2006 Dodge Caliber SE review from North America
"This car has potential, but needs more refinement"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
-Intermittent stalling when I push in the clutch.
-Drivers side door panel rattles badly with radio on.
-Shift know coming loose.
General comments?
I made the mistake of buying this car without driving one with a manual transmission. I test drove one with the cvt, and liked it, so I ordered a 5 speed one. After getting it, I quickly realized I did not care for this car.
Occasionally while driving when I push in the clutch, the engine will stall. Not only is this irritating, it's not very reassuring.
It lacks low end power. If you want to pull away from a stop into traffic, you need to rev the rpm's higher and slip the clutch, or you're not going to make it.
High rpm's create quite a bit of torque-steer, which isn't very enjoyable in a car with not much power to begin with.
There is very little wind noise at highway speeds, and once you're moving, you can keep up with traffic pretty well.
Good handling and comfortable seats make it a nice drive, but this car is far from sporty, and not really my ideal kind of vehicle.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model Year | 2007 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 Manual |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 3 miles |
| Most recent distance | 1700 miles |
| Previous car | Mitsubishi Galant |
| Date of Entry | 14th June, 2006 |