DRIVEN: 2007 Dodge Caliber

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy DaimlerChrysler Canada

After more than a decade as DaimlerChrysler’s entry level vehicle, the Neon is dead. Long ago considered to be little more than a rental fleet fodder (bar the balls-to-the-wall insane SRT-4) the cute, happy Neon descended into the category of bargain-bin special.

So it’s understandable that when introducing its brand new compact offering, the Neon name went into the ‘round-file’. Hence the 2007 Dodge Caliber now carries the entry-level flag in the DaimlerChrysler lineup.

All-new in this case really does mean it as the Caliber shares nothing with its Neon ancestor. The platform has been designed to see duty across the whole DaimlerChrysler fleet (including the Jeep Compass/Patriot twins) while the three DOHC four-cylinder engines (1.8, 2.0 and 2.4) were jointly designed with Hyundai and Mitsubishi.



When the Caliber was probably first discussed and the design locked in (i.e. pre-Hurricane Katrina) North America was still in love with their SUVs, and anything that looked like an SUV. So it’s not really a surprise that the Caliber takes a lot of its cues from the bigger Dodge Durango including the big cross-hair grille, power-bulge hood and big lights. The rear is equally, ahem, interesting with the matte-grey plastic trying to disguise the high rear roof line. Broad shoulders, chunky wheel arches and big wheels (only the base model gets anything under 17 inches!) also contribute to the SUV-ish feel.

You do have to see it in person to really appreciate that the Caliber is a compact car… photos just don’t do it justice. And the exterior design really is polarizing and colour sensitive.

However, understanding that while Americans won’t buy hatchbacks or station wagons but they will buy ‘crossovers’, it’s easy to understand why Dodge went in the direction it did. Another sedan might have carried the Neon stigma even if it had been renamed.



The Caliber comes in three trim levels, each with their own engine and drivetrain options.

The SE and SXT come either with the 148-horsepower 1.8L DOHC VVT engine or the 158-horsepower 2.0L. The R/T exclusively gets the 172-horsepower 2.4L version, but gets saddled with standard all-wheel-drive. The confusing part is that the 1.8L comes only with a five-speed manual transmission, while the other two engines are mated to non-optional (but $1,200 extra!) continually variable transmissions (CVT).

Confused yet? I sure was. While the 172 horsepower in our R/T tester looked decent on paper, the 3,308lb curb weight, all-wheel-drive system and non-responsive CVT made the Caliber a slug. Despite the modern engines, the 2.4 really struggled to make any power higher up, and real-world gas mileage suffers accordingly.



Why Dodge thought that 172 horses were too much to let loose without the heavy AWD system is incredible, especially given that the front-wheel-drive Caliber SRT4 on its way now will put out 300 horsepower. Apparently, the unofficial word is that thanks to initial grief from us journalists, Dodge will at some point launch a front-wheel-drive 2.4-litre R/T with a five-speed manual. Hallelujah.

Dropping 200 pounds, two driven wheels and the CVT would do wonders for the top-of-the-line Caliber, as the rest of the package really is quite useful. While Volkswagen drivers will probably suffer strokes after a stray knuckle-knock on the dashboard, the Caliber’s interior packs lots of great ideas into a small package. The big hits are the glovebox fridge, big enough to keep four bottles of water cool when the air conditioning is on, along with the iPod holder that flips out of the center console.



However, the neatest thing is the optional ‘Music Gate’ system that mounts a pair of speakers in the rear hatch that can flip down when the door is open to provide tunes at your next beach bash. Combined with the rest of the cubbies, pockets and bins, the Caliber does provide a space for just about everything you’d bring along with you.

So while the Caliber is a bold move forward for Dodge, the end result itself is a lesson in compromise. The opening price of $15,995 is truly attractive given the size advantage you’d gain over the tiny Korean and Japanese offerings, the materials are a little cheap. All-wheel-drive security brings extra weight and blunted performance, and at $25,895 the R/T isn’t a bad deal, although loading up the options list starts to really make you question your decisions.

Those wanting a truly sporty small car from Dodge should wait for the aforementioned two-wheel-drive R/T, or put your money down for the guaranteed small-car tire toasting SRT4.