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2009 Dodge Avenger Safety Review

February 21, 2009

SAFETY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Good," frontal offset impact; "good," side impact
IIHS

Five stars, front impact; five stars, front side impact; four stars, rear side impact
NHTSA

Thick roof pillars and lack of a rear quarter window severely compromise rear visibility
ConsumerGuide

The 2009 Dodge Avenger offers an excellent chassis that scores well in crash tests, but when it comes to other safety features, the Dodge Avenger is far from the top of the class.

TheCarConnection.com's research shows that the 2009 Dodge Avenger scores quite well in both government and insurance industry crash tests. In NHTSA's tests, the Dodge Avenger earns a perfect five-star rating for both front impact and front side impact protection. In the rear side impact test, the Dodge Avenger scores four out of a possible five stars. The IIHS, which uses a more stringent set of tests, also rates the 2009 Dodge Avenger highly. In both the frontal offset impact and side impact tests, the Dodge Avenger earns the highest possible rating, "good," from the IIHS.

When it comes to standard safety features on the 2009 Dodge Avenger, prepare to be disappointed. Kelley Blue Book states that the standard equipment includes "front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, but not anti-lock brakes," which have become an industry staple in the mid-size sedan segment. Edmunds is disappointed to find that "all four-cylinder Avengers come with front disc and rear drum brakes," while "stability and traction control are available on the SXT and R/T as part of each trim's respective premium package." Some competitors offer both of those features as standard equipment.

For families with young children, the availability of safety seat hooks, as well as ease of installation, becomes a major safety concern. According to MotherProof, this 2009 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." As for space, they add that "child-safety seats would fit fine as long as you and/or your passenger aren't really tall."

One area where some sedans can earn safety brownie points is for driver visibility, but reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that the 2009 Dodge Avenger has some problem spots. According to ConsumerGuide, the Dodge Avenger's "thick roof pillars and lack of a rear quarter window severely compromise rear visibility," while the absence of any sort of parking assistance features does nothing to atone for the poor sightlines.

Conclusion

The 2009 Dodge Avenger has admirable crash-test ratings but comes up short on standard accident-avoiding safety features.

SAFETY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:Good," frontal offset impact; "good," side impactIIHSFive stars, front impact; five stars, front side impact; four stars, rear side impactNHTSAThick roof pillars and lack of a rear quarter window severely compromise rear visibilityConsumerGuide The 2009 Dodge Avenger offers an excellent chassis that scores well in crash tests, but when it comes to other safety features, the Dodge Avenger is far from the top of the class. TheCarConnection.com's research shows that the 2009 Dodge Avenger scores quite well in both government and insurance industry crash tests. In NHTSA's tests, the Dodge Avenger earns a perfect five-star rating for both front impact and front side impact protection. In the rear side impact test, the Dodge Avenger scores four out of a possible five stars. The IIHS, which uses a more stringent set of tests, also rates the 2009 Dodge Avenger highly. In both the frontal offset impact and side impact tests, the Dodge Avenger earns the highest possible rating, "good," from the IIHS. When it comes to standard safety features on the 2009 Dodge Avenger, prepare to be disappointed. Kelley Blue Book states that the standard equipment includes "front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, but not anti-lock brakes," which have become an industry staple in the mid-size sedan segment. Edmunds is disappointed to find that "all four-cylinder Avengers come with front disc and rear drum brakes," while "stability and traction control are available on the SXT and R/T as part of each trim's respective premium package." Some competitors offer both of those features as standard equipment. For families with young children, the availability of safety seat hooks, as well as ease of installation, becomes a major safety concern. According to MotherProof, this 2009 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." As for space, they add that "child-safety seats would fit fine as long as you and/or your passenger aren't really tall." One area where some sedans can earn safety brownie points is for driver visibility, but reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that the 2009 Dodge Avenger has some problem spots. According to ConsumerGuide, the Dodge Avenger's "thick roof pillars and lack of a rear quarter window severely compromise rear visibility," while the absence of any sort of parking assistance features does nothing to atone for the poor sightlines. ConclusionThe 2009 Dodge Avenger has admirable crash-test ratings but comes up short on standard accident-avoiding safety features.  2009 DODGE AVENGER STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "Trim levels are almost identical cosmetically" ConsumerGuide: "Shares its basic design with the Sebring from Dodge's parent company Chrysler " Edmunds: "Comfortable seating and a simple control layout" The Dodge Avenger ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

The base Avenger lags far behind much of the competition because of its combination of a sorely unrefined base four-cylinder engine and interior appointments that look and feel downright cheap. In comparison, the new Chevy Malibu's four-cylinder is much more refined and quiet, as is the Altima's. The Sonata and Optima offer a more comfortable, hushed ride and nice interiors that feel better, even if they aren't as exciting to look at as the Avenger's. Compared to the 2009 Dodge Avenger, the Ford Fusion feels especially sporty and nimble, and though its interior also has a basic design, 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.

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See the Dodge Avenger in Other Years:

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

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