Dodge Caliber Review - 2007
The 2007 Dodge Caliber was all new as a replacement for the Neon.
The Caliber design includes the best elements from hatchback, wagon
and minivans, delivering a vehicle that doesn't truly fit in any
existing category but does a lot of things quite well. It is a
five-passenger, five-door hatchback, with a choice of four-cylinder
engines and a choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The
Caliber has plenty of cabin space and, for a car in this price
class, a lot of amenities. The Caliber fits in a class among the
Ford Focus ZX5, Pontiac Vibe, Subaru Impreza wagon and Toyota
Matrix. This dodge comes in SE, SXT and R/T trim levels.
Trim
The SE comes with the 1.8-liter engine and five-speed manual
transmission. The 2.0-liter engine is optional, and both engines are
available with the CVT automatic. The SE comes with cloth seats;
tilt steering column; an AM/FM/CD stereo with four speakers and an
auxiliary input jack; a cell phone/MP3 player holder built into the
front center sliding armrest; 60/40-split, folding rear seat;
removable and washable vinyl cargo mat; and all-season, P205/70R15
tires on hubcapped, steel wheels. The SE comes with manual roll-up
windows and manual outside mirrors.
The SXT 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 features in the SE's
Power Equipment Group are included, as is air conditioning with the
Chill Zone; a 115-volt, AC power outlet; floor mats; a
flashlight-like removable lamp that stows and charges in a
receptacle in the rear headliner; height-adjustable driver's seat
and fold-flat front passenger seat; a reclining, 60/40 split rear
seat; and all-season P215/60R17 touring tires on steel wheels with
hubcaps.
SXT options include the Leather Interior Group, which gets leather
seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats
and a manual lumbar adjustment for the driver's seat. Seat heaters
can be ordered for the cloth seats. A Driver Convenience Group adds
a compass, an ambient temperature gauge, HomeLink, auto-dimming
inside mirror and a tire pressure monitoring system.
The R/T comes standard with the 2.4-liter engine, the CVT, and
all-wheel drive. Options include those above with adjustments
necessary to accommodate features standard on the R/T; for example,
the Leather Interior Group price reflects the fact the
leather-wrapped steering wheel is among the. Standard features
include the SXT features, the Sport Appearance Interior Group,
cruise control, leather-clad steering wheel with audio controls,
cargo cover, a sport suspension with performance steering and
P215/55R18 all-season performance tires on aluminum wheels.
Powertrain
The 2007 Dodge Caliber offers a choice of three four-cylinder
engines, a 1.8-liter rated at 148 horsepower, a 158-hp 2.0-liter,
and a 165-hp 2.4-liter. The first two are available with a
five-speed manual or an automatic Continuously Variable
Transmission. In addition to increasing with engine size, the torque
output also characteristically comes at lower engine speeds. The
ratings are: 125 pounds-feet at 5,200 rpm, 141 pounds-feet at 5,000
rpm and 165 pounds-feet at 4,400 rpm for the small, medium and large
engines, respectively. The engines are very modern, with all
aluminum with variable valve timing and flow-control valves in the
air intake that help ensure complete, clean combustion at all engine
speeds. Disc/drum brakes are standard; four-wheel discs and antilock
brakes with brake assist are optional in some cases.
Safety
In addition to the required airbags, the Caliber has standard side
curtain-type airbags and a driver's knee airbag designed to keep the
driver positioned properly for the primary restraints.
Interior
The Caliber has room for five passengers. The front seats in the
2007 Dodge Caliber are comfortable, with decently bolstered back
cushions. Front-seat headroom is impressive. The instrument cluster
and center stack are efficient, and the gauges are large, and
simple. Designed to compete with some of the nicer compact models on
the market, the interior has decent-quality materials, a
sophisticated design and two-tone color schemes, even in the base
trim level. Be the transmission manual or automatic, the shifter
juts out from the dashboard's center control panel. Some do not
prefer this location, but it does free up some space by eliminating
a floor console. The cargo floor is plastic and easy to clean. Other
stylish features include illuminated cupholder rings, an MP3-player
holster and a center armrest that slides forward 3 inches for
improved comfort. The glove compartment has upper and lower
sections, the bottom of which can serve as the optional Chill Zone
beverage cooler. Connected to the air conditioning, it chills up to
three cans or bottles that rest on a contoured mat. We've seen
heated/cooled compartments before, but this one cools even when the
cabin heat is on, by running the air-conditioning compressor.
MusicGate Power is Dodge's name for a Boston Acoustics premium audio
system with two special speakers in the liftgate itself. They face
forward normally, but when the liftgate is raised, they can be swung
down to aim rearward and play at tailgate parties. Visibility out
the front is good.
Exterior
The 2007 Dodge Caliber’s exterior is certainly innovative, yet
somehow carries a retro feel at the same time. The Caliber is
clearly a Dodge, thanks to the crosshair grille — and the signature
red paint that seems to adorn all Dodge models upon their
introduction. The trademark crosshair grille dominates the front
end. The Caliber has very large wheels for a car of its size and
class: Fifteen-inch steel wheels with wheel covers are standard on
the SE, but the SXT jumps to 17-inch aluminum wheels, and the R/T's
are 18 inches. A black rail that runs from the base of the A-pillars
and along the roofline to the taillights tricks the eye into seeing
a lower, sleeker shape. Despite the look, the Caliber actually sits
a bit higher than a common compact car. Massive headlights are
notched into the leading corners of the front fenders. The side view
of the Dodge Caliber shows strongly blistered fenders front and rear
beneath a wedge-shaped beltline. The lower portions of the doors
have longitudinal. Full-round door handles, either chrome-trimmed or
body color, bridge scooped-out grip spaces. The roofline has a clean
arc, and topping the arc but stopping at the top of the backlight
(rear windscreen) is an unbroken, thick strip of black molding the
Caliber's designers say is supposed to work with the arc and the
truncated back end to impart a coupe look. The rear end, and
especially the taillights, has an overall pleasant and modern
effect.
The new for 2007 Dodge Caliber takes the best elements from
hatchback, wagon and minivan designs, and puts them in one. The SE
trim offers good, basic transportation, the SXT is fun to drive, and
the R/T delivers affordable advanced technology with the assurance
of all-wheel drive. The Caliber is an excellent value with added
style as a bonus. It’s fuel economy range is estimated at 32 mpg
Hwy, and 28 mpg City.