The Avenger R/T reintroduces itself in 2012, utilizing the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that showed up in 2011. Whereas previously the R/T was all show and no go, Dodge has made some subtle adjustments that mean you’ll get more than aesthetic upgrades if you opt for the performance package.
Sadly, none of those changes affect the drivetrain. The Pentastar V6 remains at 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque – which is the best in its class - and it’s still mated to the same 6-speed, shiftable automatic. That’s good for 19 city mpg/29 highway, but certainly won't impress.
The suspension, on the other hand, has been tweaked. Roll stiffness has been increased 18 percent and spring rates have increased 17 percent in the front and “more than” 12 percent in the rear. Sorry Dodge, give us an actual figure and leave the ambiguous quantification at home. Damping rates have increased as well – 15 percent in the front and “almost” 20 percent in the rear. The anti-roll bar has been increased by 2mm up to 21mm as well.
Still, the aesthetic changes are here with a body-color grille and black headlight surrounds, “war paint” double hash marks on the front fenders and unique 18-inch alloys. The rear gets a spoiler and R/T badging, but the real changes are inside. Leather seats get side bolstering, Z-stripe inserts and red stitching, along with an embroidered R/T in the headrests. The same treatment can be found on the steering wheel, swathed in leather and red accent stitching and sitting in front of a unique cluster with the tach moved to the center. Others have pointed it out, but it warrants repeating – why put such emphasis on the tachometer but not offer a manual transmission?
The R/T will also get standard luxury features like remote start and a Boston Acoustics stereo with touch-screen controls, but will otherwise be little different from the SXT Plus, the next highest trim. The base SE and SXT trims both come with the 173-hp, 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder – the SE with a 4-speed automatic and the SXT with a 6-speed. While the SE isn’t providing super luxury, it still comes with stability and traction control, 4-wheel antilock discs and a full power package and is the most affordable midsize sedan in America – as Dodge can’t help but repeat. The SXT adds allow wheels, body-color exterior mirrors, a power driver’s seat, satellite radio and more tech upgrades, but is still stuck with the 2.4-liter engine.
Sure, the Pentastar may be the most powerful V6 in the class, but is that enough to satisfy a buyer who’d want an “R/T”? Especially when the SXT Plus gets the same engine? Suspension upgrades and special stitching are nice, but they don’t usually get MOPAR guys salivating. Still, it’s a better attempt than the last R/T, not that it’s a particularly bold statement.
