Overview & Reviews

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.

Unfortunately, the second-generation Avenger has not enjoyed the positive reaction of its two-door predecessor. Despite a midlife overhaul that corrected many of its initial glaring faults, the Avenger has always been one of the least competitive midsize sedans. Consumers will find that most competitors, both import and domestic, offer more space, superior interior designs and a higher level of overall refinement.

Current Dodge Avenger
The Dodge Avenger shares much of its engineering with the previous-generation 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. There is 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 SE, SXT and R/T. The SE is reasonably well equipped, while moving up to the SXT will get you features like an upgraded transmission, automatic climate control, a power driver seat and a six- (rather than four-) speaker sound system with satellite radio. The sporty R/T comes with the V6 engine as standard, plus 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, remote start, heated front sport seats, leather and cloth upholstery, Bluetooth and an upgraded audio system.

The Avenger's interior boasts soft-touch materials and tight construction, but the look is a tad generic, the available in-car electronics are behind the times and there isn't as much space for passengers. As for the Avenger's engines, the base four-cylinder is barely adequate (especially with the four-speed automatic) and sounds unrefined. The V6 engine is very strong, however, and also returns commendable fuel economy. Handling is also pretty good, although again, not quite up to the class leaders.

In total, the Dodge Avenger is a solid sedan if you're prioritizing a V6 power plant and value. But in general, we think you'd be better served by most other competing models.

Used Dodge Avenger Models
The second-generation Dodge Avenger debuted for 2008 and is represented by the current model. However, the Avenger was so poorly received that it underwent a major overhaul for 2011, which included updated styling, a revamped interior with higher-quality materials, added safety features and a more powerful 3.6-liter V6. It has been essentially unchanged since then, other than a renaming of trim levels for 2012 (originally Express, Mainstreet, Heat, R/T and an additional fully loaded Lux trim).

From 2008 through '10, 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 trim added.

These early model year Avenger sedans 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. We highly recommend that you look at different used family sedans.

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.

User Reviews:

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  awsome car - 1998 Dodge Avenger
  By steven sulzer - February 17 - 2:00 am

  i love the car

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  avenger - 1996 Dodge Avenger
  By christine bliss - February 1 - 2:00 am

  i bought this car new in 01/96 and have been the only owner. i never had any problems with this car except maintanence(brakes, tires, struts, etc) it now has over 100,000 miles on it and its still going strong.

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  Great Car, Great price - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By Shane - January 28 - 9:26 am

  I waited until I had put a couple of thousand miles on the car before writing a review. I am very pleased with the Avenger. The two best features are the comfort and economy. The interior is very quiet, the seats are perfect, and I am getting around 28 mpg in mostly city driving. My old car was a 2003 Honda, I like the Avenger much better. Its more comfortable, quieter, accelerates better, gets better mpg, looks better, costs less, has a drink cooler in the dash! and has a better warranty. What more could you want? Be sure and check out an Avenger before you buy another car.

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  A real hoot to drive - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By Jill - January 27 - 12:20 pm

  The Avenger being my first car (going from trucks) in 15 years, I was a bit nervous about how well I would settle in to driving it. But, this car has turned out to be a blast to drive. Smooth shifting and handling, responsive accelleration, better than stated fuel economy (19 mpg combo hwy/city) and a bunch of nifty creature comforts. I will be interested to see how well the AWD with ESP does on icy roads. No regrets here!

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  96 Avenger Sport - 1996 Dodge Avenger
  By Wolvie MkM - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Worked great until it started braking... higher milage I4 owners watch out for rear main oil seal leaks, and oil ring leaks. My driveway looks lovely... Great while it lasted... Engine is too weak for weight of car... Handles great though..

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  A great car to drive - 1996 Dodge Avenger
  By Rudy Arias - January 25 - 2:00 am

  Its a great car for the money. With the exception of stock engine performance, its been a very exceptional car to own. The only money that I have sunl into it has been in Audio and engine bolt on performance items like mass air intake, headers, cat back exhaust,etc. The only suspension madification done was better front & rear sway bars. The body shows no signs of fatigue or rust, I will drive this car till it dies (or when Dodge brings it back).

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  Mostly Mitsubishi - 1997 Dodge Avenger
  By bhoward - January 12 - 2:00 am

  The Mitsubishi V6 has been dissed in these reviews but it is really a great engine. This one wont burn a qt between oil changes and will jump to 6000 rpm quick. The transmission is the weak link since it is made by Dodge. Change the trans fluid VERY often.

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  Fun to Drive - 1996 Dodge Avenger
  By Tedster - December 6 - 2:00 am

  This car is the most comfortable I have driven ever. Its interior is well designed wit all the amenities for a non-luxury model. Its handling and aerodynimic design is superb. I am almost always stop by people and comment about its sleek and sophisticated appearance. I am very content with my Dodge Avenger. The next car that can replace this beauty is a 430 lexus, 330 Mercedez Benz or 720i BMW. The main idea for this car is to keep it very clean and detailed at all times. This car is definitely a keeper.

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  Overall Best car Ive driven!!!! - 1998 Dodge Avenger
  By Douglas K. - November 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is a great vehicle. Compare it to the Accords Ive driven, my brothers mustang, or the Millenium my parents have, and this car wins hands down. asog.net gives out the best help and tips. Take note that this car is tuned for WINDY roads, and so lacks the extreme power to go straight that you find in cars like the camaro z-28. She holds the road like nothing Ive been in. 0-60 for my car is 7.5 seconds.

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  My Used Avenger Experience - 1995 Dodge Avenger
  By voradtralundir - November 19 - 2:00 am

  One major issue during my time with this car: the PCM had to be replaced and took a long time to diagnose. I have driven 80,000 miles on this vehicle since I purchased it used. The previous owner did not take good care of it and even went curb surfing with it. Despite that, the car has been very reliable and resilient. Excellent performance from the 2.0 litre engine and economy that shames some other four cylinders: A personal best of 37 mpg on a 200 mile trip to Virginia Beach. I love this car.