Dodge Avenger Review

Thus far, Dodge has used the name "Avenger" on two wholly different cars from different time periods. The first Avenger was a midsize, two-door coupe born in the mid-1990s. Noted mostly for its stealthy good looks, the original Dodge Avenger also featured a reasonably roomy cabin and an appealing blend of handling and comfort. It enjoyed some success both with critics and consumers, though at decade's end it faded away with little notice. After a long hiatus, the Avenger name resurfaced in 2008 when Dodge deemed it fitting for the successor to the Stratus sedan. In other words, the Avenger is once again a mid-priced, midsize car that aims for a balance of attributes, only now it comes in a more family-friendly four-door package.

We find the new Dodge Avenger to be an improvement over the Stratus, but that's not saying much. The redesign did bring a respectable V6 and six-speed automatic transmission, however. Thanks to its longer wheelbase, the Avenger also features a roomier interior, and Dodge introduced several electronic gadgets to spice things up, including a hard-drive-based navigation and audio system.

Despite some recent improvements, the Dodge Avenger still has some fundamental flaws that hamper its ability to compete in the midsize car class. The driving experience trails in terms of acceleration and handling, and the interior comes up well short on the quality front. If you're looking for a basic commuter car, the Avenger may meet your needs. But most consumers will be better off looking elsewhere for their next family sedan, as the majority of the Avenger's rivals, both import and domestic, offer better performance, nicer cabin furnishings and a higher level of refinement.

Current Dodge Avenger
The Dodge Avenger shares much of its engineering with the Chrysler 200 sedan. The differences between the two come down to styling, as the Avenger's more aggressive shape is aimed at a younger audience. Dodge Avenger buyers have a choice of two engines: a 2.4-liter, 173-horsepower four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6 good for 283 hp,. The four-cylinder sends its power to the front wheels through either a four- or six-speed automatic transmission, depending on trim level. The V6 gets a six-speed auto with a manual-shift mode.

The Avenger's trim lines are Express, Mainstreet, Heat, R/T and Lux. The Express is reasonably well equipped, while moving up to Mainstreet and Heat will get you features like automatic climate control, heated seats and an upgraded sound system with digital music storage. The R/T has leather seating and a sport-tuned suspension while the Lux comes with the most standard features.

The current Avenger received many upgrades for the 2011 model year and is a marked improvement over its predecessors. Unfortunately, these changes were still not enough to vault the Avenger to the top of the class. The four-cylinder engine is still underpowered, making the V6 the engine of choice. Trunk space is smaller than the competition's, but on the bright side, ride quality is acceptably smooth and the Avenger remains a pretty good value. Overall, if you can afford to spring for any of the Avenger's rivals, we think you'll be happier in the long run.

Used Dodge Avenger Models
The second-generation Dodge Avenger debuted for 2008 and is represented by the current model. Initially there were three engine options: the current four-cylinder, a 2.7-liter, 189-hp V6 and a 3.5-liter, 235-hp V6. There were also three trim levels -- SE, SXT and R/T. The base four-cylinder-only SE came with air-conditioning, a CD stereo, full power accessories and cruise control. All-wheel drive was optional in that first year on models equipped with the 3.5-liter V6. For 2009, all trim levels received more sound insulation, the 2.7-liter V6 became a fleet-only engine option later in the year and the R/T trim was newly available with the four-cylinder engine. For 2010, the SE trim level was deleted and the Express added.

It's important to note that these 2008-'10 model year Avengers suffered from a variety of ailments. Neither the four-cylinder nor the V6 engines were particularly good in regards to performance, refinement or efficiency. The interior was also far below that of the competition, with designs and materials that were best described as rental-car quality. If that wasn't enough to drive buyers away, the Avenger was also stuck with lifeless steering, excessive body roll and underachieving brakes.

The first Dodge Avenger was sold from 1995-2000. Employing a platform derived from the Mitsubishi Galant and similar to the one used in the contemporaneous Mitsubishi Eclipse, the Avenger had the Chrysler Sebring coupe as its twin and debuted with two powertrains. The first was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 140 hp mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic -- all borrowed from the Dodge Neon. The step-up engine was a 2.5-liter, Mitsubishi-built V6 with 155 hp, mated to a four-speed automatic. The Avenger's trim lines were base and ES.

Initially, the base model opened with the four-cylinder engine, 14-inch wheels, a radio and dual airbags. The V6-powered ES model came with an upgraded suspension, antilock all-disc brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, air-conditioning, a cassette deck and cruise control. Base models could add most of the ES's items, while ES models could add leather seats and a sunroof.

The Avenger's biggest changes came in 1997, when meaner styling adorned the body and new 17-inch wheels were made available to ES models. More significantly, both the base and ES now had the four-cylinder standard, with the V6 optional. For the Avenger's final year in 2000, Dodge made the V6 standard on both, and also loaded up the ES with a power driver seat, leather and keyless entry.

The Dodge Avenger was a fairly appealing coupe in its day as long as the V6 was specified. The front seats were comfortable, and unlike in most cars sporting two doors, the Avenger's rear seat actually offered some semblance of comfort for adults. The Avenger also held the advantage of actually looking like a coupe instead of a bland sedan with two fewer doors. However, the Avenger's record for reliability is notably poor. As such, we wouldn't recommend it as a used-car purchase.