Used Dodge Caliber in Iowa

The Dodge Caliber is a compact car produced by the Dodge division of Chrysler. It replaced the Neon, and went on sale in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model year vehicle. The Caliber is a five-door hatchback roughly the size of a Neon, and was first shown at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It features styling elements derivative of larger Dodge vehicles, such as a crosshair grille and large flared fenders. The Caliber is one of the first modern Dodge-branded vehicles for sale in the European, Asian, and Australasian markets. It debuted publicly on January 10, 2006, at the North American International Auto Show.            

Built on a global platform also used for the Jeep Compass SUV and midsize Dodge Avenger sedan, the tall-bodied Dodge Caliber comes only as a compact hatchback/wagon. The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split, increasing cargo space to a maximum of 48 cubic feet. The front passenger seat can fold forward to make room for longer items. The Caliber has decent headroom and legroom in the front and back, but it is still a small car built to a price, so don't expect luxurious accommodations.           

Though not initially labeled a 'crossover', the Caliber features many CUV-based nods that were further highlighted in the 2009-2010 models, such as a rough round back, irregular roof curve and lifted clearance, as compared to regular hatchbacks. These features are generally agreed on to provide an interest for today's customer range, visually turned to crossover-type vehicles.           

Find Used Dodge Caliber in Des Moines

The Caliber is an important vehicle for Chrysler in its quest to expand globally. The Caliber was one of Dodge's first modern offerings in Europe. Dodge also introduced the Caliber as part of its launch lineup in Asian markets such as Japan and Singapore, as it established new distribution channels there. It was introduced in China in 2008 as Dodge's second modern vehicle offering in that market. Dodge vehicles were last officially sold in China during the World War II era. The introduction of the Caliber has also marked the return of the Dodge brand to Australia, for the first time since the early 1970s.            

The Dodge Caliber debuted in 2006 as a 2007 model. The SRT4 debuted for 2008. All-wheel drive was available on the R/T model until 2009. This was also the year that the Caliber received its available hard-drive-based music and navigation systems. For more information on Dodge's current offering of the Caliber visit the official Dodge.com Caliber Page.           

In road tests, our editors have found the Dodge Caliber to be an adequate daily driver, though not much more than that. The ride is comfortable without feeling too soft, but our impressions of the Caliber were colored by the overall lack of quality and class in the interior, not to mention the ho-hum driving dynamics. Moreover, the CVT isn't properly programmed to match the 2.0-liter engine's power band. The front-wheel-drive Caliber R/T with the manual gearbox is likely the pick of the litter, unless the high-performance SRT4 edition appeals. For those attracted to the turbocharged Caliber, we've found it underwhelming and overpriced compared to other affordable, high-horsepower hatchbacks, as well as burdened by excessive weight and an abundance of torque steer.