2007 Dodge Caliber R/T Road Test by Edmunds' Inside Line

[AvivaAllegro]

Intrestingly enough, you can get into a used model for around 6-7K. Shocking.

[Annihilator1111]

the engine on the 2007-2011 Dodge Caliber

Engine

1.8 L GEMA I4

2.0 L GEMA I4

2.0 L Volkswagen diesel I4

2.4 L GEMA I4

[bitethedevil]

Edmunds reviews favor Jap crap more than American made. I've had an 08 Caliber for the past five months and haul my three sixty pound plus dogs in it, get all the food stuff in as well any other hauling. Good MPG, stereo and plenty of leg room front and back.

[jzk420]

Bring back the Neon please!

[jenseheiner]

I would like to buy one here in Germany...its really a nice car...

♫ S C O O P ` 6 9 ♫

[tekcomputers]

I've owned two calibers, loved them both. Great space and great gas milage (both highway and city)... And before anyone makes acomment about this being my second one, the reason I have asecond one is due to an accident whereby while I was stationary at teh end of a line of cars due to a backup at an interchange, some asshat who wasn't paying attention plowed into my rear moving at around 60mph... As I not only walked away without so much as a minor bruise... I bought another one.

[jacoale]

The ONLY thing this car has going for it is it's looks. Otherwise it's a pos

[americancarguy]

I personally love my 08 R/T with the 2.4L and AWD I am quite happy with the mileage which I constantly beet the EPA estimate both in city and on highway. I like the handling, and the smooth transmission! I also love the space and like the auto stick for when I want to play with it. Plus I have never gotten stuck in nasty weather Even when it snowed so deep that I was fallowing where only 4x4 trucks where getting threw.

[banstaman]

Cars like these are the reason why chrysler failed.

[AshtonPhoto]

I rented one of these for a week.

What an dreadful car.

Cured me of any desire to buy a Dodge.

Fuel consumption STILL languishing in the mid 20s while the Corolla does 35mpg.

[RastafariPoet]

God what an ugly ass car.

[pafro77]

Had this car as a rental.. What a piece of Sh***!

[yuriperiotto]

@pafro77 really ? my dad is thinking about buying one ... whats bad about it ?

[pafro77]

@yuriperiotto I am European and cannot understand why US cars have all this cheap plastic inside. Also 25MPG for a 2liter engine is far too much! Private i drive a 1998 Volvo V70 R (2.3 Turbo charged with 300BHP) and my car does 30MPG.. The automatic gearbox from the Dodge is slow and makes the car even slower.

Seriously, dont buy it!

[yuriperiotto]

@pafro77 LOl, thx for the reply dude =D

[benzbubblecat]

@pafro77 remember that americans use miles per US-gallon, so that 25mpg is actually 30mpg in your terms.

[ecurules]

that car is a POS. just compare one of these to one of the new 2012 ford focuses or a mazda 3 or a golf. that interior is awfully cheap and really has no taste. dodge is a crappy brand.

[MysteryMusicManTV]

@ecurules people like you are the reason why americans can't make a decent priced vehicle because you expect the interior to be expensive. so just fuck off and keep riding your cheap shitty jap car.

[ecurules]

@MysteryMusicManTV i dont. i drive a SVT Focus. and I do like american brands, with recent cars both Ford and GM have the ability to create good interiors, look at any of the 2011 fords or the Buick Regal or the CTS i just dont like dodge because they put no effort in their cars. you can make a nice interior. look at the new 2012 focus itll cost under 25k and has an interior that looks like it should be on a car that cost 35k. if you want something cheap go buy a toyota, theyre built in america

[interpol007]

@ecurules none of those are meant to do what the caliber is supposed to.....

[ecurules]

@interpol007 what is it supposed to do?

[interpol007]

@ecurules be able to haul people, cargo, and whatever else with more storage capacity, and interior space, while still being cheaper (in price) than a mazda 3 etc etc. Perfect for students, or lower income families. Not saying any of the other cars are bad (i had a mazda also. Thing ran like a dream after 500k kms.) but they serve a different purpose.

[funkeyman606]

This car is very very hard to back up with the little windows in the back of it, very hard to see out the back!

[stairmaster3001]

they should have never got rid of the neon

[Ehmcee2010]

this car is very much worth the money...what has me is the interior!

[dreburch]

I rented this car but think it's hardly worth 15k. Gas saver is a big plus.

[mrlovesjesus811]

I don't think of you as anything but a person with an opinion, it neither right or wrong and yes I read and saw that comparison test but I still have my thoughts about the car...........

[tweetydean1998]

thats the car my dad just got today

[mrlovesjesus811]

I wish Dodge would continue making the Caliber SRT-4 when they get back in the financial aspect of their company showing profit....

[coolerdude44]

@mrlovesjesus811 the srt4 was discontinued because it was horrible and nobody bought it. it's slower than a golf gti around a circuit, yet it has 80 bhp more. it was pathetic, much like the standard calibre.

[mrlovesjesus811]

@coolerdude44, yes I have acquired the knowledge why the caliber srt-4 was discontinued but because of the reasons you have stated in your comment is not the reason some people wants to own the car, but thanks for your concern

[coolerdude44]

@mrlovesjesus811 then why would anybody want a car that can't put its power onto the road, has a $3 interior and a $2 suspension and gearbox, and is pig-ugly?

please explain the appeal to me.

[mrlovesjesus811]

I can't explain, you already know how you feel about the car and its performance, I look at the car but it doesn't grab me to want to own it seriously, but it makes me inevitable to the facts that this car has some unhidden potential

[coolerdude44]

@mrlovesjesus811 i don't think it does, i think dodge just stuck a hammer under the hood and called it a day.  they should know by now that power isn't everything.

[mrlovesjesus811]

it was nice having this discussion with you, have a good day

[coolerdude44]

@mrlovesjesus811 i love how you think i'm a moron. i remember someone did a comparison test among all the "sport compacts". the dodge was the slowest around the streets at willow springs, even though it had by far the most power/torque.

for christ's sake, it was even slower than the civic si, and that car doesn't even have 140 lb/ft of torque.

[zippypinhead11]

@coolerdude44 dude just give up.

[angusandleigh]

Slight correction... the Chill Zone is cold in with the heater on as well... as long as the fan is on it's blowing cold air into the glove box

[MrMurktown]

My sister got one last year...her 3rd car at 19..she had to pay though :)...she traded in my parents camaro :(

[hereinwhoville]

0 - 60 with a standard caliber 6.2 sec.( lmao) i have the r/t fwd and let's face it it's a slug bug. you sound like a 16 yr old kid dreaming

[websuspect]

Its a roomy car and its comfortable for long drives. The dash board is kind of shitty plastic but fits together nice and the engine is loud but its a reliable car. I had my two years and it hasnt broke down once. The headliner and seats are nice. I mean its a $16000 car. Where the fuck do you get a car for $16000. The ford Will start. If you can get the key to turn but the dodge starts every time.

[nov2529]

we bought the R/T used 2007 with not even 30k miles i really like it its quite fast too

[chelas36]

it's not fast at all !!! what did you drive before ??? a turtle ?

[nov2529]

no its my parents thank you very much i don't mean to be cocky but for a 4 banger it does ok speed wise but it isn't a race car dugh its a 4 cylinder

[NAVYSPAZ]

Guys, If you're looking for a race car. Of course this is horrible! I have a Dodge Caliber, it's a great, econoic car -- WIth good mileage. Yes it accelerates slow, but it does have good handling. Like I said, if you have preformance, get a Challenger.

[chelas36]

what about the SRT 4 ??

[nov2529]

those too along with the challenger

[MoParguytilidie]

i ve tested the caliber (company rental)ive gotta say...its garabge!!!! chrysler made a mistake with this car big time!!! a real crappy car, this is coming from a mopar guy, so bellieve me when i say its crap!!!! buy a malibu instead or heck even get a civic!!!!

[lupin250]

they got a shitty caliber, i just have a standard model and it gets 0-60 in 6.2 seconds flat, the ride is amazing, the only real issue is if you do step of the gas around 30 is it will drop out of gear momentarily and cause a slight hicup

[marib2006]

guys i think he/she means 0-60 KPH not MPH

[Davidev94]

My father has got a 2.0L (140hp) Caliber (surf blue color) and he's so happy! (me too :D)

[thehype2142]

we had a 2009 as a rental. Shitiest car ever made. I swear i though it was like a 2001 and not a 2009. Everything is made from hard plastic and the seats are shit. Drives shit. This is why they went bankrupt. This is one of the worst cars i have ever driver. Id rather buy a hundai, kia for twice as much as this car is worth then have this car.

[TheJaquar]

my dad have 1 dodge caliber :D its cool , u feel so good , u never know when the motor starts , lol =p~ , i wish that i future to have a dodge caliber , only for me :X and for my wife , lol

[JcmMagNoo]

"IT SCARES THE S**T OUT OF ME"

agreed im scared driving it because it breaksdown somewhere

[dineratsixish]

I Bought a 2009 Caliber SXT

The engine has no power

thing runs like a sewing machine totally bizarre transmission slips in and out of gear had to replace the muffler right away as I couldn't stand the sound of the engine. Put a KatBack muffler sounds a lot better .Drive the damn thing in low gear 60%of the time as once you put it in drive the rpms drop off to 1000 and acceleration drops to 0.

[theomegalevel]

Had This Car For Two Days It Was Horrible x-(

[javi123232]

Im renting this one in a week! I cant wait to see how it drives!

[t0mmmmmy]

love the car looks and price. it probably drives well too, comfortable?

[badgerattoadhall]

Everyone I know who owns one loves theirs, but I live in Michigan so we are biased.

[hhhvvim]

Looks like a mini version of that Pontiac Aztec. No thanks! No wonder US cars suck. They come out with the fugliest things on 4 wheels... NEXT!

[Turquoise66]

you prefer japanese designs?

an american design the Fiat 500 and mini cooper.

i think the CTS is a pretty good design. i've seen European cars, not BMW or Mercedes, but renault, fiat, etc, ugly...

[TractorLick101]

Not just the looks. The engineering behind it. An American car has an average lifespan of 145,000 miles. Either the car dies by then, or it has MAJOR, MAJOR problems. Japanese cars have been known to last over 300,000 miles easy. The Nissan Maxima is known for the lifespan. When my dad had a minor accident with his Maxima, they gave him a brand new Caliber rental car. It had only 213 miles on on... and... (another comment is coming)

[badgerattoadhall]

dude my 1988 dodge dynasty had 300,000+ miles on it, my dads 2004 dodge dynasty has 140,000 miles on it, and has had one $60.00 repair. My 2005 Chevy impala has 90,000 and has had a strut mount and control cluster repaired thats it. Me thinks you are talking out your ass, and I think you dont own a car or perhaps even drive.

[srcej6]

Where do you get get your retarded information that "an American car has an average lifespan of 145k" I have a 1995 Lincoln Town Car that has 269k and it's been cheaper to maintain than the last 4 Hondas I've owned. One of the 2 91 CRXs I've had spun a bearing at 120k and I ALWAYS kept the oil full and clean, FUCK D-series motors, the other one was B16 swapped so it didn't have that problem. Keep sucking foreign cars sacks, maybe they'll pay you for it eventually.

[angusandleigh]

Your a fool for basing such opinions on any car from a rental yard. That is where cars get the MOST abuse.

[TractorLick101]

These are the problems already; 1.) The passenger window just stopped working. 2.) The car at times refused to shift, so he would have to pull over, turn off the car, and turn it back on. 3.) When you would take left turns, there would be this annoying knocking sound and the car would shake violently. So my dad took the Caliber back and demanded another rental car because of all these issues and the car was going to cause another accident because of a stupid American flaw... and...

[TractorLick101]

They gave him a brand new Ford Taurus while his Maxima was still having body work done to the front bumper, this car had a little over 4,000 miles on it. Which is NOT MUCH AT ALL, so he thought, oh well, I won't put up a fight for a non-american rental car. This one should be alright. Well guess what, it wasn't! The pump that pumps "washer fluid?" to the windshield wore out. The rear defroster also stopped functioning for no reason at all. This is why he hates AMERICAN CARS. GO JAPANESE!

[somewhatlongdong]

go fuck yourself

[Nanoeye]

lol i use this car for work. we went from ford rangers to this....this car is so hevay when you let go of the gas it sits down!

[theQuestOfHollyGrail]

finally neon is gone ;), that was a funny looking car..

[zagross16]

I drove a rental regular caliber and wow what a piece of crap. The interior just does not compare to anything in the class. Why would anyone buy this when there are way better cars out there...there is a reason chrysler is bankrupt.

[theQuestOfHollyGrail]

i don't know, i like the interior, in fact i am would get one just because of it's interior.

[zagross16]

Have you ever been inside mazda 3? Compared to that the Caliber looks like it was put together by a child. Not to mention the boxy look and the craptastic material used.

[Turquoise66]

what other cars are in this class?

[zagross16]

Mazda 3, Civic...i cant think of anymore right now...but my point is this car is not good at all when compared to those 2 up there.

[Turquoise66]

wow, the caliber is that small?

i like the neon, they should bring it back, modernize it, better mpg. i think it would sell like it did in the 90s.

i had no idea the caliber replaced the neon.

[h3e44]

mazda 3, civic, toyota matrix, the chevy hhr, the honda fit kinda, nissan versa kinda, the scion xb xd and that would probably be it

[coandcaiv]

bring the neon back and add the cool stuff to it...fuck this ass wagon ^^

[tenpast4]

I have a 07 RT manual transmission

The acceleration is excellent with manual gear control.

u can get ipod plug installed to the rear of the radio & an outlet placed near the gearshift next to the power outlet.

I find it handles ok in regular driving, But it is a little top heavy and you can feel the pull if you take a corner to fast.

I LOVE THIS CAR!

but..........I don't know what changes have been made for it to pass Australian Standards other than a RHD conversion.

[DiNoGames]

I got mine yesterday... its soooooo cool! I guess I am nearly the only one ere in Bremen, Germany with that car. And it has all available extras, including beige leather :)

I totally fell in love with this car.

[telosfd]

final speed in Kmrs???

[mhightower91]

i love dodge and i love the caliber.......but i want the neon back with a hatch back option and a coupe option

[sergsrt8]

get the srt4

[adokenk3nnbasil]

pretty nice

[xphantomzerox]

i own an 08 awd caliber r/t and i love this car...if you know how to use the autostick than you would be pretty impressed at the acceleration.

[angusandleigh]

they screwed up as the CVT does not have 'Autostick' as a CVT has no gears to shift, and yes the CVT feels a little more sluggish compared to the auto or manual off the line but man it goes like stink once you are rolling as the engine winds up to 6000RPM and stays there until you lift, but under normal driving the lack of shifting keeps the fuel efficiency high (I think the wife's is rated at 41mpg) not bad for a 175bhp car

[chelleyS89]

my husband has a 2008 caliber srt4...its awesome...not only luxurious..but fast...but then again he has like 2000 dollars in aftermarket parts in it...in the end it will be almost 400 hp

[th3b0uld3r]

I just got this car yesterday, and I do have to say that I like it. Yeah it doesn't have the sportiness I was looking for, or the get up and go that my previous car had, but this one is still nice.

[FLip8822]

i was looking at this and the avenger. both are good cars, and i want to check out american before going japanese.

[BotanTiger]

strong car.

[amyandmorgan]

i am currently renting a caliber sxt and im impressed so far the cvt tranny is kinda useless but its good for the married man wen the wife cant drive stick but you need the same car you can still play a little i have rented 08 cobalts , g6, and mazda 6 and the caliber is defintly the fastest of the four and has the best throttle response handling not bad for a wagon descent little car in my opinion

[Charles2337]

I dont like the rear. Looks too boxy.

[angeloscity]

charles2337//have u seen your rear end lately?..im sure many might say it looks too boxy as well.... fat butt!

[Charles2337]

I agree. I need to do more situps dam lol

[caliberguy07]

only reason i still have a caliber is the 32mpg

[mercman8888]

I think its a good crossover!

[chitpaul]

cheap plastic basic dash....almost bought 1......liked outside but the inside is cheap...got a 140bhp tdi vw golf instead....butch better....you can get the same engine in this aswell i know.. in the uk.

[lowincash]

wth? 0-60 in 10.1 seconds? with 172hp? cmon' a pontiac vibe with the 2.4L engine does 0-60 in under 9 seconds with only 158hp. i think GM should try to make their CVT like the nissan ones, those perform much better.

[tipoomaster]

further proof that horsepower ratings mean nothing. GM must have screwed up the timings or something.

[Tanner874]

What does GM have to do with rating Chrysler/Dodge engines?

[tipoomaster]

nothing, my bad, i was just watching something on GM before i posted. i meant chrysler.

[americancarguy]

The caliber they tested was also AWD.

[Accendo13]

idk i kinda like it. o_0

[sugarisgoodness]

neon > caliber

[bestfriendbabes1609]

this sucks:)

[Trance88]

I had no clue the Dodge Caliber replaced the neon. It looks nothing like it.

[AndreSm95]

DODGE CALIBER RT looks great! Nice 18" Wheels!

Thanks for posting.

[Mevlevi1207]

Great car

[lowincash]

haha they said "powerful" engine lol

[otterhead45]

peice of shit car

[zloben9000]

he is WRONG !

RT is a great car !

[berseker46]

YES RAM POWER Cherokee ARE FOR MOMS not for REAL MAN

[grovergrunt]

My caliber tows a full trailer and 5 inside at less than 7.0L/100km (2L Turbo diesel manual) For everyday driving Im really happy with it. It has enough performance for normal driving with plenty of room inside too. I didnt choose a speed machine ( Im happy with size of my dick), because what use is rocket like acceleration if you spend most of your time in traffic anyway?

Its an ok car that looks good and goes fine!

[leniuch102]

We've got a diesel Caliber (CRD) with manual gear and it speeds up real fast.

It takes 7-8 liters per 100 km in the city and 5-6 on the road.

It is like 20% cheaper than the competition, at least in Poland.

Interior not that great but a good buy anyway.

[85rotarypower]

I've got an 07 Caliber SXT, and I love it. The styling is right on, and performance is there when you want it, if you don't have the CVT. It handles pretty good too considering the weight of the car. I think the thing thats kinda tainted the calibers acceleration performance as being subpar is the POS CVT they put in it. Its good for just everyday driving in stop and go traffic, but for performance its the worst choice possible. My 1.8L 5 speed feels faster than a 2.4L AWD CVT equiped R/T.

[hoosyourdaddyo]

Take your car into the dealer for the free flash upgrade on the CVT. The CVT is much better after the flash.

I LOVE my CVT, it isn't fast "off the line" but at 3K to 4K RPM it's a rocket.

[85rotarypower]

I never said I have a CVT. mine is a 1.8L 5 speed. But I have driven the CVT and its a dog.

[Sachette]

Fuck You All. I own one and love it its accelerations is awesome it handles great especially on turn so whoever hates this car go FUCK YOURSELF

[ProfessorIgor]

I hate this car.. throw it in the back of my Grand Cherokee 5.7 and you can feel what a sort-of fast car is like.

[hoosyourdaddyo]

and I'll show you what a $40 fill up looks like. I had a Durango and traded it in for my Caliber R/T. I don't miss the $90 fill ups EVERY WEEK.

[ProfessorIgor]

I live 4 miles from work... It doesn't matter if I drive a Prius or a Peterbilt. I do like the R/T, but WITHOUT that stupid CVT !!!

[dadsbabypu]

I am considering this car for my wife and baby boy. For them, it looks like it will be perfect, combining decent cargo room, good looks, and gas mileage. Every expert review has hated this car, which means it must be good. I am doubtful my 5-month old son will care too much about 0-60 times. As with any young family, we care about two things right now; safety and gas mileage.

[johorridge]

Its fab I got one I love it!

[coandcaiv]

well its better then the neon it replaced, but its not up their with the class leaders, i guess its more of a rental car or car you should buy if you get one on a good deal

[ydinfyysikko]

has anyone tried the 2.4l one?

[warthogrs15]

I own a dodge caliber sxt 2.0 diesel and has the best drive appeal in years. 0-60 in 8 secs with a 6 speed manual and many luxury features. it cost me €25,000 here in ireland.

[DigableDude]

I was stuck with one of those during a rental last week..WHAT A LOAD OF SHIT this car is!

Cheap quality all throught this car..What happened to the great designs of Chrysler?

[hinatakankirin]

this car sucks. bad engine feedback, bad handling? body roll? this car is only good for going on a straight line.

[Jaebird82]

lol 10.1 second. I love the way this car looks, I have one right for a rental, but its the 2.0L one. Anyway, the cvt is odd, the rmps go up while the engine tries to catch up to it. Kind of odd. I want the SRT 300 horse power version that came out.. sweeettt.

[farhathaniff]

i normally never want a car=colour other than black, silver or grey, but with this caliber, red is just too appealing to me! Im planning on getting one as my first car for driving to and from school coz its affordable and way cheaper than the VW golf that just overruns on the street of germany. KUDOS to the horns!

[mcromance1]

lol neons, omg. Don't tell me you were actually proud to have one of those front wheel drive pieces of shit?

[dgomez623]

Lmao, Well I have the Original SRT-4! The model that is actually appealing. But you will be damn sure I will be going to test drive the Caliber SRT-4.

[CoriolisSTORM]

I enjoy mine quite nicely. the R/T is worth it if you can afford it. Just dont expect the R/T badge to give you much more in the way of performance. ;)

[dgomez623]

That car is garbage.

[teamixr]

your face is garbage!!!

[americancarguy]

lol sounds right to me.

[americancarguy]

Your a fucking idiot!

[teamixr]

why dont you go soak your head in a hot bucket of shit!!!!!

[americancarguy]

i was agreeing with you dip shit, Matter of fact I'm waiting for my 08 caliber R/T to finally arrived at the dealer ship, i ordered it from.

[teamixr]

it was only a matter of clairity crock pot just thought you were starting shit...nothing taken litteral...

[SonPrince93]

there is a very nice car !