In an era when it seems that every manufacturer based in Detroit is looking to play it safe when it comes to new car designs - could the Ford 500 be any blander? - give Daimer Chrysler credit for boldness.
Following in the tracks of the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger, the company is rolling out its replacement for the venerable Neon and it’s nothing like the econobox it replaces.
Called the Dodge Caliber, it’s another example of why design defines a car as much or more than what’s under the skin.
The Caliber is a four-door hatchback that may be one of the best combinations of interior room, nifty, useable features and look-at-me styling.
On the outside, the Caliber looks larger than the Neon and has a wider, more muscular stance. But the numbers show it’s actually an inch shorter than a Neon and only an inch wider. Where it’s decidedly bigger than the Neon is in height – it’s four inches taller.
That extra height might translate into a boxier style – think of the Scion xB or the Honda Element – but the DaimlerChrysler stylists have swept the back end in a way that almost makes this wagon-like design seem like a svelte coupe.
The Caliber, which is a 2007 model just now arriving in showrooms, comes in three models. Resisting the urge to name them the .22 Caliber, the .38 Caliber and the .44 Caliber, Dodge settled for the tried and true SE, SXT and R/T.
The SE is a bare-bones piece of transportation that carries a base sticker price of $13,985. It comes with a 1.8-liter, 148-horsepower 4-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.
For those who want an automatic gearbox, expect to pay an additional $1,100 for a continuously variable transmission. It will come connected to a 2-liter, 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine.
Want air-conditioning? Expect an additional $1,000 on the sticker. As noted, the SE is a bare bones model.
Next up is the SXT, which lists for $15,985. It adds a long list of standard equipment, including air-conditioning, power windows and door locks. The 1.8-liter four is standard, as is the five-speed manual transmission. The 2-liter four is an available option coupled to the CVT automatic.
.At the top of the lineup – for now – is the R/T performance model., which stickers for $19,985. It comes with a 2.4-liter, 172-horsepower four-cylinder engine that is linked to an all-wheel-drive system. It’s available only with the CVT automatic transmission.
The R/T comes with sport-tuned shocks and springs, larger sway bars and a little heavier steering effort for more aggressive driving. It also has wider-profile, 18-inch all-season radials for better handling.
EPA estimates of fuel mileage for the Caliber ranges from 28/32 mpg city highway for the SE to 23/26 mpg for the RT.
The R/T was the model we tested – our mileage was closer to 23 mpg in combined city-highway driving -- and it mirrored all the novel convenience features shared with or available on all Caliber models.
Among them are:
-- A cooler in one portion of the glove box and a rack to hold beverage bottles.
-- A speaker panel on the tailgate that can be swung down when the gate is open so owners can listen while at the beach or otherwise just sitting outside the car. (Of course this also opens the very real possibility that Caliber owners can just as easily annoy neighbors.)
-- A flashlight built into the rear dome light that can be removed and used for emergencies.
-- A console compartment that will snugly hold an iPod.
-- Lighted cup holders so it’s easier to grab that double latte at midnight without spilling.
When it comes to more mundane issues like interior room, the Caliber has space for four full-sized adults as well as a cargo area with a washable mat that can handle muddy items.
Optional brightly-colored seat inserts and a lacquered center console panel gives the interior a custom feel, and the optional nine-speaker stereo system, which comes equipped for satellite radio and an iPod connection, is among the best in this class.
Those are all the good points, but with the good comes some not-so-good issues.
First is the issue of performance. Even in the R/T form, the 172-horsepower engine combined with the CVT transmission and all-wheel-drive just doesn’t cut it. Acceleration is lazy at best and there’s a lot of buzz from the engine.
All the Caliber engines were jointly developed between DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai and Mitsubishi to meet plans to sell this car in markets worldwide. But compared to engines from Honda and Toyota, the Dodge powerplants just seem a bit crude.
Dodge says it has plans to enhance the Caliber for folks who want more performance – and are willing to pay more – when it delivers the SRT version with a turbocharged four making 300 horsepower.
But that will be a limited edition model, and for most of us the standard engine stable will be the sore point in what otherwise is a stunning-looking, innovative compact sedan.
