2008 Avenger-Great ideas but lacking in Key Areas

Starting in middle 2007, Dodge introduced a new sister car to the 2007 Chrysler Sebring on "their" new mid-sized platform the JS platform. Unlike the previous generation Sebring for the Chrysler and Stratus for Dodge, Chrysler put in the effort to make the Avenger and Sebring look significantly different from each other and I'm thankful that they did precisely that. The Avenger is marketed to a younger, more aggressive market than the Sebring and offers a more interesting package by offering the "Chill Zone" refrigerator that cools four 12 oz. drinks right in the dash, as well as sharing with the heated and cooled cup holders (which can heat or cool your drink depending which type of drink you have at the time, and many other high tech features in the stereo system that should more than satisfy the mainstream customers. They also provide a unique cloth fabric for the seats named "YES Essentials" which is able to repel odors, stains, discoloration, and other issues than commonly happen to a car's seats after much use and traveling. If the review were to end here, the Avenger would seem like it would be among the best cars on the market, if these are the things that matter the most to you and the acceleration, fuel economy, and quality of the dash materials in comparison to the competition does not matter, then this is the car for you.

For the rest who are like myself, the rest is where it fails to keep up with the competition. Let's start at my biggest disappointment for this car.

POWERTRAIN:

Engines:
2.4L I4: Acceptable (80%)
Standard on the SE and SXT is the new 2.4L "World Engine" which was a joint venture between Chrysler, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi (problem #1). This engine features a Dual Variable Valve Timing system which traditionally is to help improve power and efficiency, as well as help the engine's power throughout the horsepower and torque band. The engine is rated at 173 horsepower and 166 ft-lbs of torque (up from 150 horsepower and 165-167ft-lbs of torque from the Stratus/Sebring's 2.4L engine). Although these numbers are nothing to be embarrassed about, the issue is that you cannot feel most of this power. Although the dual-variable valve timing has helped the power band be more consistent, it still produces too much of the power at the peak where it is unusable without winding up the engine to get there which uses more gas to do. It is competitive with domestic rivals from GM's and Ford's offerings, but not with the Japanese Other engines from the Honda Accord for example, produce slightly less horsepower and torque while producing a more consistent supply. Also, this engine is noisier and less refined (feel rough while idling) than much of its competition from other manufactures like Honda.

Under the old fuel efficiency standards by the EPA used until 2007, it's sister car the Sebring was rated at 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Under the new 2008 standards, it gets 21/30 mpg city/highway. Although this might sound good coming from the 22/30 that the Stratus had, the competition from the Accord, Camry, and others offer 1-2 mpg better fuel economy on the highway; however, in its favor in some tests preformed by automotive magazines have found that the Avenger is actually towards the top in fuel economy in real world results. The issue is that since it idles at a higher rpm range while cruising than some other cars, it will probably not get quite as good fuel economy on the highway, but appears to do comparably as well in the city driving.

SXT option 2.7L: Disappointing (60%)
The 2.7L is a carryover from the Stratus/Sebring that has slightly been detuned. It originally produced about 200hp & 192ft-lbs of tq, now it produces about 189hp & 191ft-lbs of tq. The fuel economy increased under the old standards from 21/28mpg city/highway to 22/30mpg city/highway, now under the new standards is listed at 19/27 city/highway.

Whether or not this engine was reworked with the intention of helping make the engine feel stronger in the new car, it certainly does not feel any stronger most likely thanks to the weight increase. After driving the 2.4L and this engine back-to-back, it only felt slightly stronger. The 2.7L never exactly felt powerful in the Stratus/Sebring, but it at least felt adequate. In the Avenger, it does not feel adequate.

This engine also tends to be very buzzy and noisy. It also does not have a very good reputation for reliability with past oil sludge problems (which Chrysler claims to have resolved), and it has occasional issues with fuel pumps and other problems. This engine should have been dropped along with the old 2.4L I4 used in the Stratus. The only somewhat unique thing about this engine is the Flexible-Fuel Vehicle badge. This allows it to run on E85 (if it is available in your location). In the midwest, it is common in some rural towns, but not as easy to find as say diesel (though growing in popularity). The issue is that although E85 is commonly $.50 cheaper than regular gas, it gets significantly worse fuel economy, which means you will spend more money in the long run using it than either 100% or E10 (10% ethanol).

This engine is so weak, it really cannot compare against any competitors whether domestic or foreign.

R/T and R/T AWD standard 3.5L EGJ V6: Good but not the best (90%)

The 3.5L V6 is an engine that was originally used back in the original LH cars (Intrepid, Concorde, LHS, Vision, New Yorker) back in 1993. This engine is the one I would recommend after seeing success story after success story with this engine. The engine produces 235hp & 232ft-lbs of torque. This engine feels power no matter where you punch it and fun to drive. This engine puts the Avenger head and heals above the Stratus/Sebring; however, it does not necessarily put it above its competition mostly due to the fact that it has not received an update since 1999.

The EGJ version of the 3.5L although called "High-Output," is not the highest output of this engine currently in production. The EGG version of the 3.5L found in the LX cars (300, Charger, and the outgoing Magnum) produces 250hp & 250ft-lbs of torque. If it had this output, the problem the Avenger faces might not be as severe. The competition from Honda, Toyota, GM, and Nissan in their respective Accord, Camry, and Altima have engines that have an advantage. The Accord and Camry both have their own 3.5L engines that produce 268hp & 248ft-lbs of tq, the GM sedans (G6 GXP, Aura XR, Malibu LTZ) feature a 3.6L engine that produces 252hp & 251ft-lbs of tq. the Alitma produces 270hp & 258ft-lbs of tq. These engines feel stronger thanks to having Variable Valve Timing systems in acceleration and provide acceleration times that are around a half second faster in 0-60 mile per hour runs. To its credit, it is more powerful than Ford's old 3.0L Duratech that produces 221hp & 205ft-lbs of torque found in the Fusion.

Also the fuel economy is also a concern. Under the old ratings, it would have received 19/28mpg city/highway, it gets about 16/26 city/highway under current ratings. The fuel economy may be similar to the GM models, the Fusion, and Altima, the Camry and Accord get about 2-3 mpg better under the current standards. For people that are concerned about fuel economy and are considering getting the 2.7L for getting better mileage, I would recommend getting the 3.5L anyways after talking to enough people that have owned cars that had both engines and hearing them claim over and over again that the 3.5L got the same or sometimes better fuel economy. This could be the case again thanks to the fact that it runs at a much lower rpm while cruising on the highway. The 3.5L I believe is suggested to use mid-grade fuel (plus over regular but not premium). The only vehicle listed that is recommended for premium is the Altima.

AWD models: Among the best by almost default (95%)
Currently about the only MAJOR competitor in the AWD arena for the price tag is the Fusion. Between the two the Avenger is faster.

4-speed transmissions(40TES & 41TES) SE and SXT models: Unacceptable (40%)
These are basically warmed over versions of the tired old four-speed units Chrysler has had since the 80s. They updated them with Variable Line Pressure to help the fuel economy, durability, and efficiency. Although this is certainly an improvement, the issue is that 4-speeds are very outdated and contribute the most the issue of making the 2.4L and 2.7L feel weak against their competition. Honda and Toyota currently use 5-speeds with their I4 engines which is why they generally feel more powerful and get better fuel economy. A lot of the problem is that the gear ratios are so far apart that the engine cannot stay within its peak power range. Had Chrysler made a 5-speed or better, this would probably close the gap. They shift pretty smoothly overall though.

6-speed transmission (62TE) R/T and R/T AWD only: Among the best (95%)
This is a new transmission is unfortunately only paired up with the 3.5L V6. This transmission makes the most of the power in the 3.5L by keeping it as close to its peak range as possible during the first 3 gears. The spacing then widens which loses some of the advantage, but is certainly an improvement at all levels over the 4-speeds. In comparison to other automatics, it does very well against the offerings in GM, Ford, and Toyota products. The only problem is it likes to start off in second gear to save fuel, so you will have to place it in autostick mode if you want to start out in first and receive the acceleration advantage. GM features a paddle shift feature on the Aura and Malibu offerings that some might prefer as you can keep you hands on the steering wheel at all times while manually shifting it. Others (including myself) prefer the manual like feeling of bumping the shifter back and forth.

INTERIOR:
Dash appearance: Acceptable (80%)
The dash has a sporty look to it that many will appreciate. It looks more interesting than say the G6, while looking around the same class of the Aura. It fails to compete against the Malibu's new dash layout. The Ford Fusion looks more interesting as well. The Accord, Camry, and Altima are a matter of taste. People that generally like Japanese cars will love the Accord and Camry, but probably not the Altima quite as well.

Dash materials: Disappointing (60%)
The days of soft to the touch materials seem to be gone just as well as smooth materials. The dash is made primarily of harder plastics that seem like a step down from the materials found in the original Stratus. If you knock on it, it sounds hollow. To its credit, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and some of GM models, also are just as bad about taking the cheap route. This is the one category that the Fusion is far superior being full of nice soft and pretty smooth materials.

Fabric seats: Acceptable (80%)
The fabric as they claim is less prone to staining and getting orders with the "YES Essentials" fabric. The seats look nice and can come equipped as heated. The problem with them are they are very firm, if not hard and rough. This is somewhat a matter of taste, but I was not comfortable in them and preferred the seats found in the Stratus (but not by much). To its benefit, this is true about many manufactures cloth seats. Each though is subject to a person's taste.

Leather seats: Good but not Great (90%)
The leather that they use is a more expensive looking, firmer leather in two tones that reminds enthusiasts of the suede-leather found in the R/T Daytona and SRT versions of its big brother the Charger. The intention is to make it look like a performance focused seats and it succeeds in pulling that image off. With this the steering wheel gets the same material wrapped on it, which looks nice and feels good. The thing it is missing is the large cushions on the left and right sides that are meant to prevent the driver from sliding around on fast turns. The comfort level again depends on the driver. If you like firm seats, they are great, if you prefer softer seats, it may not be a good match. They are better than the seats found in the G6 for sure, the rest you will have to make your own call. The Sebring would be a matter match if you prefer softer seats.

Gauges: Good but not the best (90%)
They have white faced gauges with green/black lettering. I preferred them to the Altima's, Camry's, Fusion's, and GM's for certain but it is a matter of taste. They lack the indiglo that the Sebring has. The Accord's are black faced with white gauges done quite well, so it really depends on a person's taste.

Gear shifter: Annoying (80%)
This is another issue of taste. They currently are using shift gate shifters (something I have never liked). Instead of simply pressing a button and pulling or pushing, you have to push the shifter to the right or left before pulling down or forward depending on which direction you are going. The Altima and Camry share in this annoying design. The Fusion, GM models, and Accord still use the old style system that I personally prefer.

Climate Control: Among the best (95%)
The system is simple and gets the job done with few headaches.

Radio: Among the best (95%)
I unfortunately did not get very much experience with the stereo so I cannot testify on how easy or hard it is. Regardless, it is a world improvement from the old system in the Stratus. They have a navigation system available with mp3 player compatibility, SIRIUS satellite radio, hands free cell phone system, etc. Much better than a CD/Cassette for the top option. It seems to be up with the times if not a little ahead. Most people from Generations X and Y should be happy with it.

Interior room: Good but not the best (90%)
The leg room is sufficient for my needs as a 5ft 9inch individual and it seemed that it had more room for others, but many of the other offerings are larger in both the front and back.

Trunk: Disappointing (60%)
The trunk on this car seems like a step down from the Stratus/Sebring. The trunk opening is much smaller which can become an issue when trying to get larger luggage items in and out of the car. The space is not very big in comparison to the other cars. The trunk seems like an afterthought.

EXTERIOR:
Front: R/T Among the best (95%), SE & SXT Acceptable (80%)
This rating might be a little deceiving. In my viewpoint, it is better looking than the rest of the cars compared, but the rest of the cars are not in my opinion that good looking to begin with. The front reminds some of the Dodge Charger, it reminds others of the Dodge Shadow. When equipped with chrome (something I'm generally not crazy about), it looks good. The front bumper when equipped as an R/T looks muscular. The other models can frighteningly similar to the Cobalt.

Side: So-So (75%)
The Avenger seems like it was a desperate attempt to hang on to the coattails of the Charger in its style. The sad attempt to look like a muscle car coupe is apparent with the rear door. The annoying factor on this is this attempt creates a huge blind spot. This is one area where they worked too hard to distinguish themselves from the Stratus.

Rear: Pretty Good for the current era(85%)
The styling of current cars in the rear benefits from the fact that the competition currently is about as out of good ideas as Dodge's designers are. They took the old styling from the Stratus which was taken from the Intrepid and squeezed it. It looks more muscular and frankly looks head and heals above the rear of the Sebring. A rear spoiler does a lot to help its appearance.

Ride impressions: Disappointing (60%)
The car has a firm suspension that makes imperfections in the road pronounced, yet seems to have quite a bit of body roll. The car feels nimble and quite small on the inside compared to the Camry, Accord, Altima, and Fusion. It does not feel like a very significant improvement from the Stratus. Performance minded buyers would probably be happier with the Altima or G6.

Warranty: 100% (the best)
Dodge currently offers the best warranty out of all of them on the powertrain. On all Avenger models (and most other models excluding SRT vehicles), they are offering the lifetime powertrain warranty. The only thing is it is not transferable, so it only applies to the original owner at this time. Also, you have to abide by the rules so then the warranty isn't voided.

Conclusion:

The Avenger isn't a bad car, it just lacks the key things it needs to be competitive with their rivals. They basically needed a platform to be able to compete better with the size. Their I4 engine is good by itself, but it needs a better transmission. Their 2.7L engine was a mistake to carry over and I will not recommend spending the extra money on it. Their 3.5L is worth the extra money, but in the category of power and fuel economy is towards the back of the pack; however, based on what I have seen from this engine and what I have seen from some of these other engines (GM's, Ford's, and Toyota's), it is probably one of the more dependable engines on the market. The Honda V6 engine at this time probably needs a couple more years to make sure their new Variable Cylinder Management is without flaws. Although the Nissan VQ V6 engine is a rock solid reliable engine, the CVT transmission could be a problem.

In short, if you are in the market for a I4 mid-sized car and acceleration and interior materials are not your top priority, it would probably be a good match. If having a power V6 engine that is reliable is your top priority, and having the fastest or the best fuel mileage does not matter, it will be a good match. If you are looking for the best performing mid-sized AWD car on the market for you money, this fills the ticket quite well. Basically, tt's good but not the best.