Full Caliber

by Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Nice looks, built-in glovebox cooler, available all-wheel drive

The Bad: Slow acceleration, wind buffeting with rear windows down

The Bottom Line: A gorgeous but flawed little hatchback

Reader Reviews

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Up Front I'm torn when it comes to evaluating the new Dodge Caliber. On one hand, it's a great-looking, practical little car that appears to be well-built and has excellent fuel economy. It's exactly the kind of car I need, and I'd definitely consider buying one. But it also has several negatives that would give me pause?and don't buy one if you're a driving enthusiast, because it's pokey.

So here are the pros and cons.

To my eye, the five-door Caliber is a gorgeous car, especially considering it's an inexpensive compact station wagon. The exterior styling is distinctive without sacrificing functionality. The front end and grillwork have faint echoes of the Dodge Ram pickup trucks. The roofline is curvy and slopes down in back, making the car's lines seem fresh, but it's not so radically sloped as to cut into head and shoulder space in the back seat.

And some of the paint choices are outstanding. The "Inferno Red Crystal Pearl" paint job on my test car was just beautiful. The "Black Clearcoat" and "Sunburst Orange" Calibers I've seen on the road look fabulous too.

The Caliber also has some attention-grabbing features that set it apart. For instance, all Calibers with air conditioning come with a little refrigerated compartment integrated into the glovebox?big enough to hold four small water bottles.

It only keeps the drinks cool, rather than genuinely cold, but, still: When was the last time you saw a built-in refrigerator on an inexpensive compact car? Another nice touch is the illuminated rings around the cupholders that glow at night so you can find them easily.

The car's interior styling is very clean. As Honda (HMC) does in its new Honda Fit (see BusinessWeek.com, 8/21/06, "Nice Fit") and Civic (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/7/06, "Civic Virtues"), Daimler Chrysler (DCX) manages to make inexpensive materials seem classy.

That's especially true if you pay an extra $645 for the appearance package that gives you color-keyed instrument panel and shifter bezels and inserts in the seats. My test car came with a tasteful slate-grey interior, and adding touches of "Inferno Red" to the dash, center console, and seats made it look distinctive.

Another simple design touch that made a big difference: The retro-look shifter is like the ones that tractors used to have. It's an upright stick set in a shift-pattern cut-out in the metal center console. Yet the shifter knob is chromed, making it also look elegant.

The Caliber, which shares the GS platform with the Mitsubishi Lancer, comes in three trim levels. The entry model, which is very basic, starts at $13,985. It comes standard with a stick shift and a small 1.8 liter, 148-horsepower engine.

You have to pay $1,100 extra to upgrade it to a slightly more powerful 158-horsepower, 2-liter engine and an automatic transmission?though it is a sophisticated continuously variable automatic that improves fuel efficiency. You also have to pay extra for amenities such as air conditioning ($1,000), power doors, windows, and mirrors, and keyless entry ($540), and antilock front brakes ($400).

The more up-market SXT, which I test-drove, starts at $15,985. It comes standard with stuff like air conditioning, but you still have to pay extra for the bigger engine and automatic transmission. My test car with an automatic listed for $18,475. The Caliber I covet, the all-wheel-drive version of the R/T, costs a bit more. It has a 174-horsepower, 2.4-liter engine and sports suspension, and starts at just under $20,000.

Whichever version you get, the Caliber is easy on gas. Even the R/T is rated to get 23 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway.

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