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2008 Dodge Avenger Safety Review

August 1, 2008

SAFETY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Five stars, side impact front; four stars, rollover rating
NHTSA

No data
IIHS

electronic stability system is standard on the R/T AWD and optional on the front-drive R/T and the SXT
Cars.com

TheCarConnection.com found that the 2008 Dodge Avenger scores reasonably high in crash-test ratings, receiving five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for both passenger and driver front-impact collisions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), however, has not tested the Avenger.

Kelley Blue Book notes that safety equipment standard on the 2008 Dodge Avenger "includes front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, but not anti-lock brakes." According to Cars.com, "An electronic stability system is standard on the [Dodge Avenger] R/T AWD and optional on the front-drive R/T and the SXT for $425. There is no traction control in [Dodge Avenger] without the stability system."

Mother Proof reports that installing child car seats in this 2008 Dodge "had its pros and cons...The lower anchors of the [Dodge] Avenger's system were a pain to hook and unhook, although the hinged rotating covers on the top-tether anchors were simple and much appreciated."

ConsumerGuide reports this 2008 Dodge has serious visibility problems: "thick roof pillars and lack of a rear quarter window severely compromise rear visibility."

Conclusion

The 2008 Dodge Avenger earns good crash-test scores, but lacks anti-lock brakes and stability control on base versions.

SAFETY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:Five stars, side impact front; four stars, rollover ratingNHTSANo dataIIHSelectronic stability system is standard on the R/T AWD and optional on the front-drive R/T and the SXTCars.com TheCarConnection.com found that the 2008 Dodge Avenger scores reasonably high in crash-test ratings, receiving five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for both passenger and driver front-impact collisions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), however, has not tested the Avenger. Kelley Blue Book notes that safety equipment standard on the 2008 Dodge Avenger "includes front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, but not anti-lock brakes." According to Cars.com, "An electronic stability system is standard on the [Dodge Avenger] R/T AWD and optional on the front-drive R/T and the SXT for $425. There is no traction control in [Dodge Avenger] without the stability system." Mother Proof reports that installing child car seats in this 2008 Dodge "had its pros and cons...The lower anchors of the [Dodge] Avenger's system were a pain to hook and unhook, although the hinged rotating covers on the top-tether anchors were simple and much appreciated." ConsumerGuide reports this 2008 Dodge has serious visibility problems: "thick roof pillars and lack of a rear quarter window severely compromise rear visibility." ConclusionThe 2008 Dodge Avenger earns good crash-test scores, but lacks anti-lock brakes and stability control on base versions.  2008 DODGE AVENGER STYLING | [7 out of 10] Autoblog: "rear quarter panel is an utter mess of shapes" Car and Driver: "Fails to be either menacing or inviting" Road & Track: "Hard plastics are still in abundance" Mother Proof: "a super-cool-looking car that afforded me several head ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

Comparing the Avenger's base four-cylinder model to others in its class, it lags far behind much of the competition because of its coarse, ever-present sound and lack of refinement. In comparison, the new Malibu's four-cylinder is refined and quiet, as is the Altima's. The Sonata and Optima offer a more comfortable, quiet ride and nice interiors that feel better, even if they aren't as exciting to look at as the Avenger's. And the Fusion feels especially sporty and nimble compared to the 2008 Dodge Avenger; its interior has a basic design, but the materials are better. Roominess is one area where the Avenger does pretty well; its backseat feels capacious and has enough headroom for adults, while the backseats in several of these vehicles--especially the Altima--can be tight. At the six-cylinder level, the Avenger R/T brings a lot of features and a sporty feel for about the same money as more sedately equipped V-6 rival models. It's perhaps the best value in the lineup, but even here, its inferior-feeling interior, lack of ride refinement, and perceived quality are grounds for dismissal.

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See the Dodge Avenger in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (1 total)

  1. By David N #1, Posted: 9/26/2008

    Are you realistic?

    I was on a longterm assignment in Canada and the reantal car company gave me a base level SE Avenger. You know, the one that you said was coarse and unrefined. Well, I lived with it a month. I have also drive a Ford Fusion for a month on a previous assignment and my wife has Lexus. Here is what I thought of the cars:
    Ford Fusion was quite nice. Even for a base 160 hp car I thought its performance was good. But, it was not as nice to get in and out of as others, particularly the rear seat. Never had a problem with it.
    Dodge Avenger. Not quite as nice as the Ford. But, I did like the ergonomics as I am rather large. The Dodge was reliable, got pretty good gas mileage, and had lots of space.
    My wife's Lexus is nice but what gets me is that it really isn't that much nicer then either the Ford or the Dodge. And, it cost her over twice as much as either of them (but she is the Queen, of course!).
    Bottomline, I bought an Avenger SE for less then $17,000. So far it is everything that I wanted. I just don't see how you can beat it for the money.

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