Review
Another month, another new American car with a cartoon superhero name - this time, it's the Dodge Avenger. The Chrysler Group (which owns Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep and was recently divorced from Mercedes) has introduced six new models to Britain this year and has four more planned for 2008. That's a lot of launches by anyone's standard, and the Dodge Avenger is actually the Group's second offering to the large family car segment within six months - first came the Chrysler Sebring, which shares its platform and many components with the Avenger. That means this brash, imposing-looking Dodge is in the same class as the excellent new Ford Mondeo as well as popular stalwarts like the VW Passat, Toyota Avensis and a new Renault Laguna. In that company, can a car designed for America be worth considering?
To start with, we really like the eyeball-grabbing mini-muscle car look, not least because there are too many conservatively-styled cars in this segment. But that said, in the past, brave styling has led to sideline applause from car fans and motoring hacks, but has rarely translated into mass sales in this class. For sure, some buyers will have-to-have-one for the looks, and as a budget priced slice of Americana it has an outlandish appeal. But many will find the Dodge Avenger too vulgar to suit their need for a family runabout and faithful motorway companion - although the Avenger's large 'crosshair' front grille does at least encourage middle-lane hoggers to move out the way.
There are three engines available: a 2.0 litre CRD diesel (expected to be most popular) a 2.0 litre petrol (the entry-level) and a range topping 2.4 litre petrol (the only automatic option, until a diesel auto arrives in 2008). Unfortunately, if you were excited by the Avenger's macho looks, its lack of performance will soon slow your pulse. We tried the 2.0 litre diesel engine, which has enough torque to offer adequate mid-range urge but gets intrusively vocal, sounding strained and clattery under load. With it, the Avenger will do zero to sixty in 12 seconds and reach a top speed of 120mph - not really a sports-biased saloon, then, and the petrol versions are only marginally quicker. It's a point emphasised when you get to a corner, where the Avenger feels slothful and numb and every bit as heavy as its 1635kg kerbweight would suggest. The ride is acceptable though, even if it does get unsettled on cut-up surfaces, and the steering is well weighted too. Inside, things tale a turn for the worse - if you've driven a Ford Mondeo or VW Passat, you'll feel short changed by the cheap-feel, hard plastics used throughout the Dodge's cabin, some of which were too ill-fitting on our test car.
More positively, whilst it may not go as well as the car's looks suggest, the Avenger's diesel engine does at least return 45mpg and has reasonably low emissions, so would be cheap to tax. It also fits into insurance group 9E and comes with a three-year warranty, so running costs will be kept low. It's a shame the excellent multimedia system isn't offered as standard at the entry-level price along with the bigger 18 inch alloy wheels. We suspect that then, with its looks as well, the Dodge Avenger would appeal to a younger demographic as a flashier, bling-bling alternative to a £15k 1.6 Volkswagen Golf.
If you're sold on the styling, then buy what is a below average car in many ways - at least you'll stand out from the crowd. But for everyone else, European rivals like the Ford Mondeo offer a better ownership proposition in almost everyway, aside from visual impact.
