Driving Impressions

Driving the Dodge Avenger is a rewarding experience, especially when you keep in mind the sticker price. It's extremely solid, and that solidity translates into a quiet cabin, very good suspension isolation, and accurate steering inputs and response. The 3.5-liter V6 engine in the R/T version we spent the most time in was smooth, quiet, powerful and responsive, and is equipped with a drive-by-wire electronic throttle that enhances smoothness. At a rating of 235 horsepower, this engine is well below the state of the art in power production for 3.5-liter V6s, but the ultra-smooth six-speed transmission's ratios help the car to feel light and sprightly. Its fuel economy is EPA-rated at 16 mpg City and 27 mpg Highway. The Avenger offers a very good combination of ride smoothness, control of body roll in corners, straight-ahead stability, and willingness to turn when asked. It rides smoothly, it's quiet over the road, and it has relatively sporty handling. On the twisting mountain roads north of Phoenix, the Avenger R/T was a model of good behavior, with typical-for-the-class front-drive understeer, with ride, handing and suspension toward the sporty end of the spectrum, but not far from the middle. Quiet competence personified. The brakes on the R/T are disc/disc with ABS, and they worked extremely well, with a nice, progressive action and pedal feel. Anti-lock brakes are not available with the SXT.

Final Word

A three-quarter-scale replica of the Charger in many ways, the Dodge Avenger has style, guts, and verve. We really like the way the Avenger is styled and put together. It's got real sex appeal, good fuel economy, a nice-looking, functional interior with reasonable family room (although the fast-sloping rear roof doesn't leave a lot of head room or leg room), and a host of interesting options. We would definitely put the Avenger on our shopping list. NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Jim McCraw filed this report from Scottsdale, Arizona.