The 2009 Dodge Avenger
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The 2009 Dodge Avenger is an attractive midsize sedan based off the Chrysler Sebring. The Dodge Avenger replaces all models of the old Dodge Stratus cab-forward front-drive sedan with an all-new chassis, body, suspension and powertrain lineup. It looks very similar to the Dodge Charger, kind of like a three-quarter-scale replica in many ways. Overall, the Avenger is well put together, and it’s a vehicle with style, guts, and verve. The Avenger offers many sporty features and standard equipment found in higher class vehicles. The 2009 Avenger is a carryover from the previous year; for 2009, the SE trim has been eliminated. Fuel economy range for the Avenger is estimated at 30 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg through the city. The starting MSRP for the ’09 Avenger is $20,515 - $25,415. The Avenger’s competitors include the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Pontiac G6, among others.
Avenger Power
The 2009 Avenger: a scaled-down Charger four-door coupe for those family sedan buyers who love the big Charger, but would prefer a four-cylinder or V6, rather than the Charger’s 5.7-liter Hemi. The SXT comes with the 2.4-liter VVT inline four-cylinder engine. The SXT's performance can be boosted considerably with the optional 2.7-liter V6 engine that will also run on E85 ethanol fuel. Both engines come with a four-speed automatic transmission. The R/T comes with the 3.5-liter V6 engine and a new six-speed overdrive automatic transaxle. The Avenger is front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available.
Driving Impression
The drive on the Avenger is smooth and sweet, especially when you consider this is a vehicle in the $20,000 range; it drives like something that might cost a lot more. The Avenger is a solid vehicle, as the chassis has been improved in the past few years; having a solid chassis means a quiet cabin, very good suspension isolation, and accurate steering inputs and response. The 3.5-liter V6 engine in the R/T version is powerful and responsive, now equipped with a drive-by-wire electronic throttle that smoothes
out the bumps. 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. The brakes on the R/T are disc/disc ABS brakes and have a controlled feel to them. However the other model falls short in the brake department. The SXT uses disc/drum brakes with ABS. Upgrading the brakes on the lower trims is an option and is a wise investment.
2009 Cabin Features
The inside of the Avenger offers plenty of space, and way more than its predecessor, the Stratus. The Avenger’s cabin in total measures almost 101 cubic feet by EPA method. The front bucket seats are widely adjustable, comfortable, and generally supportive. A standard feature on all models is a tilting, telescoping steering wheel, not usually found in this price class, but welcome and useful. The rear seat area is only adequate. There is an optional DVD entertainment system with a small swing-up screen mounted at the rear end of the center console. There's plenty of cargo room inside the car with 60/40 split folding rear seats and an optional folding front seat that enables carrying eight-foot-long cargoes. The trunk, at 13.3 cubic feet, is e
asy to load and unload because the center of the bumper is dropped to create a lower liftover height. Other features include a drink cooler in the dashboard, an optional beverage cooling/heating system in the center console, and a 20-gigabyte hard-drive option for navigation, audio and photo storage.
Avenger Design
The Dodge Avenger is offered in two trim levels: SXT or R/T. This is the first car in a long time to bring some real style to the middle of the American car market, beating out the competiton with its elegant design. The Avenger unashamedly takes all of its design licks directly from Dodge's first four-door coupe, the Charger, and just downsizes everything a little bit here and there to become a stylish midsize family sedan. The bodies of all the trim levels are the same, front, side and rear, but the R/T version adds a rear decklid spoiler just to let you know it's an R/T. The grille, the bumpers, the taillights, and that familiar body kick-up at the trailing edge of the rear doors tell you that this is not like the rest of them in the midsize pack.
Summary
The 2009 Dodge Avenger offers the mid sized, mid priced sedan market something fresh and new. It will appeal to those buyers looking for something different in a huge part of the market that offers a lot of sameness: front-wheel drive, four-cylinder or V6 engines, around 100 cubic feet of interior space, navigation, satellite radio and lots of interior storage spaces. Read a Motor Trend review of a new Dodge Avenger for more information.
