Dodge Caliber 2008

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Summary

The Dodge Caliber was launched as a 2007 model. For 2008, the high-performance Dodge Caliber SRT4 joins the lineup.

Full Review 2008

The Dodge Caliber is classed as a compact car, though it's larger than the Neon it replaced. A five-passenger, five-door, the Caliber isn't easily categorized, combining elements from hatchback, wagon and minivan designs. We certainly like hatchbacks.

A choice of four-cylinder engines is available, along with a choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. All-wheel drive makes the Caliber a capable winter vehicle.

The mid-level Caliber SXT model with the 2.0-liter engine and five-speed manual transmission is among the more enjoyable of the standard models, but the Caliber is no sports car. For driving excitement, the SRT4 is the choice.

The front seats are comfortable, with lots of head room, and there's a large amount of cargo space here. Packaging is functional, with folding rear seats that have an optional reclining adjustment and an optional fold-flat front passenger seat to make room for a ladder or more likely, a surfboard.

2008 Lineup and Options

The 2008 Dodge Caliber offers a choice of four models, all with four-cylinder engines. A 148-horsepower 1.8-liter is standard in SE and SXT, a 158-hp 2.0-liter is optional for SXT, a 172-hp 2.4-liter is standard in R/T, and the SRT4 has a 285-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter. The 2.4 is available with the five-speed manual in the front-drive R/T and the CVT in the all-wheel drive R/T. The SRT4 comes only with a six-speed manual.

The SE ($13,925) comes standard with the 1.8-liter engine and five-speed manual transmission. The SE has cloth seats; tilt steering column; an AM/FM/CD stereo with four speakers and an auxiliary input jack; a 60/40-split, folding rear seat; removable and washable vinyl cargo mat; and P205/70R15 tires on hubcapped, steel wheels. Air conditioning is not standard, nor are power windows. The SE comes with manual roll-up windows and manual outside mirrors. The Power Equipment Group ($595) includes power windows, outside mirrors and keyless remote central locking. The SXT ($16,620) also comes standard with the 1.8-liter engine and five-speed manual, with the 2.0-liter engine and CVT optional, but the list of standard features expands dramatically.

The SXT comes with the features in the SE Popular Equipment Group, air conditioning with the interior air filter and Chill Zone; a tachometer; YES Essentials cloth upholstery that Dodge says is odor, stain and static resistant; Sirius satellite radio; 115-volt, AC power outlet; a flashlight-like removable lamp that stows and charges in a receptacle in the rear headliner; height-adjustable driver's seat; fold-flat front passenger seat; a reclining 60/40 split rear seat; and all-season P215/60R17 touring tires on aluminum wheels.

SXT options include seat heaters for the cloth seats ($250); sunroof ($795); the Driver Convenience Group ($760) with Dodge's UConnect hands-free cell phone link, HomeLink universal garage door opener, auto-dimming rearview mirror, vehicle information center and a tire pressure monitor; the Popular Equipment Group ($200) with fog lights, body side molding, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio controls; a navigation system with six-disc CD changer ($1395); and the Premium Sound Group ($495) Boston Acoustics sound system with nine speakers, including two articulating liftgate speakers called MusicGate Power. The available Sport Appearance Group ($365) has a body-color grille, color-keyed instrument panel and shifter bezel, fog lamps, Sirius satellite radio, leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio controls, and cloth bucket seats with contrasting inserts. When ordered with the 2.0-liter engine, it also has Dodge's Autostick manual shiftgate with six preset gear ratios for the CVT automatic.

The R/T ($18,395) comes standard with the 2.4-liter engine, the manual transmission and, new for '08, front-wheel drive. It is also offered with the CVT and all-wheel drive ($20,495).

The side view shows strongly blistered fenders front and rear beneath a wedge-shaped beltline. Full-round door handles, either chrome-trimmed or body color, bridge scooped-out grip spaces.

A relatively short rear overhang and oversize taillight housings add credence to the argument.

The ride height is lowered 28 mm in front and 22 mm in the rear. The front end features a functional hood scoop, dual hood vents, a unique front fascia with brake cooling ducts next to the fog lights, and a lower air dam. Aero side moldings run along the side and at the rear are a large high-mounted rear spoiler, a four-inch exhaust tip, and a rear fascia with lower strakes to direct underbody airflow.

First Drive 2008

Dodge seemingly wants people to consider the Caliber as a downsized Magnum, and to believe this makes it essentially a sporty mini-minivan-cum-compact station wagon. Of the base trim packages and powertrains, we believe the SXT with the 2.0-liter engine and five-speed manual delivers the best all-around performance.

The 1.8-liter base engine is EPA rated at 24 mpg City and 29 Highway, while the 2.0 comes in at 23/27. All three base engines deliver their power smoothly, with no disruptive surges or flat spots. The SRT4's engine is a different beast altogether. While the Caliber SRT4 has 55 more horsepower than the 2006 SRT4, the Caliber is larger and heavier, so the extra power doesn't quite make up for the difference.

The Caliber SRT4's 2.4-liter engine exhibits some turbo lag, but it's mercifully short and the car is more than willing to get up and go from a stop. Under hard acceleration, front-drive models show some torque steer, where the front-wheel drive tugs at the steering wheel, a shortcoming shared with every front-wheel-drive car we can remember in this class. This problem is compounded by the SRT4's greater power.

Features Inside

Step inside the Caliber and the Dodge legacy is loud and clear. The instrument cluster and center stack are the picture of efficiency. In the SRT4, the central gauge is the tachometer instead of the speedometer, a change Dodge says it made because the SRT4 is a driver's car. The SRT4 also has a reconfigurable display with what Dodge calls performance pages. Front-seat headroom is impressive in all Calibers, topping the five-door Mazda3 hatchback by almost two inches. Leg room up front is adequate, equal to the Mazda3, Vibe and Matrix. Rear-seat head room tops the Mazda3 by about a half-inch, but loses to the Vibe and the Matrix by almost an inch.

Cargo capacity is one of the Caliber's big advantages. The available folding front passenger seat expands room further and allows for loading of long objects. The Caliber bests the Mazda3 in cargo room by more than 16 cubic feet, but falls short of the Matrix and Vibe by more than five cubic feet.

Conclusions

Since the Caliber made its debut just last year, it remains largely unchanged for 2008. "Definitely much more than just a Neon replacement. While there is clearly a trade-off between power and fuel economy, it still pulls the compact crossover up to the next level." says Motor Week "The Caliber is unconventional, but risk has paid off recently in both Chrysler and Dodge camps. And it's hard to argue with the price." adds Road and Track However, Dodge did add a high-performance SRT4 trim that includes a 285-horsepower engine. In addition the SRT4, there's also the SE, SXT, SXT Sport and R/T trims.