Reinventing the economy car

For 2007, Caliber takes the place of the discontinued Neon as Dodge’s most affordable car. But the two couldn’t be more different. A five-passenger, five-door hatchback, Caliber is part SUV, part station wagon, part minivan and part Dodge Magnum.

Caliber is a completely new vehicle built at the retooled Belvedere plant in Illinois. It is Dodge’s answer to the Honda Civic, Mazda3, Chevy Cobalt and Toyota Corolla.

Caliber is easy to identify by the trademark crosshair Dodge grille up front — borrowed almost exactly from the Magnum and Ram pickup. From the side, prominent blistered front and rear fenders flow back to a tall, wedge-shaped beltline not unlike the Toyota Matrix. Topping the roofline is full-length thick strip of black molding that Dodge designers say is for visual gratification only. It does look good and makes the Caliber look less boxy.

The back bears a strong resemblance to the Malibu Maxx with an abbreviated rear deck shelf, squarish, oversized taillamps and a pouty rear bumper. The one-piece liftgate features a steeply raked backlight below a roof-mounted body colored spoiler.

Three trim levels are currently offered: SE, SXT and R/T. Pricing begins at $13,985 — some $410 less than the Neon. Of course, that’s with crank windows and no air conditioning, two necessities for desert living. Those two will cost an additional $1545 putting you at the base price of the SXT, which Dodge expects to comprise 60 percent of Caliber sales. SXT starts at $15,985 and includes air, power windows, power outside mirrors and keyless remote entry.

When equipped with air conditioning, Caliber includes a Chill Zone section of the glove box that will accommodate four 20-ounce water bottles and keep them cold when the air conditioning is on. Again, perfect for desert dwellers.

The base SE and SXT are powered with a 1.8-liter 148-horsepower four-cylinder engine. A 2.0-liter is an optional upgrade and puts out 158-horsepower. Both SE and SXT come standard with a five-speed manual transmission, with CVT automatic transmission an extra-cost option. CVT stands for continuously variable transmission, a system that uses a series of pulleys and belts to propel the vehicle. CVT is distinguished by improved fuel economy and smooth progression because there are no shift points.

The R/T is powered by a standard 2.4-liter, 172-horsepower engine with the CVT, and is all-wheel drive. Dodge plans to produce a front-wheel drive R/T later in the year, with a five-speed manual transmission. Interestingly, Caliber is being sold in Europe with a diesel engine option.

I tested an SXT with the larger 2.0-liter engine and CVT. The power on acceleration didn’t do much to win me over with a zero to 60 mph time of almost 10 seconds, thanks to the fuel-friendly CVT that is slower off the line than the manual. If you want more power, you’ll have to wait until spring of 2007 when Dodge is expected to debut a 300-horsepower SRT4 version.

While the Caliber has a smooth ride quality you won’t mistake it for a sports sedan. Steering felt heavy and clumsy with less-than-precise handling. Some torque steer (where the front wheels pull to one side) was noticeable under full acceleration. But, this is not unusual for front-wheel-drive cars.

Inside is where most of the work seems to have been done. While there is technically room for five, you won’t want to put three adults in the back. The front seats are comfortable and sit quite high — a full four inches more than the Neon it replaces. My SXT came equipped with a jack-like lever alongside the seat to raise and lower the seat height. Front seat leg- and headroom is impressive.

Visibility is good but the dash is wide with the windshield a long way from the driver. Add the sloping hood profile and it will take some practice for shorter drivers to judge parking distances.

The instrument panel is well-designed and very attractive with three large round white-faced gauges that are easy to read. All operating controls are extremely easy to use and are housed in a center stack that’s trimmed in either brushed aluminum, matching body-color, or unconvincing wood grain panels.

Other cool features include illuminated cup holders; a center console with a flip-forward lid that accommodates a cell phone, iPod or MP3 player; a sliding center armrest; a dash-mounted storage bin above the glove box; reclining rear seats on the SXT and R/T; and a rear dome light that pops out for use as a portable, rechargeable flashlight (although I couldn’t get it to snap back into place).

The stereo is a Boston Acoustic setup called MusicGate with nine speakers that provide excellent sound quality. It even includes boom box-style speakers on the rear liftgate that drop down for tailgating when the liftgate is open.

Safety features include head-protecting side curtain airbags for all outboard passengers. There’s also a standard knee-blocker airbag for the driver. When considering the Caliber you need to keep in mind that front-seat-mounted side airbags, stability control and a tire-pressure monitoring system will not be made available until late 2006 and then as an option. AAA highly recommends all three.

The Caliber is a far superior vehicle to the Neon it replaces. I like the versatility of the five-door hatchback. It is a vehicle that does many things very well. Entry-level no longer means sacrificing convenience and comfort for the sake of a low price, as it did just a few short years ago.