CD Article: 2008 Dodge Caliber

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


Practical, not pretty:
Value and versatility top the list of the Dodge Caliber's virtues, writes Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh, but she wasn't impressed with the optional CVT or the quality of the dashboard materials.

 More:
Read the article | View the photos | All The Test Drives

[carcrazy]

"It's also a very effective cargo hauler: the rear cargo area is 32 cm long with all the seats up, and when the 60/40 rear seat is folded, it lengthens to a flat 150 cm."

This must be a mistake: the cargo area must be more than 32 cm long.

[wing]

Inches perhaps?

[PierrePaul]

Hey - I am certainly delighted to discover this. great job!

[safristi]

Midget Racing POTENTIAL...

[Winklovic]

"It's also a very effective cargo hauler: the rear cargo area is 32 cm long with all the seats up, and when the 60/40 rear seat is folded, it lengthens to a flat 150 cm."

This must be a mistake: the cargo area must be more than 32 cm long.

That's odd.  It's men that usually have trouble with length.   

[PJungnitsch]

You were lucky to have the cvt because otherwise with the manual trany you would have to report that every time you use the clutch you smash your knee under the dash!!!

Really? That would suck. I was going to say that without the CVT the Caliber might be acceptable. I test drove one last year (like the looks, utility, ground clearance) but CVT was awful.

Combined with the cheap interior and the not terribly big cargo area (not sure how big it is, but it seem much smaller than a Matrix/Vibe) and it got struck off the list.

A Caliber with the CVT and interior of the Versa would be an altogether different story.

[MKII]

Chrysler to Upgrade Interiors on 12 Models
The normally docile automotive press has panned every new Chrysler's interior over the past two or three years, slating the cabins for [the same] ugly interiors fashioned from cheap materials. As the Brits would say, Jim'll fix it. BusinessWeek reports the Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Jim Press has announced that his employer is lowering prices and improving content on 12 Chrysler vehicles. It's all part of some kind of "master plan" that the automaker's unveiling to their stores at next month at the National Auto Dealers Association(NADA) convention. The only details Press would provide: the Compass, Patriot and Caliber get the makeover. Meanwhile, Press reminded jobbing journos that Chrysler's already made 260– count 'em 260– upgrades to Chrysler vehicles' materials and appearance. Yes, well, as the old expression goes: first impressions last. Will the interior upgrades be too little too late?
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/news-blog/chrysler-to-upgrade-interiors-on-12-models/

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler-to-revamp-sebring-avenger-early-viper-facing-the-axe.html
http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler-to-overhaul-jeep-compass-patriot-interiors.html

[PJungnitsch]

PJ O'Rourke once stated, after flying on a Tupelov passenger jet and being amazed at the rough grinds on the seat mounts; 'If that's how much they care about what you can see, what about things you can't, like, you know, the bearings in the jet engines?'

And that's one big problem with the Chrysler craptastic interiors.

Heh, of course now they are putting money into the interiors while specifically stating they will be pulling money out of the mechanical bits to compensate. You know, like those overbuilt automatic transmissions Chrysler is famous for.

[safristi]

LUV O'Rourke...............great writer... i tawtt HIM everythinnk he NOSE,,,,

[Cord]

PJ O'Rourke once stated, after flying on a Tupelov passenger jet and being amazed at the rough grinds on the seat mounts; 'If that's how much they care about what you can see, what about things you can't, like, you know, the bearings in the jet engines?'

I've always thought that the old Soviet way was always about function over form. I would've made the opposite assumption - that those engine bearings would be fine despite them not caring about the outward appearance of a seat mount.

[auto_enthusiast]

I think the quality of Dodge interiors is more perception than reality.  Our 13 year old Neon's interior is still in very good shape and fully functional. 

Unfortunately for Dodge, most of the competition has surpassed Dodge in the "touchy feely" part of interior design and that's usually a first impression that's tough for prospective buyers to overlook.

[PJungnitsch]

I've always thought that the old Soviet way was always about function over form. I would've made the opposite assumption - that those engine bearings would be fine despite them not caring about the outward appearance of a seat mount.

That's the reputation, but IMO it's been partly earned by the AK-47 (with super strong basic design where sloppy production tolerances were actually a good thing for dirt clearance) and partly by our lack of familiarity with Soviet equipment in the West and the resulting mystique that built up.

Back in high school I worked in a farm machinery dealership and had a good look at Soviet heavy equipment up close. There was big expectations for the stuff as it was generally imposing, had simple but novel designs and had that 'rough but tough' reputation.

When the mechanics actually had to work on them though they were appalled. The engine internals were just as crudely finished as the exteriors. Soviet engineers tried to compensate by using huge displacement (the big V-12 had pistons like gallon cans) and then keeping the max rpms very low so the engines didn't shake themselves apart due to the lack of balancing, but the engines were still very unreliable. Due to more sloppy manufacturing oil leaks were a huge problem, and the importer finally resorted to stripping off all the Soviet hydraulics and replacing it with Western stuff.

Most of this stuff ended up parked and rusting after a few short years, never caught on.

I've had the pleasure of traveling in various Communist countries since and Soviet buses, etc didn't change my opinion.

[Cord]

That's very interesting. Thanks for that. Real life experience trumps assumptions every time.

[Cortina]

I don't like that red on the inside. Why do they do that. It looks like a spare part thats been added. They started that trend with interiors of PT Cruiser.

My Neighbour has a silver SXT Caliber. He let me drive once round the block very very slowly. I only dislike the CVT and I thought they should shop around for better plastics, but otherwise I like it.

[safristi]

Man that just GRATES on all my senses..................even smells awful

[Seafoam]

I don't like that red on the inside. Why do they do that. It looks like a spare part thats been added. They started that trend with interiors of PT Cruiser.

My Neighbour has a silver SXT Caliber. He let me drive once round the block very very slowly. I only dislike the CVT and I thought they should shop around for better plastics, but otherwise I like it.

I think they did the body color on the trim pieces in the PT cruiser to simulate painted metal which was on the inside of many cars long ago.
The PT was styled after a 30's Ford i do believe.It looks good on the PT in my view, but on the Caliber it just doesn't match. The caliber is not that bad a car for what it is and at that price.

[rrocket]

I think the quality of Dodge interiors is more perception than reality.  Our 13 year old Neon's interior is still in very good shape and fully functional. 

My dad's wife has a Caliber.  Garbage interior. That's reality.

[Cortina]

My dad's wife has a Caliber.  Garbage interior. That's reality.

What is it like to live with a Caliber on a every days bases 

I like the look. it really works for me. I just hate the plastics. Plus I don't trust the engine. I know I would be paranoid that it is going to break on long highway trip.

[Schmengie]

We had a rental Caliber for a while last year and got to know it quite well, subsequently removing it from our car shopping short-list. Here are our impressions:

Pro's - The Caliber seemed well built and felt solid on the road, no squeaks or rattles, and that was in the winter.
          Good cargo room.
          Lots of features, even if some of them are a bit goofy. A refrigerated glove box??
          Good fuel economy.
          A lot easier than my Neon to get in and out of.
          Comfortable front seats.

Con's - I couldn't get used to the CVT. On the road the car accelerates while engine RPM stays more or less the same, giving the Caliber a slightly out-of-control feel.
           Very cheap-looking hard plastic interior, very little interior padding. Hard, poorly located and uncomfortable armrests.
           Dashboard and window sills are much too high, combined with narrow windows making visibility very poor. This was my most-disliked feature of the Caliber.
           Rear seat room tighter than expected for the size of the car.
           Rough, coarse-sounding engine, especially after a cold start.
           Mini-SUV styling puts me off.