2006 Dodge Caliber SE from North America - Comments

-Intermittent stalling when I push in the clutch.

-Drivers side door panel rattles badly with radio on.

-Shift know coming loose.

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.

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.

I think you would have noticed the lack of power much more when test driving the CVT model seeing as CVTs don't make strong starts.

I agree with the CVT comment.

Also, how does the car manage to exhibit strong torque steer, but also not have enough power?

Unequal half-shafts. Since more power is being transferred to one wheel, the car will pull to one side.

Torque steer only happens under hard acceleration with high rpms, you cannot experience it by casually going from a stop with CVT.

I just test drove several Calibers and would have bought one if the dealer had been willing to pay Kelly Bluebook on my trade-in (they wouldn't, and I don't trade unless I get a fair bid). I have tried out several small wagon type vehicles, including the Vibe, the Scion, the Saturn Vue (an SUV) and the Toyota Matrix (same car as the Vibe, just pricier). As far as I'm concerned the Caliber puts them all to shame. The 2.0 Caliber I drove had far more power than any of the other vehicles I drove and certainly has more pleasing styling. I found the ride smooth and quiet, and in a test of merging onto a freeway ramp I hit 70 easily before the end of the ramp. My V-6 small pickup hit exactly the same speed on the same ramp. Having owned several Chrysler products I have zero concern about reliability or repairs. My Dodge Daytona went 100,000 miles without a single repair, and my '90 Dodge Omni had 240,000 miles when I sold it. It had had two brake jobs and two timing belts, and that was it. The CV joints were just beginning to make noise at 240,000. They were clattering like crazy at 40,000 miles in our '85 Honda.

I took the Caliber on a trip of 500 miles, and averaged 35.8 mpg at 70-85 and some around town driving. Pretty happy about that, considering the window sticker rates it at 32 highway.

I've NEVER gotten better than the sticker mileage rating on ANYTHING I've owned EXCEPT for Dodges. I got 5 to 6 mpg above the EPA rating with both my Dodges. I wonder why Chrysler's EPA ratings are so out of line with everyone else's. Most cars get about 15% LESS than the EPA rating. Odd.

Maybe here is the reason your & my Dodges' real-world MPG beat the EPA mileages. Most car brands gear their cars' transmissions to get the best mileages in the specified EPA dynamometer tests. Maybe the Dodges & other brands gear their cars to give best results on everyday highways?

Comment 22:24 may have a good point there. I've always wondered why everyone I know (including my family) has always seemed to get better than EPA estimated mileage with Chrysler products, but less with every other make.

Initial review writer here...

I got rid of this car back in October. Currently I'm driving a 98 Galant, and am much happier in it than I was in the Caliber. Mid to late summer, I will be getting a Toyota Yaris liftback.