2009 Dodge Caliber

With our reliable but old Plymouth Neon approaching 100K miles, my wife and I decided to look for a new car. We chose a 2009 Dodge Caliber SXT. The SXT is one step up from the base SE model and has about every feature most people would ever want. The only option on our car is the larger 2.0L engine with the automatic CVT transmission (anti-lock brakes also come with this package). We have had the car for over 6 months now, with over 4k miles on it. If you don't want to read the rest of my review, here's the bottom line: We love the car. It is the perfect size, it is fun to drive, it is versatile, affordable, and it looks just great. Best of all, it was very well made right here in the USA by our fellow Americans!

The Caliber seems a lot bigger than it is; it's actually a small car. The Caliber is only 2 inches longer and wider than my Ford Escort SW and is actually shorter than my wife's Neon, so it will fit into tight spots. Yet it feels like a large vehicle inside. You sit up high, like an SUV. There is lots of leg room for tall adults in the back seat. The cargo area is quite roomy. The ground clearance is about 7 inches, great for deep snow.

Professional automotive journalists have complained that the Caliber is underpowered ("sluggish" one said) and has mediocre handling. Our experience has been just the opposite. The 2.0L engine is so quiet and powerful and the CVT is so smooth that I have found I will very quickly be exceeding the speed limit if I don't keep an eye on the speedometer. The powertrain is very responsive and invites aggressive driving. The steering is tight and quick. I feel very confident going fast around corners because there is no body lean. I recently drove on the twisting roller coaster backroads of West Virginia, and the Caliber handled them just fine. The ride is firm but not jarring or bouncy. All in all, it's a lot of fun to drive!

The driver's seat adjusts up and down, in addition to fore/aft and rake. There is no lumbar adjustment. On the long drive to West Virginia, the seat remained comfortable, and I noticed that I didn't slide down in the seat like most other cars I've driven. The windshield pillars are rather wide, but that hasn't been a problem. The view out the rear window is lower than the Neon, which makes it much easier to see to back up. The radio and heater controls are very close at hand. Other controls seem very intuitive and well thought-out, e.g., rotating the end of the windshield wiper stalk progressively decreases the time between wipes until you reach a stiffer detent, after which the wipers will be on continuously. The gauges are easy to read, but we don't like the glowing background with black numbers at night as much as the white-on-black gauges of the Neon.

We have consistently been getting 27+ mpg in mostly city driving, and on the trip to W.Va. we got 29.6 with the air conditioning on (at a steady 60-65 mph). Very impressive!

The interior is very spacious and versatile, but some have called it "cheap." I admit it is not plush. There is no fake wood trim, no padded leather door panels. We feel the interior is tasteful and restrained. The materials don't seem cheap at all, but very heavy duty and high quality. The seats are very comfortable. The arm rests in the door panels are full-length - nice. The floor in the cargo area is very strong. Not only do the rear seats fold down, but (in the SXT) so does the front passenger seat, making it possible to put a ladder, say, inside the car.

We are very impressed with the build quality of our Caliber. The assembly quality is perfect. All the doors, interior panels, etc. are perfectly aligned, there are no gaps or other signs of sloppy assembly. So far we have not discovered a single manufacturing defect. Kudos to the UAW!

Other than the lack of separate access to the cargo area (from outside), we are immensely pleased with our Caliber - great mileage, a joy to drive, versatile, well-made - highly recommended!

Pros: Perfect size; versatile; roomy; fun to drive; 27+ mpg; crash protection; sound system (CD player and mp3 hook-up standard); great value, especially for families

Cons: To access cargo area all doors must be unlocked; door mirrors not hinged; fuel door can't be locked; bass a little too boomy