The Dodge Avenger is a front-wheel-drive mid-sized car name that Dodge used in three quite different forms. It first appeared on a South African version of the Hillman Avenger, then on a coupe built in America by Diamond Star Motors, and finally on a mid-size sedan sold from 2008 to 2014.
Dodge Avenger at a glance
| First use | 1975-1976, South Africa, a Hillman Avenger with a Peugeot 1.6 engine |
|---|---|
| Coupe | 1995-2000, built by Diamond Star Motors |
| Coupe platform | Mitsubishi Galant, 103.7 in wheelbase |
| Coupe engines | 2.0 L Chrysler four or 2.5 L Mitsubishi V6 |
| Sedan | 2008-2014, front-wheel drive, replacing the Dodge Stratus |
| Sedan debut | concept at the Paris Motor Show, September 2006 |
| Replaced by | Chrysler 200, with the Dart taking the compact slot |
| End of production | 2014 model year |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Dodge Avenger.
History of the Dodge Avenger
The Avenger name was first used in 1975 and 1976 on a South African market version of the European Hillman Avenger. That car, sold in North America as the Plymouth Cricket between 1972 and 1974, used a Peugeot 1.6-litre engine instead of the Hillman units to satisfy local content rules. The Dodge-branded version was introduced in 1975 and renamed Chrysler in 1976; it shared nothing with the later Avengers, and it was dropped when Chrysler ZA was merged into Sigma.
The name returned in North America in 1994 for the 1995 model year as a two-door coupe. It was built until 2000 by Diamond Star Motors, the joint venture between Chrysler and Mitsubishi, on a version of the Mitsubishi Galant platform that also produced the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the similar Chrysler Sebring coupe. The Avenger used a 103.7-inch wheelbase, a 2.0-litre Chrysler four with 140 hp or a Mitsubishi-designed 2.5-litre V6, a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic and fully independent double-wishbone suspension. Trims were the Highline base model and the ES, and a Sport version with 16-inch wheels and a spoiler came in 1997. Sales were modest, and the coupe was replaced for 2001 by the Dodge Stratus coupe.
The Avenger nameplate came back in February 2007 as a 2008 model-year sedan, replacing the Dodge Stratus. It had first appeared as a concept car at the Paris Motor Show on 28 September 2006, with exterior styling by Chrysler’s Ryan Nagode and an interior by Ben S. Chang. The sedan was also launched in Europe and the United Kingdom, where it filled the gap left by the Neon, and in Australia with the 2.4-litre engine; slow sales ended the Australian career in 2010.
In 2021 Stellantis confirmed that the 2023 model year would be the last for the Charger and Challenger as the company turned towards electric cars. The Avenger, however, had already gone: the 2014 model year ended production as Dodge and Chrysler mid-size models were consolidated into the new Chrysler 200, while Dodge received the new compact Dart. The Avenger name was later reused by Jeep for a 2023 subcompact model.
Design and features
- Three different cars: a South African Hillman Avenger, an American coupe and a front-wheel-drive sedan.
- Diamond Star coupe: built alongside the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Chrysler Sebring coupe.
- Coupe engines: a 2.0-litre Chrysler four or a 2.5-litre Mitsubishi V6.
- Sedan design: styled by Ryan Nagode as a 2008 replacement for the Stratus.
Dodge Avenger versions
- Dodge Avenger (South Africa, 1975-1976): Hillman Avenger with a Peugeot 1.6 engine.
- Avenger coupe (1995-2000): Highline, ES and Sport trims on the Galant platform.
- Avenger sedan (2008-2014): front-wheel-drive mid-size four-door.
- Jeep Avenger (2023): an unrelated subcompact model that reused the name.
The Avenger coupe succeeded the Dodge Daytona in size and price, and the sedan replaced the Dodge Stratus. More Dodge models are in the Dodge collection.
Sources
- Dodge Avenger, English Wikipedia: South African origin, coupe and sedan history
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