2013 & 2014 Dodge Sedan Reviews & Ratings

Since the Dodge brothers produced their first car in 1914, the American brand has been known for producing tough, high-quality vehicles. Although the brand is usually known for its SUVs, trucks, and coupes, sedans have also played a big part in its history, especially before 1966 and more recently. For the 2012 model year, Dodge is offering two sedan models: the Dodge Avenger and the Dodge Charger.

The Avenger name has been used on two completely different Dodge vehicles from two dist... (full review continues below)

Since the Dodge brothers produced their first car in 1914, the American brand has been known for producing tough, high-quality vehicles. Although the brand is usually known for its SUVs, trucks, and coupes, sedans have also played a big part in its history, especially before 1966 and more recently. For the 2012 model year, Dodge is offering two sedan models: the Dodge Avenger and the Dodge Charger.

The Avenger name has been used on two completely different Dodge vehicles from two distinct time periods. The original Avenger was a two-door, midsize coupe that was produced in the mid-1990s and was known for its sporty good looks. In 2008, the Avenger name reappeared as the successor to the Dodge Stratus sedan and is once again a fairly-priced midsize car, though now it comes in a four-door sedan form. The Avenger is known for its roomy interior and new gadgets and is based on the Chrysler 200 sedan. The Avenger is aimed at a younger audience, however, as it features sportier, more aggressive styling. For 2012, the Dodge Avenger has an MSRP from $18,995 and competes with such vehicles as the Ford Fusion, the Mazda 6, the Honda Accord, and the Hyundai Sonata. It comes in four trims: the base SE trim, the SXT trim, the SXT Plus trim, and the R/T trim (with the highest starting price of $25,995).

This year's Avenger is nearly an exact replica of the 2011 Avenger, with the exception of new trim names. It reaches up to 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway and is known for its smooth ride, excellent features, and strong 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 173 horsepower. The Avenger received good safety ratings and includes such standard features as an MP3 player and stability and traction control.

The Dodge Charger also has an iconic past. The original Charger was involved in NASCAR and a television show during the mid-1960s, when it was a sporty muscle car. More recently, it was brought back as an affordable performance sedan. For 2012, the Dodge Charger sedan has a starting MSRP of $25,495, while the super sporty SRT8 variant has a starting price of $45,795. There is also a bright-yellow Superbee version, which starts at $41,495.The standard sedan comes in three trim levels: the base SE, the SXT, and the R/T, in addition to the forenamed specialty trims.

The 2012 Charger gets up to 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway and competes with such vehicles as the Chrysler 300, the Hyundai Genesis, and the Chrysler 300, but none of these can match the large sedan's sporty prowess when it comes to affordable performance. The Charger is also known for its smooth ride and intelligent handling, its available AWD, its user-friendly touchscreen interface, and its varied performance offerings. The midlevel SXT trim and the high-performance SRT8 trim are new for the 2012 year, as is the new eight speed automatic, which is offered with the Charger's standard V6 engine.