2009 Dodge Caliber User Reviews

Pros

Lots of power and great looks. Very comfortable ride. Excelent sound system.

Cons

Not as much head room in the back with the seats flolded down as I would like.

Purchased As New

This is one of the best cars I have owned since my Hemi Cuda back in the 60's. Prior to this vehicle I had a PT cruiser that I also liked a lot however because we tow it behind a RV we needed a manual trans. and they quit making the PT with a manual. Now that we have this Caiber I'm kind of glad that they did....read morehide

Pros

Good economy..something different..practical

Cons

dosnt like our british roundabouts!!!..interior plastics not so good!!

Purchased As Used

I bought my Caliber in June '09.It had 6,400 on the clock..I now have 12,000 on the clock..Has anyone found that the engine seems to have come alive around 11,000miles..My car feels much faster..It pulls away at the lights very fast. leaving the Renaults, Fords, Seat and Vauxhall's at the lights.I'm not racing anyone I'm just touching the accelerator!!! I have the SXT trim with the CVT gearbox.I use my Caliber daily..on trips round town..it never fails me..and after owning PT cruiser's and Grand Voyager's..I am very impressed with the Caliber..I had my first service done and it only cost me £170..not sure what that is in US dollars but our local Dodge dealer said they had dropped the prices..which were good to hear!!.The only gripe I have is that the Caliber does not like going around UK roundabouts..on the motorway it has ample power for overtaking and plenty of power for round town and I find it handles well on our "country roads"..I just wish more ppl in the Uk would realise that Dodge is a great brand and that the Ford Focus is not the be all and end all of cars!! Rock on DODGE!!!!...read morehide

Pros

Price/Value, Utility, Fuel Economy

Cons

Minor fit problems, less road noise would be nice

Purchased As New

The Dodge Caliber's sister vehicle, the Jeep Compass, was recently rated by a couple car reviewers as the 3rd worst car of the decade. Why? Because of "unremarkable fuel economy, refinement, and crash score tests." Compared to what? It is not as fuel efficient as a compact wagon like the Pontiac Vibe or Toyota Matrix but you ride above most traffic and don't feel like your driving a tube around. The Caliber feels more like your driving a cross between a sedan and a crossover. As far as refinement, yes, if you want to spend several thousands more you can get a more refined vehicle. "Unremarkable crash test scores," maybe compared to vehicles weighing hundreds of pounds more and getting much lower fuel economy. If you are bored with sedans, compact wagons, and small hatchbacks; and don't want to spend the money or burn the gas required by a crossover or SUV, you should consider the Caliber. I love my Caliber. I love riding a little higher than other traffic, the surprisingly stable ride around curves, the sedan-like feel of the interior, the large glove compartment, and loading the rear at waist-level. And, I find the performance of my 1.8L manual transmission more than acceptable (I understand the automatic version takes a little getting use to). I do agree with the reviewers on one point. Chrysler should not have made a Jeep version of this vehicle. Jeep to me means off-road capability and I do not know if the Caliber (Compass) has this. Although, on a recent vacation, I had to drive 10 miles down a gravel road through a national forest to avoid backtracking an hour's drive. My Dodge Caliber handled this detour very well. Chrysler discontinued the Jeep version of the Caliber long before the review was published. Honestly, I think most reviewers don't like this car because its looks stand out. They just have to pick on it because its different. Although if you park it next to a Lincoln MKX or Ford Edge, you will be shocked at the similarities. You'll just be paying $20,000 less....read morehide

Pros

Good fuel economy

Cons

Ride is rough.

Purchased As Used

I've had the Dodge Caliber for over a year. General performance is good, mileage averages 26 mpg and to deal with the "rough ride" I put a 2" memory foam cushion on the seat and back of the seat on the driver's side. Over all about 8.

Pros

Good "around town" car

Cons

Can't deal with the transmission

Purchased As New

We avg. 23 city and maybe 27 Hwy. which should be better.
Not a car you would want to take on a long trip. The car as no interior padding, which you will notice after driving for a while. I don't get the special belt drive transmission that makes you feel like you have to gun the accelator each time you pull away from a stop. the car also has a fairly rough ride. However,
Most people seem to like the looks of the car and the car has a fair amount of cargo space....read morehide

Pros

Great car for the $$$, better than advertised fuel economy,

Cons

CVT takes some getting used to

Purchased As New

This is really a nice car for the $$$, handles well and has a nice ride. I have the sport appearance package and the 2.0 with the CVT tranny and am satisified with the power it provides. Hwy MPG anywhere from 28-32 with strictly city driving 23-24. Advertised at 23 city, 27 hwy, so I am more than satisfied. Checked out Elantra, Sonata, and Focus, but liked this best. Got a great deal that other manufacturers couldn't match. List around 21K, got it for under $10 with my $3500 cash for clunker rebate....read morehide

Pros

utility, economy,performance, comfort

Cons

none

Purchased As New

love the car, average 30 mpg combined, the 2.0 with the cvt provides effortless performance. Plenty of room for my 4 big dogs,very comfortable even on long trips!!

Pros

Roomy, excellent handling, great gas mileage

Cons

None thus far

Purchased As New

I bought this car as part of the cash for clunkers program and it was the best car I could have bought for the money. It gets about 29 mpg (City), is roomy (I can fit two car seats in the back), and is compact. I was hesitant to buy Dodge, but it really is a reliable car (although its easy to say this with only 2500 miles so far). I have the 1.8 L engine, which doesn't have much power, but it is good on gas and I bought the SE because I wanted the cheapest car payment possible, but if you can afford the turbo version and are willing to accept weaker gas mileage, than that car might be a little more fun to drive. I highly recommend this car if you're on the fence between it and a Yaris, Civic, or a Sonata....read morehide

Pros

Great gas mileage, very roomy, good acceleration

Cons

Interior is cheap-looking

Purchased As Used

I bought a used 2007 Dodge Caliber (it had about 13K miles on it) about two years ago.This is a great car overall. t is a very smooth drive, and very roomy in the front as well as in the back seats. I love that it has lots of space and the back seats fold all the way down. My one negative would be the interior -- sides of doors, console, dash -- is a light gray and gets dirty easily. But a great car, great value!...read morehide

Pros

All kinds of room, Peppy with 1.8 L and 5 speed manual transmission, handles great.

Cons

Noisy Firestone Tires

Purchased As New

I really, Really, REALLY like this car!. It feels very substantial, gets great gas mileage (30+ MPG) , its very comfortable and I got it at a great price thru the Cash for Clunkers program ($9,300 out the door brand new). Its a total mystery to me why some of the professional rating car services offer less than a stellar review for this car. My Wife and I test drove the Honda Fit, Scion Xd, Nissan Versa, Chevrolet HHR, Nissan Cube and KIA Soul before deciding on the Caliber. There were points I liked about those other cars (Except the Soul, it just did not do it for me). But as an overall package we kept coming back to the Caliber and after several test drives went ahead and bought it. I have not been disappointed, in fact the more I drive it the more I like it!.

Strong points:

1) Very roomy. I have the SXT model and with front seat fold down I find that I can carry a load of 2X4X8 no problem it's almost like having a pickup truck!
2) Great Mileage. I average about 27 in town and about 33 in Hwy ( 5 speed manual)
3) Very comfortable, great adjustment on seats. It's the only car I've ever driven where I don't have to push the drivers seat all the way back to be comfortable
4) Lots of room in the back seat even with the front seats way back
5) I find the car very peppy and with good acceleration with the 5 sp manual
6) Looks very nice. Several people have come up to me and commented on how nice the car looks! Several have asked me whether its a new VW or Beemer?
7) I service my own cars and oil and filter change is really easy.
8) Low maintenance. Basically change oil and rotate tires every 6k miles
9) Great sound system with Sirius 1 year subscription
10) Feels "tight" no rattles. This turned me off on Nissan models I test drove

Weak points:
1) Noisy Firestone tires. I really dislike these...read morehide