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The Dodge Avenger name identifies three different cars:
Introduced as a 1995 model year vehicle the Dodge Avenger shared a platform with the Mitsubishi Eclipse. This model was discontinued after the 2000 model year.
In 2005 rumours started to spread that the Avenger name would be returning to the Dodge lineup though this time it would be replacing the Dodge Stratus, the coupe version of which replaced the Avenger in 2001. This time however it would not be a coupe but a sedan only. The car was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show. That model had a diesel engine, but is currently only available in the US and Canada with a choice of three gasoline engines. The diesel is available in other international markets.
The name Avenger was originally used on the Hillman Avenger (later Chrysler/Talbot Avenger), produced by Rootes Group while that company was owned by the Chrysler Corporation. This model was marketed in South Africa as “Dodge Avenger”.
The first generation Dodge Avenger was a 2-door coupe produced from 1995 to 2000, replacing the Dodge Daytona and the Mitsubishi-based Dodge Stealth (which was discontinued in 1996). The Avenger, along with the similar Chrysler Sebring coupe, were built by Diamond Star Motors (DSM), a joint venture between Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors, on a stretched version of the Mitsubishi Eclipse platform. This joint venture between the two ended in 1995. Avengers and Sebring coupes built from 1995 to 1996 both have DSM markings in their engine compartments.
The Avenger had a 103 in (2.62 m) wheelbase and used either a 2.0 L I4 (the Chrysler 420A) or a Mitsubishi-designed 2.5 L V6. The 4-cylinder was coupled to either a five-speed manual transmission, shared with the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon, or a 4-speed automatic. The V6 was only available with the A604 transmission.
Subtle changes were made to the Avenger over the years. ABS was equipped in all SE models to 1999. In 1997, the front fascia, trunklid, and rear bumper were changed; 16 inch wheels were standard, and the license plate was moved to the rear bumper. In 2000, the V6 and automatic transmission combo was made standard on all Avengers, and ABS was made an “option” for SE models. The four-cylinder engine was dropped for 2000.
A “Sport Appearance Package” could be added on to Base model cars. This package included alloy wheels (different from those on the SE) with other options.
1994: A 1994 Dodge NASCAR IROC Dodge Avenger sports coupe replaced the Dodge Daytona, which had been used since 1990. Only 6 of these were sold from IROC in New Jersey.
1995: Initial introduction - replaces the Daytona. A DOHC 16-valve 2.0 L I4 engine (140 hp, 130 lb·ft (176 N·m) of torque) is standard. A SOHC 24-valve 2.5 L V6 engine and an automatic transmission (155 hp, 160 lb·ft (217 N·m) of torque) are made optional on the ES. Fog lamps and ABS are also optional on the ES.
1996: Power and torque ratings for the V6 are increased (163 horsepower, 170 lb·ft (230 N·m). torque), ES Coupes wore new seat fabric.
1997: Sport model introduced (in addition to the base and SE). The Avenger Sport package consisted of exclusive 16 inch aluminum wheels and a body-color spoiler. New front and rear fascias are added. Added a body-color rear spoiler, P215/50HR17 tires and 17 inch cast aluminum wheels for are added for the SE. The V6 is also made standard for the ES, as well as rear disc brakes.
1998: An on-board recycling vapor recovery system, Caffe Latte exterior color and a black and gray interior color combination are added.
1999: Next generation driver and front passenger airbags are added, as well as a new exterior color; Shark Blue. The V6 engine and automatic transmission are made standard on all models in mid-year, as well as several options.
2000: Last year for the Avenger. V6/automatic drivetrain are standard. ABS an option on ES models. Gained a number of standard features that had previously been optional, including power windows and locks. Base models added cruise control, and 4-wheel disc brakes. ES coupes now came with standard leather upholstery, keyless remote entry, and a power driver’s seat.
In 2000 the Avenger was discontinued, and replaced by the Dodge Stratus coupe for 2001.
The MY2008 model Avenger returned in February 2007 as a sedan to replace the Dodge Stratus, whose coupe version had replaced the original Avenger in 2001. The Avenger, along with the redesigned Chrysler Sebring, shares a DaimlerChrysler/Mitsubishi Motors platform called the GS. For the new cars, the GS platform is stretched in size and known as the JS. The base engine in the SE and SXT trim levels is the 2.4 LGEMAI4 naturally-aspirated “World Engine”, a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler, Mitsubishi and Hyundai. Additional engines include an optional 2.7 L V6 in the SXT and a standard 3.5 L V6 in the R/T trim level. In addition to the 2.4 L “World Engine” and the V6s, export vehicles will be offered with the 2.0 L naturally-aspirated “World Engine”, as well as a 2.0 L turbocharged diesel (Pumpe-Düse) made by Volkswagen . As a 2008 model, the Dodge Avenger came to showrooms in February 2007.
Features on the new Avenger include optional heated/cooled cup holders as well as Dodge’s new “Chill Zone”, a feature that comes standard on all Avenger models, which can store up to 4 12oz cans in the glove box and chill them to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Like its Dodge Journey stablemate, the Avenger’s exterior was styled by Chrysler’s Ryan Nagode . The interior was styled by Ben S. Chang.

The Avenger replaced the Charger as Dodge’s car in NASCAR in 2007 for Car of Tomorrow races. It got its first win with former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya in the 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway.
The Avenger was officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show on September 28, 2006 as a concept car. It has been launched in Europe and will be sold in Britain, filling a gap in the Chrysler range that was left by the Neon’s demise four years earlier. It has also been launched in Australia, although currently with only the 2.4L engine.
In the US, the Avenger was launched with a 30 television ad, “Tuned Up,” that debuted Sunday, March 4 2007 during NHL hockey, an ad in which a lab technician discovers he can play Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple on the Avenger’s transmission. Another television spot likened the Avenger to the “superhero” vehicle for the everyman, depicting a driver piloting his Avenger through Gotham-like streets and alleys, speaking to the MyGig entertainment system in distinctly Batman-reminiscant tones, to arrive home, pull into a two-car garage and open the rear door to a sleeping child in the rear car-seat. See: Dodge Avenger: “Batmobile”
The Avenger is currently one of only a handful of midsized automobiles for sale in Canada and the US available with AWD and a 6spd transmission.
SE: 2.4L 4 Cyl DOHC 16V Dual VVT 4 spd automatic
SXT: 2.4L 4 Cyl DOHC 16V Dual VVT 4 spd automatic SXT optional powertrain: 2.7L V6 DOHC 24 Valve MPI 4 spd automatic
R/T: 3.5L High Output V6 24V MPI 6spd automatic
R/T AWD: 3.5L High Output V6 24V MPI 6 spd automatic
The first generation Dodge Avenger body style was widely used in the National Hot Rod Association, but came to the most prominence being driven by Darrell Alderman, and Scott Geoffrion, during their run from 1994 -2000, as the celebrated Dodge Boys. The car was also used for the 1994 and 1995 incarnations of the International Race of Champions.

The Dodge Nitro is a compact SUV from the Dodge division of Chrysler LLC. Launched for the 2007 model year at the Chicago Auto Show, the Nitro shares its platform with the Jeep Liberty. It is assembled at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in Toledo, Ohio. This Jeep facility is part of a complex including the Toledo South Assembly Plant, home to the Jeep Wrangler since the 1940s. The Nitro went into production in August 2006 and went on sale in September. The Nitro is also Dodge’s first compact SUV since the Raider was discontinued in 1990.
The Nitro is priced at US$19,885. It is one of the first modern Dodge-branded cars on sale in Europe since its introduction in early 2007. All Nitros are available with rear-wheel drive, part-time all-wheel drive is available as an option. The top-line Nitro R/T with all-wheel drive sells for $27,630. It was Dodge’s entry-level SUV until the 2009 model year, when the larger, car-based Dodge Journey crossover SUV arrived to be priced below the Nitro.
Dodge is touting the car’s “Load ‘N Go” sliding cargo floor as a major selling feature. Similar to a system offered on the Saab 9-5 station wagon, the floor can be extended through the rear hatch by 18 in (457 mm) to ease loading.
Another purported attribute of the car is its SUV/hot rod styling blend, complete with unmistakably pronounced fenders.
A van version, with the second row of seats removed and the cargo area windows blacked out, is available in select European markets.
The Nitro has been named one of Consumer Reports’ eleven worst cars for 2008, as was its sister, the Liberty. Making the Nitro arguably the worse of the two is its lack of off-road prowess.

The Dodge Caliber is a compact car produced by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Group. It replaced the Neon, and went on sale in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model year vehicle. The Caliber is a five-door hatchback roughly the size of a Neon, and was first shown at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It features styling elements derivative of larger Dodge vehicles, such as a crosshair grille and large flared fenders. The Caliber is one of the first modern Dodge-branded vehicles for sale in the European, Asian, and Australasian markets. It debuted publicly on January 10, 2006 at the North American International Auto Show, amid jokes by David Spade. The base price is US$13,985.
The Dodge Caliber offers a continuously variable transmission (dubbed CVT2 by Dodge) sourced from Jatco (a Nissan subsidiary), the second DaimlerChrysler model to employ this technology after the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. It uses a four-cylinder 1.8–2.4 L GEMA gasoline engine.
The car also features an optional electronically-controlled all-wheel drive system with variable torque between speeds of 25 and 65 mph (105 km/h) for optimal handling.
The Caliber rides on a heavily modified GS platform, co-designed with Mitsubishi Motors. The modified GS platform is now called JS platform by DCX for mid-size cars and PM/MK for compact cars. It shares the platform with the Mitsubishi Lancer, but is most similar to the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot.
The Caliber is built at the Belvidere Assembly (Illinois) plant, where its predecessor was produced.
The Caliber is an important vehicle for Chrysler in its quest to expand globally. The Caliber was one of Dodge’s first modern offerings in Europe. Dodge also introduced the Caliber as part of its launch lineup in Asian markets such as Japan and Singapore, as it established new distribution channels there. It will be introduced in China in 2008 as Dodge’s second modern vehicle offering in that market. Dodge vehicles were last officially sold in China during the World War II era. The introduction of the Caliber has also marked the return of the Dodge brand to Australia, for the first time since the early 1970’s.
Three models were available at the Caliber’s launch, with a fourth available in mid-2006.
The base SE model features front-wheel drive and a 1.8 L 148 hp (110 kW) GEMA I4 attached to a Magna Drivetrain T355 5-speed manual transmission. A 2.0 L 158 hp (118 kW) version of the engine paired with the CVT2 transmission is available as an option.
The standard configuration for the SE lacks air conditioning, and does not have power windows, door locks, or mirrors. The grille surround is body-colored, while that of all other models is chromed. There is no tachometer, and no assist handles. 15 inch steel wheels with wheel covers are standard. Some options are not available on the SE.
The SXT has the same engine choices as the SE but many more features are available as standard. Air conditioning is standard equipment at this level, including the Chill Zone beverage cooler inside the front lower glove compartment. The gauge cluster gains a tachometer and an (optional) trip computer. The driver’s seat adds height adjustment, the passenger seat folds flat for load-carrying, and the rear seats recline. Power windows, locks, mirrors, and remote keyless entry are included. The grille surround is chromed and 17-inch steel wheels are standard, with 17-inch aluminum wheels as an option. The cargo area light includes a removable and rechargeable flashlight while the front dome light incorporates two reading lamps. The center console includes a 115-volt 2-prong power outlet, two illuminated cup holders for the front passengers, and two non-illuminated cup holders for the rear passengers (which are standard on all trim levels).
Some Dodge publications mention a SXT Sport model, while others (e.g. the Dodge website) list a SXT “E” package with identical features. This consists of 17-inch aluminum wheels, color-keyed cloth seat inserts, color-matched instrument panel trim, and fog lamps.
The UK SXT Sports model gets 18 inch alloy wheels, color-keyed cloth seats and instrument panel, and a 9-speaker audio system as standard; early UK models do not have the chrome grille. The UK SXT Sport is also available with a Volkswagen 2.0 L diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
The R/T model has 172 hp (128 kW) 2.4 L version of the GEMA engine, equipped with the CVT2 transmission, and programmed with an ‘AutoStick’ feature giving six simulated fixed ratios in a clutchless manual mode in addition to the standard CVT ‘Drive’ mode. All-wheel-drive is currently an option on the R/T model. 18-inch aluminum wheels are standard, while chromed are an option. At launch, the CVT2 with all-wheel drive was the only powertrain combination available for the R/T. A front-wheel drive variant with the T355 5-speed manual transmission commenced production in late summer 2006. ABS is standard, and the suspension and steering are tuned for performance.
Externally, the R/T is distinguishable by body-color/chrome door handles (replacing black on other models), a chrome side molding, chromed exhaust tip, and front fog lights as standard, as well as R/T badging.
Internally, the car comes as standard with color-keyed fabric seat inserts, leather seats being an option as on the SXT. Color-keyed instrument panel trim is also standard, as is a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls and speed control, and a cargo area cover (all options on the SXT).
The SRT-4 model, introduced at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2006, is a replacement for the original Neon-based SRT-4 produced by Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology group. It is a hatchback set to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen GTI and the Mazdaspeed 3. It features a 2.4-liter DOHC 16V Turbocharged I4 with dual variable valve timing (DVVT). It produces 285 hp (213 kW) at 6,400 rpm, and 265 lb·ft (359 N·m) of torque at 5,600 rpm using the Mitsubishi TD04HL4S-20 turbo. The engine is mated to a Getrag six-speed manual transmission, and utilizes a front-wheel drive drivetrain. The Caliber SRT-4 utilizes a high-performance MacPherson strut front suspension, and a performance-tuned multilink rear suspension. The SRT-4 uses large 340 mm (13.4 in) vented front disc brakes with dual-piston calipers and 302 mm (11.9 in) rear single-piston disc brakes. It will feature four-wheel antilock brakes, with electronic assistance. The wheels are 19-inch, five-spoke, SRT-stamped, painted aluminum. The car will feature Goodyear performance 225/45R19 tires. The SRT-4 base price will be $22,435, with lot-availability starting in March, with orders being taken at dealerships as of November, 2007. Package options include polished wheels, GPS navigation, bluetooth, a block heater, and rear hat-rack.
The Chrysler Group announced a marketing plan for the first year of the car’s production. The plan included 20% of the budget going towards online marketing, a blitz of print ads and a number of television ads.
Dodge is marketing Caliber in a way that contrasts the Neon’s introduction to the buying public. With Neon, the advertising campaign was based around its personable, appealing, “cuddly” looks. Examples of ads typically constituted a shot of the car front-on with a simple “Hi” hovering above it. In contrast, Caliber has been labeled as “Anything but cute” in its advertising campaign, with taglines or statements of “It’s [the car] neither cuddly nor wuddly” or more bluntly “it scares the <bleep> out of me”.