Ready for spotlight

Newly preened, prepped and refreshed, the Dodge Avenger is now ready to step back into the midsize sedan spotlight.

It has been tough road for the Avenger. The current version that was introduced for the 2008 model year never really caught on with sedan shoppers and was clearly outclassed by higher-quality offerings from Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, Honda and others. Given that sales in this segment are expected to top 2 million units this year, it's vital that the Avenger, along with the similarly sized Chrysler 200, gets better, and fast.

Certainly the future appears brighter now that the automaker's Fiat-controlled management has updated the Avenger as well as most of the automaker's other offerings with new style, improved cabins and up-to-date powertrains.

Although most of the Avenger's sheetmetal still looks the same and mimics the full-size Charger sedan, it now displays a new cross-hair grille set against a honeycomb background. In back there's a new rear fascia and a pair of sharp looking light-emitting-diode taillamps.

More noticeable and meaningful changes can be seen inside. The previous Avenger's hard plastic dash and door panels have been replaced with soft-touch materials. In fact, the dash plus the gauge pod, vent openings and steering wheel are now borderline sumptuous. And that also goes for the new seats that come with added bolster support in front.

The 60:40 split-folding rear bench continues to fold nearly flat as before, and also includes a pass-through opening for transporting longer items such as skis, lumber and gardening tools.

The changes should make the Avenger way more appealing to showroom shoppers where interior appearances can often make or break a sale.

Much effort has also gone into creating a quieter passenger environment with added sound-absorbing material, sound-deadening windshield and thicker side glass.

Dodge has concentrated on turning the Avenger into a better driving car by retuning the suspension for improved ride comfort and reduced body lean while cornering. Additionally, the ride height has been slightly lowered (more at the front than at the rear), steering precision has been improved and the distance separating the left and right wheels (track) has been widened by about an inch.

Pop open the hood and more goodness awaits. The 173-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder base powerplant returns, but is now attached to the subframe using improved engine mounts to reduce vibration.

The newly optional 283-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 can now be had in nearly every Chrysler and Dodge model. Along with delivering close to 50 more horsepower than the previous 235-horse 3.5-liter V-6, the 3.6 is also more fuel efficient in city driving by a claimed 19 percent.

A four-speed automatic transmission is standard in the base four-cylinder Avenger Express, while a six-speed automatic is the sole transmission on all other four-cylinder and V-6 models, named Mainstreet, Heat and Lux. These trims will be joined by a new R/T model for the 2012 model year, featuring unique interior/exterior trim, sport-tuned suspension and unique gauge-cluster design.

Dodge has stated that only a very small percentage of Avenger Express units will be sold, likely to fleet buyers. Still, the basics such as air conditioning, remote keyless entry and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel are part of the $20,000 (including destination charges) price tag. The Mainstreet and Heat, both with lots of added goodies, will likely prove more popular with most buyers, while the top-of-the-line Lux comes dressed up with 18-inch chrome wheels (17-inch steel rims are standard) and leather-trimmed seats. The Lux doesn't automatically include the V-6, which is optional along with an upgraded sound package, navigation system and a power sunroof.

The base Avenger now sells for about $1,000 less than the previous comparable model, something that Chrysler likely felt it had to do to gain some much-needed traction with potential buyers. With all of the across-the-board improvements, the Avenger's styling still might take some getting used to, but the rest of the package is right on the money.