2012 Dodge Avenger Review: Outdated Sedan That's Uncomfortable & Not Reliable

JW on October 10, 2024

Bought the vehicle used with 90,000k. At 147,000k now for 3 years. Mostly highway driving. Downsides...Bad battery placement, poor alternator design, had to replace due to the pulley clutch. My 4cyl. Is a dog; way underpowered. The main power and is around 4,000rpm. That's really pushing this little 4 banger. The engine struggles over almost any grade in the road, especially in cruse. There are huge blind spots at the rear A pillar. The unprotected wires for the airbag sensors under the seats cause the airbag light to come on. Now the upsides. Best looking sedan in it's class, hands down. Alloy wheels, steering wheel controls, lighted cup holders, clean interior. Relatively comfortable seats. Excellent gas mileage (23-28mpg). The 6 speed automatic transmission makes the dogish 4cyl make the car driveable, as well as the slap manual for shifting. The radio has a HDD drive that holds a gig of music storage. Excellent sound system. Large trunk, rear seat access through the armrest. Overall; with preventive maintenance, driving responsibly, and regular oil changes/tune-ups I would expect another 100,000k (knock on wood).

Joe on October 15, 2023

Complete junk. Was fast but everything just kept breaking. I was looking for an SUV but not finding anything. I got this 2012 Avenger. Boy, what a mistake ... vent door actuator was making noise first. I fixed that myself standing on my head. Then the gas gauge started sticking about halfway full. OK, fine, I can live with that, but it just kept getting worse. Three of the four wheel bearings failed AT THE SAME TIME and a caliper. Not long after that there was a ticking noise. The mechanic said it was the starter so we replaced that and it was still there. More $$$$ later its a cracked flywheel. xxx? In the middle of winter the heat starts only working on drivers side, then not at all . Yep, its the heater core! Normal mechanic wouldn't do it because it takes so long. So I took it somewhere else. $900 later I have heat .. but it gets better car. The car started dying and not going forward after backing up so I traded the xxx in the end.

Dreammr64 on September 21, 2022

Given that it is 10 years old if given proper maintenance it will last well over 250k...expect to put in the basics along the way, but overall not a bad car especially for someone who can do minor repairs on their own.

kathy kelly on July 13, 2022

I bought my 2012 dodge avenger used with 1.0000. I had replace the battery design is terrible. you need to take the wheel off to access the battery. I had to replace the alternator. I don't drive much, I am elderly and retired. Wanted a reliable car for local shopping, ect.

John W on May 5, 2022

I've owned a 4 cylinder SXT for 8 years now and I'm very happy with it. I bought it at around 50k miles and now it's at 93k. I've never had a problem with it. It's been a very reliable car for me, and that's all I really needed it to be. Personally my favorite thing about this car is the way it looks. This is the best looking 4 door non-sports sedan you're going to find. It looks really nice on the inside too (the cup holders glow!), however it is worth noting this car has massive blind spots due to its interior design. I've let a few people drive my car and they always comment on this. I've personally experienced a much lower gas mileage than this car is rated for. I track these things and I get closer to 18mpg, and living in rural Iowa, I do more highway driving than city driving. While this car looks kind of muscle-y on the outside, if you have the 4 cylinder engine, it is anything but. People who have driven my car also comment about how hard the engine seems to have to work to get any acceleration. It is definitely not a problem (if you want performance, get a sports car), but it is noticeable to people who are used to other cars.

Hillsgirl on August 25, 2020

Excellent used car . Reliable,comfortable. Good value for the money. I recommend this model car to anyone looking for a used car. Can't go wrong with this model year

WillBee on August 2, 2020

This car met all my transportation needs doing winter and summer months. It would make a excellent first car for a new driver or second car.

Gm car hater on August 2, 2020

I'm 17 years old I got this car w 173k miles the starter goes out 3k miles later transmission blows 6k miles later. And it was hogging a 1/2 of oil every 1k miles. So I junked it and bought a 2010 civic. Learned my lesson buying a dodge. Never buy one it's a money pit.

Charlie Girl on May 2, 2020

Great car, drives smooth, roomy, clean, comfy, easy to drive. Very very pleased with my purchase. I don't know what else to say except for 2 thumbs up.

dlbkgb19 on September 14, 2019

This car is generally pretty great, however when there is a tiny bit of snow on the ground you better hang on tight cause she will slip and slide all over the place. I do love my Dodge during the rest of the year though.