That’s right — it’s what’s inside the Caliber that had previously grabbed my attention.
The cooled glovebox? Still there. Speakers on the rear hatch that flip down for a festive tailgate? Check. The removable, washable floor in the cargo area, when said tailgate has gotten messy? Present and accounted for, sir. The removable, rechargeable flashlight, doubling as the cargo area interior light? Still handy.
Whew! I immediately felt better.
The Caliber is a compact, five-passenger, front-wheel drive hatchback that replaced the Neon in Dodge’s lineup. With the underpinnings of a car, it’s a versatile vehicle aimed at 24- to 34-year-olds — you know, the Generations Y and X.
The models in the Caliber lineup carry names aimed at these buyers. What had been the SE, SXT, R/T and SRT4 are now, roughly, the Express, Heat, Mainstreet, Rush and Uptown.
I drove one of the Rush models, which includes a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with 172 horsepower and 165 lbs.-ft. of torque mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. My tester carried a $1,000 option of a continuously variable transmission paired with Chrysler’s Autostick, a clutchless manual, should the driver care to shift. The engine was a bit noisy, and with my lead foot, less powerful than I would have liked.
Other aspects of the Rush? A stiff but not punishing sport suspension; uprated brakes with brake assist; 18-inch aluminum chrome-clad wheels paired with all- season performance tires; a spoiler; automatic climate control; Premium Sound Group; Media Center 430 radio with touchscreen; and a 30-gigabyte hard drive.
Among options on my Rush tester were special Inferno Red paint ($225); a security group with stability control, front side airbags, remote start, daytime running lights, engine oil cooler and trailer tow wiring harness ($880); a leather options group that added leather cladding to the seats and bright chrome bezels on the instrument panel ($595); a driver convenience group with a universal garage opener and electronic vehicle information center ($270); and a sunroof ($795). With a $630 destination charge, the grand total came to a bit less than $25,000.
The interior showed off well-bolstered sport bucket seats up front with perforated inserts, leather with contrast stitching, bright chrome accents and aluminum pedals.
What I also liked about the Rush: The armrest on the center console moves forward 3 inches for shorter drivers, and its lid can hold a cell phone or an item like an iPod. There are illuminated rings surrounding the front cupholders. These are very cool and helpful. I try to take my hands off the steering wheel as little as possible; therefore, I liked the steering-wheel-mounted audio system controls.
With its clever, newly tweaked interior features, the Caliber offers something for a lot of people — not just Generations X and Y.
Amy Rollins is Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-6901 or arollins@coxohiomedia.com.
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