Interesting New Car Dodge Avenger

The Dodge Avenger is available with three different engines, but reviewers generally don't like any of the three. Two four-cylinder options are both underpowered, while the available V6 is quicker, but loud and unrefined. The Avenger's suspension transfers road bumps into the cabin, while the press is almost unanimous that its electric steering is overboosted and difficult to master. Shoppers looking for a more engaging ride should consider the Ford Fusion or Mazda6, both of which offer more nimble handling for a lower starting price than the Avenger, while those interested in a softer ride might want to test drive the Toyota Camry.

The 2010 Dodge Avenger is available with a 2.4-liter 173-horsepower inline four-cylinder engine. That's a fairly typical power rating for a four-cylinder family sedan, but the Avenger struggles to translate that power into acceleration -- reviewers say the car has little highway passing power. The 2010 Subaru Legacy, by comparison, gets 170 horsepower from is base engine, but offers much more confident acceleration than the Avenger. An available 2.7-liter V6 doesn't offer much of an improvement -- making 186 horsepower, it's one of the weakest V6 engines available anywhere. The highest performer, the R/T, boasts a 3.5-liter 235-horsepower V6, which brings the car close to the class average for power, but only in its most expensive trim. Fuel economy varies between trims, with the four-cylinder engine managing an EPA rating of 21/30 mpg, while the R/T's V6 earns only a 16/27 mpg rating.

The 2010 Avenger uses electric steering that some reviewers find difficult and others like. This is now common in the midsize car class. Many of the Avenger's competitors have abandoned pneumatic power steering for electric steering. Most, though, seem to offer better road feel than the Avenger - reviewers describe its steering as highly artificial, while the car's suspension system allows the body to roll more in corners than most competitors, further compromising handling. The brakes, most testers say, are inadequate.