Features
Avenging angles
Dodge has gone and given us an avenger full of awkward angles and cheap plastics. Shame
There's a whole heap of nostalgia for American cars in this country. Just look at how well the Chrysler 300C has sold over here, or how much old Mustangs change hands for.
Yeah sure, we all know that sometimes US cars fail to live up to our expectations of coolness, but surely things are looking up now, in the global economy where everyone knows what everyone else wants?
Er, not really. And certainly not if this new Dodge Avenger is anything to go by. Dodge is launching an all-out assault on Europe, and the Avenger is the fourth car to land here behind the SRT-10 (Viper to you and me), Caliber and Nitro. But like those last two, you're left feeling pretty disappointed after driving it.
The problem is that you think, 'Aha, Dodge is owned by Chrysler, who's done the 300C. And Dodge has also done the incredibly cool Challenger concept.' So we should be set for more of the same from this Ford Mondeo rival.
'Press on in the Avenger and you get too much kickback through the helm when it's loaded up'
But you'd be wrong. It doesn't even look that good in the flesh. The Avenger is full of awkward angles, and the jutting front bumper looks odd - about the only section not to jar is the rear three-quarters, where the hint of American muscle is strongest.
You can get 2.0 or 2.4-litre petrols, or the 2.0-litre diesel we tested. But, unlike the smooth 3.0-litre oil burner in the 300C, this is a pretty rough motor. It's quick enough, but has nowhere near the refinement of the best that some European firms can produce. Or even Korean, in the shape of Kia's 2.0-litre diesel.
Plus, ride and steering aren't up to scratch. Press on in the Avenger and you get too much kickback through the helm when it's loaded up, and the ride is too rough. Little bumps are absorbed OK, but over longer undulations, it bounces around a bit. The handling is better, because once you've got the initial body roll finished with, it feels secure in the corners.
But the worst part of the car is the interior. Sure, the boot's a decent size, and there's plenty of room in the rear, but the quality of the plastics is simply appalling. Supermarket carrier bags feel better produced than this. And they're free.
Which means that Dodge is extremely misguided if it thinks nostalgia for the name will be enough for this car to sell well.
Piers Ward
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