2007 Dodge Caliber SXT 2.0

Summary:

Great car, worth every penny

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

I test drove the Mazda3 wagon, the Pontiac Vibe, the Toyota Matrix and then this car. The Caliber was the most snappy and responsive of all tested. The 1.8 liter offers enough HP and torque for most everyone's needs. If you are looking into something sportier that can beat everyone off the line, don't look here.

The inside is very comfortable and has plenty of headroom for me and I'm 6'1". The rear is surprisingly comfortable for two adults. It seemed that the other cars tested were a little more refined for the fine details within the interior of the car such as the AC power plug-in. I do, however, prefer the layout and gauges of the Caliber over the other cars.

I have driven this baby just over 4000 miles since acquiring it and it has been very easy on gas with the 1.8L engine. I usually get about 35-37 mpg on the highway.

I can't speak much for reliability as the car only has 4000 miles on it.

If you are looking into buying a wagon/compact/SUV type crossover, I would recommend looking into the Caliber.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th June, 2006

19th Jun 2006, 10:42

Nice review. Keep us abreast of how she performs as the mileage is piled on. After reading so many negative things about this car in so many publications, I'd at least like to know if she holds up well.

22nd Oct 2006, 17:09

I did encounter a problem with Dodge honoring the warranty on my 1988 Daytona, and ended up having to pay a private garage to repair the problem (a warped brake rotor) at 800 miles. I kept the car another 100,000 miles and never had another problem with it. We also had a 1990 Omni that went an amazing 240,000 miles with only two timing belt replacements and two brake jobs. In 2000 I bought a Dakota pickup and up until it was totalled in January of 2006 it had never required a single repair of any kind. Chrysler builds very good cars (much better than the imports we've owned) and I think the Caliber is a definite winner. I've driven two and was more impressed with them than anything else in their class.

31st Dec 2007, 21:31

Responding to > 2nd Sep 2006, 14:12 < Honoring a manufacturer's warranty is not at the option or discretion of a dealership. A manufacturer guarantees a vehicle and certain assemblies for a certain amount of time and miles and dealers who sell/service those vehicles are obligated to repair failed systems.

The WheelMan.

2007 Dodge Caliber SE 1.8

Summary:

This car has potential, but needs more refinement

Faults:

-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

Review Date: 14th June, 2006

14th Jun 2006, 17:18

You know, it's funny, but all the major car publications in the U.S. are saying exactly what you're saying. What I don't understand is this: You've got Daimler as a parent company, and you well know your competition is a cut above, but you deliver THIS instead? How does DaimlerChrysler expect to compete with the Caliber? What a waste of a Chrysler/Mitsubishi/Hyundai collaboration.

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2007 Dodge Caliber SXT 2.0

Summary:

Good value with style for an entry-level vehicle

Faults:

Windshield wiper motor seized @ 6000 KM.

Recirc. airflow button doesn't work every time I press it.

General Comments:

2007 Dodge Caliber.

Corners and handles great.

Lots of space in back.

Sits nice and high.

Braking is even and steady with more pressure.

Poor acceleration due to the unique CVT transmission.

Great highway car due to the same CVT transmission.

Like the rear wiper feature.

Cooler in glovebox area doesn't really keep drinks cool - it's really just a small shelf with vents. Only cools if you have the A/C on.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 12th May, 2006

14th May 2006, 21:57

I just test drove the new 2007 Caliber with the 2.0 litre and the CVT transmission. I can't fathom why everyone is saying they lack performance. I have also driven both the Mazda 3 and the Vibe GT and the Caliber I drove was faster than either of those.

7th Jun 2006, 11:57

I'm very much interested in this car. It looks hot.

But it is a first year model. On top of that all the engines offered are new development. I'm hesitant to go with the CVT tranny. I looked for a manual version, but the dealers don't have them.

These cars are selling like hotcakes here.

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