test
- drive

THE MID-SIZED, front-
wheel-drive Dodge Avenger

“ sporty coupe is new to the
market and will compete
‘with such established 2+2
coupes as the Ford Probe,
Toyota Celica, Nissan 2408X,
and Chrysler’s other sporty
coupe, the Eagle Talon. .

. 1995 Dodge Avenger ES:
MSRP: $21,275 ;
Type: ‘two-door, five-passenger
‘compact coupe ;
Layout:.. .), transverse :
engine/front-wheel- -drive a
Engine: 2.5-litre V6, SOHC, 24
valves, , ,Sequential - multi-port
fuel injection
Horsepower: 155 @ 6,000
-Lpm. |.

- Torque:: 218. _ft-Ibs. ‘@ 4,800
Bp.m.- * ;

. ‘Transmission: four-speed auto-.

“matic.

Fires: ‘P205/55 HR 16 all-season
“radials «

a Curb weight: ! 399 kg (3,084

S.) :"

Wheelbase: 2,635 mm (103.7
“im) a

‘Length: 4,755 mm (187.2 in.) :
Width:.1,740 mm (68.5 in.)
Height: 1,345 mm (53.0 in.)

“front

WHO TO CALL:
Auto Editor
Andrew McCredie

985-2131 (147)

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New Dodge ‘unusually roomy’

Styled by Chrysler and engi-
neered and built by Mitsubishi in
the U.S., the Avenger is based on
the Mitsubishi Galant, a mid-sized
family sedan that’s not sold in
Canada.

Chrysler and Mitsubishi collab-
orate on a number of Canadian
Chrysler-badged vehicles, includ-
ing the Dodge Stealth.
Dodge/Plymouth Colt. Eagle
Talon, and Eagle Summit Wagon.
Mitsubishi is one of Japan’s
largest car companies. A near twin
of the Avenger, the Sebring, will
also be offered by Chrysler deal-
ers this year.

The Avenger is an unusually
well-rounded sporty car. While
many sporty coupes sacrifice ride
comfort and interior room for racy
styling and sports car-like perfor-
mance, the Avenger offers a good .
balance of performance, comfort,
styling and interior room.

Particularly commendable is
the amount of rear seat legroom
and headroom. The Avenger will
seat up to three people in the rear
seat (many sporty coupes seat

“only two), and access to the rear

seat area is better than many
coupes. The front passenger seat

automatically slides forward when

the seatback is folded forwards.
The rear windows don’t roll down,
but that’s typical of most coupes.

The trunk is also bigger than aver-

age for a coupe. The 371 litre
(13.1 cu. ft.) trunk has a flat floor
and low liftover-height and will
easily carry luggage for four peo-.
ple. This versatility will undoubt-
edly appeal to people who. want a
sporty car that is also practical,
such as couples with young chil-

-dren.

The Avenger’s clean, low-slung
design borrows some styling cues
from other Chrysler products. The
rounded front-end resembles the
Dodge Viper sports car, and the
body--vide rear tail-light design
looks a lot like the Stealth's.

However, the Avenger doesn’t
come off as a second-rate clone. -

It’s a well-proportioned, hand-
some car that’s not too aggressive,
but not too plain either. My one
criticism would be the two humps
on the hood which are designed to
‘clear the suspension struts under
the hood.

Base Avengers, which start at
$17,175, have a Chrysler-built 140
horsepower 2 .0-litre four-cylinder
engine, the same zippy dual over-
head cam powerplant available in
the two-door Neon Sport. The
base model offers a standard five-
speed manual transmission, front
disc/rear drum brakes with option-
al ABS, a fully independent sus-

pension, 14-in. tires, dual air bags, -

power steering, AM/FM stereo
with four speakers, tilt steering
wheel, split fold-down reur seats,
and intermittent wipers. A four-
speed automatic transmission is
optional on the base model, but
standard on the Avenger ES. A
manual transmission is not avail-
able on the ES.

The ES, which starts at
$21,275, offers a Mitsubishi-built
155 horsepower 2.5-litre V6
engine, four-wheel disc brakes.
with ABS brakes, 16-in. tires and
alloy wheels, fog lights. rear

spoiler, dual air bags, standard air .

conditioning, cassette radio, cruise
control, dual exhaust tips, and °
leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Performance-wise, the Avenger
ES is a surprisingly comfortable,
well-balanced, front-whee!-drive
coupe. It has an independent
wishbone-type suspension which
provides secure, stable handling,
and a long wheelbase which helps
ride comfort. The ride is firm, but
not jarring.

The multi-valve, single over-
head cam V6 engine is wonderful-
ly smooth and quiet, except for a
sporty roar when the gas pedal is
punched.

The transmission, too, per-

“forms flawlessly. Disc brakes at

all four wheels offer superb stop-
ping power. However, I found the
accelerator pedal too sensitive on

Photo submitted

THE 1995 Dodge Avenger isa new front-wheel- -drive, 2 242 sporty .:
coupe from Chrysler. Available with a. 2.0-litre .four-cylinder
‘engine or a 2.5-litre V6, the new Avenger is unusually roomy for .
a sporty coupe.

‘Chryster's standard three
year/60,000-kilometre warranty, ' -
but there is no five-year power-"
train warranty as there is on other.
imports like the Celicaand |...
2405X. Starting at $17,175, the."
Avenger is well-priced, and well-.
equipped in this category. . ° .

It’s too. bad the Avenger ES v6
ds not available with a manual”
transmission, though. ©

take- off, making it hard to drive
away smoothly.

The Avenger’s well finished
interior.is sporty without being
too cosy. Round instruments are - .
well-positioned, as is the wrap-
around centre console which
angles towards the driver. A large
shift lever, perhaps too large, pro- .
trudes from the console.

The Avenger comes with

the unpresidented success: of ‘the “Magic
‘Wagon, Neon, LH, Ram Track & Cirrus, Mountview is
pleased to introduce the all mew Dodge Avenger.

9 HAG
"Co

v. All prices are the absolute lowest-guaranteed: .
Ww No hidden extra charges-period. “ TOTAL comittment to
customer satisfaction. Vv’ No pressure-No'negotiation-No;.
games. W Non- -commission professional sales ‘staff.

1600 Marine Drive, North Vancouver, B: C. v7P. 19

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