Orlando Sentinel's view

It’s always somewhat disconcerting when you look in the rearview mirror and notice a state trooper in a Crown Victoria bearing down on you.

But it appeared that in the case of this week’s test car – a greenish-gold (Chrysler calls it ”Chargold”) Dodge Avenger – that one of Florida’s finest just wanted to get a closer look at the newest Dodge.

As we were driving on Interstate 10 near Tallahassee, the trooper pulled behind, alongside and finally ahead of the Avenger. I wanted to believe he was taking his first good look at the sporty new Dodge coupe and not appraising my driving abilities.

But with my fingers trembling on the wheel, my eyes fixed straight ahead and the speedometer needle at 65, I waited for the flashing blue lights. But they never came.

Instead, after about five miles, the trooper did an abrupt U-turn in the median and disappeared in the other direction.

During a two-day, 900-mile trip, the rakish Avenger, which sports a Viper-inspired grille, not only attracted the attention of the trooper, it caused several other heads to turn as well.

And it left an indelible impression on me.

This all-new sports coupe has the potential to be another big winner for Dodge. It offers plenty of room, decent performance and a useful, functional and well-laid out interior – all at a very attractive price.

Our test Avenger, the entry-level model, was equipped Chrysler’s 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower, double overhead cam, four-cylinder, 16-valve engine.

PERFORMANCE

There is a bigger engine available in the more expensive Avenger ES. That car is outfitted with a 2.5-liter, 24-valve V-6 that makes 155 horsepower. Performance enthusiasts might be dismayed to learn that the V-6 comes only with a four-speed automatic transmission. The Avenger ES starts at $17,621.

Our test car came with a five-speed manual gearbox, and that made driving the new Dodge sports coupe much more entertaining. A sports coupe with an automatic transmission is like a soda without the fizz. A stick shift is the most efficient way to get the power to the wheels, and it can make an average car fun to drive.

Although the base Avenger is no hot rod, it offers respectable performance when mated to the five-speed. Figure 0-to-60-mph acceleration in about 9 seconds.

Chrysler has designed a great five-speed to go with the Avenger’s peppy four-cylinder. The shifter is tight, light and quick, and it takes little effort to switch gears. The clutch pedal is easy to depress and the motion is very smooth.

Although the car is reasonably snappy, it does lack refinement in one area. When revved up – such as when accelerating onto a busy interstate – the 2.0-liter engine tends to generate a little too much noise. However, when you settle into cruising mode, that noise fades away.

Fuel mileage was excellent. Our test car sipped the cheapest grade of unleaded fuel at the miserly rate of 24 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.

HANDLING

The base model Avenger is not going to pose any threat to the established leaders among today’s hottest selling entry-level sports coupes, such as the Ford Probe, Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon, Nissan 240SX and Mazda MX-6.

Although the base model Avenger delivers a smooth and generally quiet ride when driven normally, the car tends to lose its composure when you push it hard and fast into a curve.

Isuspect the Avenger ES, which comes with a rear stabilizer bar and bigger tires, would be better able to deliver stellar handling performance under duress. Our test car came with 14-inch tires; the ES comes with fatter 16-inch rubber that probably would do a better job of keeping the car planted firmly on the pavement during hard cornering.

That said, our test car proved to be fun to drive in the city and, with one minor exception, excellent on the highway. That exception: I noticed the car is apt to be blown slightly off c urse by moderate crosswinds.

The Avenger shares a trait with many of her recent Chrysler products. On smooth, freshly paved roads the ride is very quiet, but on rough pavement, a muffled roar works its way inside the car.

All Avengers are equipped with a four-wheel independent suspension system that Chrysler adapted from the Mitsubishi Galant. In fact, much of the Avenger’s underpinnings are based on the Galant sedan. No surprise then that the Avenger is built at Mitsubishi’s Diamond Star Motors plant in Illinois.

Our test car offered a semi-soft and moderately sporty ride. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is quick; it takes just more than 2 1/2 spins of the wheel to turn the car from all the way right or left.

The base model Avenger comes with power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes. Our test car stopped quickly and with no undue fuss. The front does not dip much during hard braking.

FIT AND FINISH

If all Avengers are screwed together as tightly as our test car, I would expect the new Dodge to become one of the highest-quality vehicles in the Chrysler lineup.

From the smooth-as-glass application of the paint to the uniform gaps between the body panels, the Avenger is a nicely built machine. I heard no rattles, squeaks or untoward noise, even over rough, brick-paved roads.

The cloth-covered bucket seats proved tolerable on a long haul. However, they could use a bit more cushioning in the bottom of the seat. You can almost feel the seat cushion reach the limit of its elasticity when you sit in it.

By using an assortment of knobs and levers, the driver and passenger can raise and lower the seats as well as push them back and forth.

The rear seat also is comfortable. The top half of the cushions folds forward and allows access to the trunk.

One of the Avenger’s key advantages over nearly ever sports coupe in its class is the car’s ample rear passenger room.

Most compact sport coupes don’t find too many homes with young families. The Avenger could.

We had no problem placing and removing a strap-in child safety seat. Not only that, but the front seats flip and slide forward to make entry into the rear an easy maneuver.

The Avenger is furnished with an easy-to-read but somewhat plain-looking set of white-on-black analog gauges.

Dodge engineers may have goofed in one area: The tilt steering wheel doesn’t go up high enough. I found it a tight squeeze to get my legs between the seat cushion and the wheel.

Our test car came with options that included air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, mirrors and doors locks – a $1,500 package that pushed the price to $15,521.

Still, the base model Avenger with a five-speed ranks as an excellent value.

Specifications:

1995 Dodge Avenger Base price: $13,771 EPArating: 23 mpg city/32 mpg highway Price as tested: $15,521 I ncentives: None

Truett’s tip: The all-new Dodge Avenger is a sharp-looking, value-packed sports coupe that offers snappy acceleration, smooth performance and exceptional fuel mileage.