The Dodge Journey has a tough job on its hands. The MPV sector has been going through a bit of a shake-up recently. People don't want to drive around in minibuses any more, yet still want space for seven.

Whatever happened to 2.4 children? Current king of this new motoring genre is the flexible Ford S-Max: handles like a decent saloon, seats the extended family, transforms into a van in a moment.

But what if you want something a little different? Dodge reckons it's got the answer in the distinctive shape of the Journey, a new estate-car-cum-MPV crossover.

Whoa, the Dodge Journey is kind of funny looking...

Dodge would prefer striking, thanks. Looking individual is all part of the brand proposition – you're buying into a slice of Americana. Usually that would come combined with shoddy interior panel finish, dodgy plastics, and substantially limited dynamic abilities. But the big news with this car is that, like the Chrysler 300C, the Journey promises a much more Europeanised experience.

We've heard this before, of course. A lot. But while it's tempting to write off such assertions - in the same way you do every time Alfa Romeo claims dealer service has improved - a quick glance round the cabin reveals two things.

First, that the overall dashboard design appears to have escaped from the 1970s (what is with that instrument cowl?), and second that someone appears to have been paying attention in class. The Journey is clearly much better built than any other Dodge.

Click 'Next' below to read more of our Dodge Journey first drive