Dodge Caliber Review (2006 to date)

Quick Summary

A used Caliber remains a slightly oddball pick but understandable if you're looking for a spacious, cheap car with decent access in and out and without the perceived stigma of a South East Asian badge.

Overall:

Models Covered:(5 dr hatch 1.8, 2.0 petrol, 2.0 diesel [S, SE, SXT, SXT Sport])

GOING BACK TO CALI

* IntroductionThe Dodge Caliber has suffered a bit of a rough ride at the hands of the motoring press at large. Despite this, a surprisingly large number of buyers blithely ignored the opinions of the motor noters and put their money down quite happily for new ones. With hindsight it's easy to see why, though Dodge didn't help themselves by wrongly trying to market the car to young families looking for something a bit different to a Ford Focus or similar family hatch. For the majority of those drivers, the Caliber just wasn't a sharp enough drive. Instead, rather predictably, this car's sales came from older buyers who may well have been turned off by the Buck Rogers styling applied to the post '06 version of their traditional darling, the Honda Civic. These more mature drivers will have looked after their cars well – which means that keenly priced as a used buy, this Dodge makes quite a lot of sense.
Used Dodge Caliber for sale

History of the Caliber

Perhaps we should have seen the Dodge Caliber's unintended market materialising from launch. Dodge chose to underline the car's dynamic, youthful appeal by holding the European press presentation in Pacha night club, on the party isle of Ibiza. Contrary to what many of the glossy car mags would have you believe, motoring journalists tend not to be snake-hipped twentysomethings in Police sunglasses and several kilos of hair product. Watching the assorted ranks of fifty year old cardigans frugging hopelessly to hard house was something few present will ever forget. What's more, it served as a perfect template for who would end up buying the Caliber.Introduced to British showrooms in July 2006, the Caliber got off to a slow start but gradually built some momentum, backed by a big budget advertising campaign. With only 88 dealers, Dodge was pragmatic about the car's sales figures.
Used Dodge Caliber for sale

Dodge Caliber Road Test

The petrol engines aren't in themselves particularly noteworthy, the 1.8-litre unit being the cheapest and consequently the best seller. It'll get the Dodge to 60mph in around 9 seconds and on to a top speed of over 120mph. The 148bhp power output is a decent return in a market where, for example, a Ford Focus 1.8i C-MAX can only call upon 118bhp but a penalty comes in terms of fuel economy, the Caliber weighing 1,345kg. Both the 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrols thrive on revs although the standard five-speed gearbox isn't the slickest unit on the market. The diesel model is worth a look with 229lb/ft of torque on offer and a power output of 136bhp. This 2.0-litre unit is a direct-injection turbo diesel with high-pressure fuel injection, a variable geometry turbocharger and four valves per cylinder. The injectors are electronically controlled, allowing precise management of each combustion cycle with the optimum quantity of fuel. This system can operate at pressures of up to 2000 bar, leading to finer atomization of fuel, high power and torque, and decent fuel efficiency. Although we never got the 2.4-litre petrol engine that's sold in the US, nor the 4x4 chassis, British buyers got an efficient CVT transmission instead of the usual automatic option. The characteristics of this 'box take a bit of getting used to and many new buyers preferred to pay a little extra to get the Autostick manual selection system.
Used Dodge Caliber for sale

Buying a Dodge Caliber

The Caliber is a robust piece of kit and not a lot goes wrong with the base mechanicals. None of the engines is in a particularly high state of tune and typical owners will not have extended the cars. Some of the interior trims are very cheap looking and the car's extremities curve out of sight so check for parking knocks and scrapes.
Used Dodge Caliber for sale

Dodge Caliber Typical Pricing

The good news is that a car that was cheap new is really inexpensive when bought used. You'll only need around £9,250 to get hold of a 1.8-litre S although given that around £10,000 will net you a low mileage 2.0 SXT Sport automatic, I can't see why you wouldn't fork out the extra. The diesel engine really is the one to go for though and these models open at around £10,750 for a typical SXT on a 56 plate. Insurance ranges from Group 6 to Group 8.
Used Dodge Caliber for sale

Dodge Caliber Parts

(approx based on a 2006 Caliber SX 1.8S) Parts are reasonably cheap with front brake pads retailing at £55 a pair and rears £45. An alternator is around £300 and a starter motor £220.
Used Dodge Caliber for sale