Compare the2022 Toyota AvalonVS 2022 Dodge Charger

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Avalon have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Charger doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Avalon are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Charger doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota Avalon has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Charger doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Avalon has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Charger doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Avalon’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Charger.

The Avalon Limited/Touring offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Charger only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Avalon has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Charger’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Avalon has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Charger.

Both the Avalon and the Charger have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Avalon is safer than the Dodge Charger:

	Avalon	Charger
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	220 lbs.	230 lbs.
Neck Compression	6 lbs.	41 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	25%	33%

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Toyota Avalon is safer than the Charger:

	Avalon	Charger
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	153	222
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	1 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	26 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	.7/.5 kN	3.7/3 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.32/.59	1.21/.58
Tibia forces R/L	2.1/1.8 kN	3/4.7 kN

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Avalon is safer than the Dodge Charger:

	Avalon	Charger
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Movement	.8 inches	1.4 inches
Abdominal Force	156 lbs.	212 lbs.
Hip Force	318 lbs.	372 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	44 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
HIC	267	270
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	48 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Avalon the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 145 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Charger is not a “Top Pick.”

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Avalon for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Charger.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Avalon has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the Charger.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 17th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Dodge is ranked 10th.

Engine

The Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 9 more horsepower (301 vs. 292) and 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (267 vs. 260) than the Charger’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 1 more horsepower (301 vs. 300) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (267 vs. 264) than the Charger GT/SXT AWD’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Avalon gets better mileage than the Charger:

			MPG
Avalon
	FWD	XLE 3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/32 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/31 hwy
Charger
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/30 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	16 city/25 hwy
		6.4 OHV V8	15 city/24 hwy
	AWD	3.6 V6	18 city/27 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Avalon uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Charger Scat Pack requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Avalon higher (5 out of 10) than the Dodge Charger (3). This means the Avalon produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Charger every 15,000 miles.

Tires and Wheels

The Avalon XLE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Charger SXT’s standard 65 series tires.

Chassis

The Toyota Avalon may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 650 pounds less than the Dodge Charger.

The design of the Toyota Avalon amounts to more than styling. The Avalon has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Charger (.304 to .38) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Avalon get better fuel mileage.

The Avalon Touring uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Charger doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Avalon has .3 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more rear headroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the Charger.

Ergonomics

The Avalon Limited/Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Charger doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Avalon’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Charger’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Avalon’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Charger’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Avalon the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Charger can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Avalon’s driver power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Charger’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Avalon’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Charger’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Avalon Limited/Touring has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Charger doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Avalon’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Dodge charges extra for heated mirrors on the Charger.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Avalon offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Charger doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Avalon owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Avalon will cost $2075 to $10260 less than the Charger over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Avalon is less expensive to operate than the Charger because typical repairs cost much less on the Avalon than the Charger, including $735 less for a muffler, $78 less for front brake pads, $126 less for a fuel pump and $50 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Avalon will be $44 to $16835 less than for the Dodge Charger.

Recommendations

The Toyota Avalon has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Avalon	Charger
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE