2008 Dodge Avenger

Run this Dodge around Darlington, and you'll find it delivers 0 to 60 in 9.3 sec, the quarter mile in 17.0 at 83.3 mph, 60 to 0 braking in 142 ft, and lateral acceleration of 0.74 g. So what gives? Why is the Dodge so lackluster? Well its 2.4L four-cylinder is a bit crude and, at 173 hp, doesn't exactly humble other four-bangers, some of which produce 200 hp. While most of its rivals use five- or six-speed automatics, the Dodge stays true to its trusty ol' four-speed, which pushes it off the line with about as much vigor as a maimed turtle. Rear disc brakes? Nah, let's stick with less-effective drums. Not that it's all bad with the Dodge. It does offer a standard "Chill Zone" compartment in the dash that keeps beverages cold as well as a MyGIG multimedia system that features a touch-screen display and a hard-disc drive. Oh, and that "wheezy engine" and "archaic tranny" come with a lifetime powertrain warranty, all for a thrifty as-tested price of $21,500.

Drum brakes, four-speed transmission, cheap plastics, and sailboat steering make this a frightful drive. Gaps between last and first don't get any wider than this.

There's ample interior space, thanks to an extra four inches in overall height versus the Dodge Stratus, and it features the good things in the 2007 Sebring, including optional heated/cooledcupholders, a "cold zone" cooled glovebox, rear DVD player, harman/kardon MyGIGnavigation/audio/entertainment/information system with real-time traffic, and hands-freecommunication setup. The Avenger R/T handles better than the other Avengers or the Sebring, with stiffer springs and shocks and, especially, damping, which gives it a kind of Honda Accord feel.The Avenger SE and SXT are tuned like the Sebring, which seems a mistake.

The SE and SXT come standard with the 173-horsepower, 2.4-liter VVT four andfour-speed automatic. A 189-horse, 2.7-liter flex-fuel (E85) V-6 is optional with SXT. The R/T and upcoming AWD R/T come with the Charger's 235-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic.

While the big pieces fit together fairly well, I'd put the overall fit and finish about two years behind the entry-level Koreans. The one-touch electric window switches feel like they're sticking. The interior door handles - while chrome - are an ergonomic disaster, badly positioned, and barely big enough to accommodate your hand without pinching your pinky. The six-speed manumatic's shift lever clunks through its gates. All three steering column stalks have about 1/4-inch of play, making them feel like they need to be tightened. There is, however, another bright spot that fits well with the Avenger R/T's zoomy looks: its well-sorted powertrain, a 235-hp, 3.5-liter 24-valve V-6 mated to a very nicely geared six-speed automatic transmission that has a pretty stirring kickdown when you give it a firm boot. The R/T tootles along so effortlessly that you have to consciously work at keeping it under 80 mph. Of course, this bigger engine comes with a disappointing 16 mpg city/26 mpg highway rating. Another point in its favor is the Avenger R/T's base price, $23,945. Our test car rang up at $27,030, but we could easily drop $1235 from that total by foregoing the Customer Preferred Package (I would only miss the heated front seats). I would also skip the $775 sunroof.

The Avenger's cabin is spacious enough for two six-foot, two-inch occupants to sit one behind the other in comfort. Perceived quality is a big step up from other recent Chrysler efforts, and the unique dashboard architecture is characterful. Other neat cabin touches include the Chill Zone (a beverage cooler mounted in the dash) and MyGig (an optional audio, navigation, and entertainment system that allows you to download music and photos to a hard drive). The driving experience is not nearly so cool. The 2.4-liter four moves the beast along reasonably well, but those expecting a performance hit from the V-6-powered R/T (man, does that badge set up expectations, or what?) will be disappointed. At least the six-speed automatic is smooth and fast-reacting, especially in manual mode.

The Dodge Avenger is a sibling to the Chrysler Sebring and it replaces the Stratus in the Dodge lineup. It has the same wheelbase and track as the Sebring, but it gets unique sheetmetal, which clearly was penned with one eye on the Dodge Charger. Engine choices are 2.4-liter four, 2.7-liter V-6, or 3.5-liter V-6.Only the largest engine comes with a six-speed automatic and offers the option of all-wheel drive. The other two get four-speed auto boxes and front-wheel drive only. (No manuals are offered in the U.S.A.)

A three-quarter-scale replica of the Charger in many ways, the Dodge Avenger is about twice the car the Stratus was, with more style, more guts, and more verve. We really like the way the new Avenger is styled and put together. It's got real sex appeal, good fuel economy, a nice-looking, functional interior with reasonable family room (although the fast-sloping rear roof doesn't leave a lot of head room or leg room), lots of ordering flexibility with three model lines, and a host of interesting options. We would definitely put the Avenger on our shopping list.