The Dodge Avenger can mean two totally different things depending on what year the car was made. From 1995 to 2000, the Avenger was a two-door, mid-sized, coupe. The new Dodge Avenger, which was re-introduced in 2008, is really more of an updated Stratus. Here is a quick review of what both of these cars have to offer on the secondary market.
The Dodge Avenger Coupe was fairly popular at its highest point, which was after 1997. In 1997, the styling was almost completely re-done and the engine also got a huge upgrade – most notably a V6 option was added. Once the V6 Avenger was introduced, it did fairly well. The front seats were more spacious than most two-door cars and the rear seat could actually fit an adult fairly comfortably. Plus, it really embraced the look of a coupe, rather than just being a sedan with 2 doors, which was common among others in its class. The big problem with the Dodge Avenger Coupe was overall reliability. It was known to be one of those cars that if you got past year 4 or 5, you would be fine for a long time. The problem was actually getting that far without at least a handful of major repairs. As such, most people don’t recommend the Avenger Coupe. At the same time, it definitely had its fans.
The new Dodge Avenger carries a few key similarities to similar cars. The most common comparison is to a Stratus, however the Avenger added more power and speed to the engine. It also has a longer wheelbase and more interior room. Another common comparison is that the overall engineering is very similar to the Chrysler 200 sedan. The only noticeable difference is styling. In 2011, there were a lot of styling upgrades that didn’t exist for any of the previous versions. Some people argue that the new Dodge Avenger still has some basic flaws when compared to others in the mid-sized car class. They will point to overall driving quality, handling, and acceleration.
The new Dodge Avenger may not be at the top of its class, however it definitely competes on price. While many people would argue that if you could afford to buy one of the Avenger’s more expensive competitors that you would be happier in the long, at the Avengers price-point, it is arguably the best on the road. This is especially true in the secondary market because it still has a less than stellar reputation which pushes down the secondary market value considerably.
