for cheaper.