Base price: $15,425
As tested: $18,625
158-horsepower, 2-liter, 4-cylinder
26 city / 30 highway
More info: www.dodge.com/caliber/
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"It's anything but cute." That's what Dodge says about its new Caliber mini-ute. We think they protest too much. First of all, it is a cute ride, which means it won't alienate the fairer sex. Also, it's not baby kitten cute; it's Tonka tank cute. The Caliber actually looks like a miniaturized version of Dodge's massive Magnum, giving it a bolder, denser stance than its wispier competitors like the Toyota Matrix.
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Our "Sport" tester came with a flashy two-tone orange and gray interior that would disorient anyone over the age of 25. The cockpit felt a little tight and the center-mounted auto shifter was clunky, but headroom and rear seat room were better than we expected. Our tester sported a wonderfully designed pop-up slot in the armrest for an iPod, but the cable connector was really intrusive. Best of all was a flip-down, two-speaker boom box in the rear hatch that was just made for a beach bash.
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Even though the Caliber swishes and darts through traffic and parking decks like a slippery little minnow, the car's downside is its lack of power. The standard 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine pumps out a pokey 148 horses, and even our optional 158-horse two-liter had little more than econo box power. Dodge increases the juice on the R/T version (2.4 liters, 172 horses) but that also pushes the price up to around $20K. The upside? Minimal power equals maximal gas mileage.
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Dodge says, "It's anything but cute." She'll definitely disagree.
-- John D. Thomas |
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