The Avenger, combined with the similar Chrysler Sebring sedan, was built by Diamond Star Motors (DSM), a shared venture between Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors

The organization was saved from extinction in the early '80s as a result of government loans and the sales success of its Omni and Aries economy cars (the former an attempted copy of the VW Rabbit). Ideal for families and in a position to seat up to seven, the space-efficient Caravan started a complete new vehicle segment -- the minivan. But 1984 was when Dodge made its mark in the real history books with the introduction of the wildly popular Caravan. As with other American auto manufacturers, Dodge's fortunes started to slide in the '70s because of changing tastes and increased competition. Dodge also spun off its truck line, which makes it a different Ram brand. But make no mistake; Dodge continues to be considered Chrysler's performance division as a result of cars like the Challenger and Charger. Time will tell how successful Dodge's latest makeover is. More recent years have seen Dodge focus on the more practical vehicles in its lineup, making notable improvements to the performance and overall quality of its midsize Avenger sedan and Journey SUV entries. Dodge's muscle car was based on the Coronet platform, and featured a fastback roof line, hidden headlamps and a full-width taillamp panel. From there, the brand slowly evolved into the division responsible for trucks and performance-oriented cars. That decade also saw the launch of among Dodge's most iconic vehicles, the Charger. On top of that, the Charger could pack one heck of a wallop under the hood. The company also introduced a Mustang-fighting pony car, called the Challenger, in 1970. Dodge was briefly owned by way of a banking firm and subsequently sold by its new owner to the Chrysler Corporation in 1928. Post WWII, Dodge introduced vehicles just like the military-inspired Power Wagon truck, Hemi-powered Coronet and the Royal Lancer; additionally, producer began offering dealer-installed air-conditioning. Vehicles like the Dodge Dart and the Coronet kept producer in American driveways through the 1960s. A 318-cubic-inch V8 was standard, but buyers seeking maximum brawn could upgrade to a 426-cubic-inch, 425-hp Hemi V8. Two brothers, Horace and John Dodge, began the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle company in 1914, after having worked as manufacturers of bicycles and automotive parts. Previously number of decades, it's revitalized itself to be a producer of aggressively styled and performance-oriented vehicles. Their first vehicle was a touring car that proved a fast favorite with car buyers; it had been soon joined by a roadster and a four-door sedan. By 1917, the company's model line had grown to incorporate trucks. Dodge cars and trucks were used as staff vehicles and ambulances in World War I. The Dodge is one of America's most storied automotive brands, Dodge 's been around since the first days of the auto industry. The Avenger competed directly with the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion, and later Chrysler Sebring being aimed at the higher-priced American cars like the Mercury Milan, Pontiac G6, and Saturn Aura. The Avenger received its first major overhaul since its reintroduction. Exterior changes include slightly revised sheet metal with a new crosshair grille displaying the brand new Dodge logo on the lower right corner of the grille, a sleeker bumper cut design, and standard LED combination taillights. In the roof strength evaluation, it earns a "Good" rating, along with its head restraints and seats. In the side test, the Avenger earns a "Good" rating, however, rib fractures will be feasible for the driver. The Dodge Avenger also sold as the Chrysler Sebring, and the Chrysler 200, received a general good rating by the IIHS indicating no significant injuries. In the small overlap test, the car received a general acceptable rating as a result of marginal dummy kinematics and slight intrusion to the passenger compartment. Still, trained with was riding on the same underlying platform, very little could be achieved about the essential flaws of this car, and the family-sedan market is teeming with better choices. Dodge Avenger is sold with updated styling, a much better ride, a better V6 engine, and improved interior materials. The model scored too lower in our Ratings to be recommended.  The Avenger, combined with the similar Chrysler Sebring sedan, was built by Diamond Star Motors (DSM), a joint venture between Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors, on a version of the Mitsubishi Galant platform. The first '90s saw the organization wow the public with the V10-powered Viper roadster and an all-new Ram pickup that set a new standard for big-rig-like styling. Many years later, Dodge came to be part of DaimlerChrysler, a consequence of the merger of the German company Daimler (owner of Mercedes-Benz) and Chrysler. The merger hardly ever really worked, however, and Daimler sold Chrysler and Dodge to an exclusive equity firm in 2007. Immediately after, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy. The federal government intervened and eventually Dodge came in order of Fiat, a European automaker noted for its small cars, an area where Dodge's entries have been roundly criticized for mediocre construction and unrefined performance.