Your Clubs

The 3.5L V6 engine supplied plenty of horsepower and torque, although the acceleration suffered on the second leg of our trip. This is where Auto-Stick reigns supreme. With the ability to manually downshift the transmission when we encountered areas of elevation, the V6 was able to prove that it is more than capable of tacking the Pennsylvania Mountains. In the area we visited, the true measure of a vehicle's performance is based on how fast the car can scale the "second mountain", which is the steepest in the area. My answer to that question is "fast enough".

The Pennsylvania trip also included more braking than a car should see in six months, let alone four days. The brakes performed flawlessly, with zero fade. The ride of the car is very similar to that of a sports car, with very responsive steering, and a suspension that embraces the corners.

The children were extremely happy with the Avenger, begging to keep the car with the same enthusiasm they would have if asking to keep a puppy. All three girls were quiet and content over the course of 1,032 miles, spending the majority of those either sleeping comfortably, or singing gleefully in the backseat.

At a price of $29,465, our tester seemed pricey at first. However, at the end of the week, the Avenger more than proved its worth, becoming my new favorite 2008 vehicle. If you're looking for the perfect balance of sports car and family sedan, this is one worth checking out. This car is "Road and Track" by all meanings of the phrase.