Almost all vehicles in the Dodge and Chrysler stable, and some pieces of the house of Ram and Jeep under the knife in and out the best way, but the humble class of the review is largely escaped. Revised in light of the new competitive vehicles like the Honda Civic, new Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and freshly Ford Focus, the Caliber is drowned in a sea of excellent opportunities. We have to see the wheel, if the pact Dodge's life has enough to keep himself above water until a replacement arrives.
The Caliber does not have many updates in the last five years he was on the market, and if it brings a familiar face on the road. This beautiful split-cross grid of Durango and the charger does not drip with the five-door immediately, so that the buyer supports stacked with the old design simply cross through a series of vertical blades left. Place headlamp housing and a low ceiling bulky fascia on the nose, while the broad wings and a raised hood transition into the sides of the vehicle.
Inside, the cabin is held up well, especially because it is newer than the rest of the car. While the dashboard is made of hard plastic, the central block is equipped with a focus on the driver's side and controls for the stereo and climate system are easy to reach. Overall, the package is pretty. Unfortunately, the cubby north of the gate shifter is not as deep or broad as we want. Recording a phone and a music player or cell phone and sunglasses is an exercise to determine which accessories to get into the cup holder is. The small ferry not confront us, as if there is no center armrest unforgivable. While the fact that this piece can be adjusted in or out is nice, it is cheap and fragile-feeling materials and lack of sufficient storage capacity carved to be of no use. With his painfully visible mold seems that we prefer to remove the pieces together.
The good news is that there is room for four adults in the cabin. Front occupants enjoy up to 41.8 inches of legroom, which is comparable with the 42 inches used by the 2012 Honda Civic, falls so far below the 43 inches available in the Hyundai Elantra 2011th Meanwhile, with 39.8 inches front headroom, the caliber of the Civic at 0.8 inches and the Chevrolet Cruze in 2011, proposes to half an inch. Things are a little closer to the driver on the back. At 35.7 inches of legroom, is the caliber of the Civic, but the Elantra 2.6 inch by 0.3 inch eclipse Cruze. Unfortunately, from the rear seats requires Dodge Caliber roof rails.
In addition, the design of functional tailgate 18.4 cubic meters of cargo space with the seats. While beating the competition hands down sedan, the 2012 Ford Focus five-door hatchback offers an impressive 23.4 cubic meters behind the second row. Remove the seats in both models and Dodge redeemed itself with 47.4 cubic meters compared to the 44, 8 cubic feet in the Ford Unfortunately, the owners are forced to the rear seats by a rope to the underside of the pad instead of the near the front wall, forcing you to lower the vehicle on foot to reduce backs.
Nevertheless, the Caliber is still quite competitive on the number of interior, despite serving for five long years in the segment. Unfortunately, no competitive advantage gained in the interior of the vehicle quickly evaporates when you look under the hood. 2011 Dodge Caliber is technically with two engines and two transmissions: a transfer of 2.0 or 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine and manual or CVT. Our testers were responsible for producing the less powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 158 hp at 6400 rpm and 141 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 revolutions per minute. These figures in turn power is high enough in the rev range because the engine tops out at 6750 revolutions per minute, so buyers can expect no more than 23 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. According to the agency for environmental protection, combines these estimates to an average of 24 mpg poor. The FPC is the culprit here, as you improve your efficiency to 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway if you opt for the manual transmission.
In contrast, the 2012 Honda Accord offers 140 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque and consumes 28 mpg city and 36 mpg highway in its least effective. If you are, there is an advantage of nine mpg on the Caliber. It looks even worse when evasion against his rivals just another tailgate, the Ford Focus five-door model is played. This machine is good for 160 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque, while you along at 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
To make matters worse, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the Caliber CVT is a miserable screwed. There are manufacturers that start in a position to engineer a continuously variable transmission. Chrysler is not among them. The results of transmission in the engine room and a cabin uncertain and vacillating, ringing more than a little like a Cessna at the wrong time.
Nevertheless, 158 horsepower is not to be despised, or at least it should not be. Unfortunately, the legs of the heat around £ 3012 Caliber weight - about 400 pounds more than the Civic, 300 more than the Elantra and 100 more than the Focus. As a result, the acceleration is less than Spritely. See below to see the short cut, what we mean.
During the completion of the highway is a dynamic country mile, when you with the speed, the Caliber is comfortable enough. The thick foam front bucket seats are supportive and adjustable enough, although the high seating position gave us the feeling of riding on a milk crate. Rear passengers are treated to tilt back - a nice touch in this segment. Much engine noise and the road makes its way inside if the wind noise is fairly low. Thank you to a ride height, which translates into 7.67-inch ground clearance, there are many roles you should grow a wild hair and reaches heights. For comparison, the Jeep Liberty offers a mere 7.8 inches ground clearance at the front. This machine is unnecessarily high above the ground.
The brakes heat Caliber leave little to be desired, however. With 11.5-inch ventilated discs front and 10.3-inch rear disc brakes puree single-piston brake calipers, the vehicle has no problem increasing speed, but we would appreciate a sense of something more solid pedal.
If you are still with us, you may notice that compete with the exception of the powertrain, the Caliber is a car to have enough. In fact, one might even his Lego-block style, and fuel consumption tolerate acceptable if the vehicle carried a price tag low. Our testers do not. With a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $ 21,105, including $ 750 destination charge, you have to park a couple of shots just before a cycle of four in your driveway. At this price would not be the competitors of the Caliber extremely better choice, even finish base.
If you have your heart set on bombing more than $ 21,000, you can easily intelligently for a Hyundai Sonata with a strike price of $ 19 695, a Kia Optima qualify with $ 19,200 or a Volkswagen Passat at $ 19 995th All these vehicles are not only bigger, more comfortable to ride and more elegant, but they are also more economical.
The Caliber might never on top of customers shopping lists were compact, "but the last five years have not been kind even less for the vehicle. Although his style has the engine, transmission and raised outside of their age to show the competition in the fight against the mold grew could. With a new transmission, a little attention inward, a height of less driving and more acceptable EIA carve the Caliber easily a niche in the food chain compact. Until a successor comes from Fiat, trapping Mopar is only chum in the water.
