Dodge targets younger buyers with new entry-level compact
BY JIM PARKER
The Post and Courier
May 13, 2006
There's little question who DaimlerChrysler's target audience is for the 2007 Dodge Caliber compact, which is replacing the venerable yet modest Neon.
Gadgets in the Caliber include an MP3 player plug-in, cell phone holder, cooling rack for drinks, Sirius satellite radio, and optional audio system with huge speakers built into the rear door to blast tunes while tailgating.
All this and priced from $13,900, to $23,230 fully loaded.
"Kids will flock in for this one," said William D. Thompson, general manager of Rick Hendrick Dodge in Charleston. The car is "priced right," he said. "They put a lot of extras in it."
But while Dodge is aiming the Caliber at Gen X and Y, it maybe the baby boomer generation that winds up as a key customer, too. That's because the model has a practical side that should appeal to more mature drivers.
The Caliber gets up to 28 miles per gallon of gas in the city, 32 mpg on the highway. With a 13.6 gallon tank, it can go 435 miles on trips without refueling. The top-end R/T edition comes standard with all-wheel drive, a rarity for a compact car. A $1,000 extra, the Continuously Variable Transaxle system, is designed so that the automatic transmission is at its most efficient.
Trims include such exotic colors as Sunburst Orange and Inferno Red but there's more conservative exterior pigments too, such as black and stone white.
"They expected people buying them would be younger," Thompson said. But Dodge has also found the compact is popular with customers in the 30- to 50-year-old range "because it's practical," he said.
There are three Caliber styles with four-cylinder engines of varying power. The base SE has a 1.8 liter, 148-horsepower motor. The mid-range SXT, which starts around $15,000, has a 2.0 liter engine generating 158 hp. And the R/T, available for less than $20,000, has a 2.4 liter, 172 hp engine.
Customers can purchase extras such as sunroof, leather seats and 18-inch rims. The dealership got its first shipments about 45 days ago and expects to receive about 40 models before the year is out, Thompson said. Those totals should rise in 2007. "I'm sure by next year, we will have a good selection," he said.
In a quick test drive of the Caliber SXT this week, the mid-range version proved to be a comfortable, pleasing ride. The trendy Sunburst Orange exterior gave the four-door compact a sports car-like appearance.
The CVT transmission accelerated nicely in stop-and-go driving on Interstate 526 during speedy rush hour traffic. The car steered well, although the turning radius could have been tighter when backing and circling on a subdivision street.
Power windows and rearview mirrors were a convenience, but drivers need to be careful not to rest their arm on the buttons or they may accidently open the rear windows. The driver side window on the test model had a squeaking noise when raised or lowered.
One cool accessory especially for an entry-level model was rear window wipers and spray. The interior and cargo area have storage compartments tucked all over. The air conditioner was easy to use and cooled off the interior rapidly. The system also provides the chill to a beverage cooler in the glove compartment, another feature with "wow" appeal.
The test SXT did not have Dodge's optional MusicGate speaker system, but had a solid audio package. The few dashboard controls were not hard to figure out.
Despite a few minor glitches, the new Caliber should be expected to give Dodge that rare, yet highly sought after blend of sex appeal and economy.
2007 Dodge Caliber
Type: compact
Styles: (base) SE; (midrange) SXT; (top-line) R/T
Price range: $13,900-$23,230
Engines: SE (four-cylinder, 148 horsepower); SXT (four-cylinder, 158 hp); R/T (four-cylinder, 172 hp)
Wheels: 15-18 inch
Colors: Inferno Red, Marine Blue, Solar Yellow, Sunburst Orange, Black, Light Khaki Metallic, Stone White, Bright Silver Metallic, Steel Blue Metallic
Fuel economy: Up to 28 miles per gallon city, 32 mpg highway
Features: All-wheel-drive on R/T model, Sirius satellite radio for $195, CVT automatic transmission for $1,000.
Safety: Standard equipment includes driver, front-passenger and side-curtain air bags; child protection rear door locks
BY JIM PARKER
The Post and Courier
May 13, 2006
There's little question who DaimlerChrysler's target audience is for the 2007 Dodge Caliber compact, which is replacing the venerable yet modest Neon.
Gadgets in the Caliber include an MP3 player plug-in, cell phone holder, cooling rack for drinks, Sirius satellite radio, and optional audio system with huge speakers built into the rear door to blast tunes while tailgating.
All this and priced from $13,900, to $23,230 fully loaded.
"Kids will flock in for this one," said William D. Thompson, general manager of Rick Hendrick Dodge in Charleston. The car is "priced right," he said. "They put a lot of extras in it."
But while Dodge is aiming the Caliber at Gen X and Y, it maybe the baby boomer generation that winds up as a key customer, too. That's because the model has a practical side that should appeal to more mature drivers.
The Caliber gets up to 28 miles per gallon of gas in the city, 32 mpg on the highway. With a 13.6 gallon tank, it can go 435 miles on trips without refueling. The top-end R/T edition comes standard with all-wheel drive, a rarity for a compact car. A $1,000 extra, the Continuously Variable Transaxle system, is designed so that the automatic transmission is at its most efficient.
Trims include such exotic colors as Sunburst Orange and Inferno Red but there's more conservative exterior pigments too, such as black and stone white.
"They expected people buying them would be younger," Thompson said. But Dodge has also found the compact is popular with customers in the 30- to 50-year-old range "because it's practical," he said.
There are three Caliber styles with four-cylinder engines of varying power. The base SE has a 1.8 liter, 148-horsepower motor. The mid-range SXT, which starts around $15,000, has a 2.0 liter engine generating 158 hp. And the R/T, available for less than $20,000, has a 2.4 liter, 172 hp engine.
Customers can purchase extras such as sunroof, leather seats and 18-inch rims. The dealership got its first shipments about 45 days ago and expects to receive about 40 models before the year is out, Thompson said. Those totals should rise in 2007. "I'm sure by next year, we will have a good selection," he said.
In a quick test drive of the Caliber SXT this week, the mid-range version proved to be a comfortable, pleasing ride. The trendy Sunburst Orange exterior gave the four-door compact a sports car-like appearance.
The CVT transmission accelerated nicely in stop-and-go driving on Interstate 526 during speedy rush hour traffic. The car steered well, although the turning radius could have been tighter when backing and circling on a subdivision street.
Power windows and rearview mirrors were a convenience, but drivers need to be careful not to rest their arm on the buttons or they may accidently open the rear windows. The driver side window on the test model had a squeaking noise when raised or lowered.
One cool accessory especially for an entry-level model was rear window wipers and spray. The interior and cargo area have storage compartments tucked all over. The air conditioner was easy to use and cooled off the interior rapidly. The system also provides the chill to a beverage cooler in the glove compartment, another feature with "wow" appeal.
The test SXT did not have Dodge's optional MusicGate speaker system, but had a solid audio package. The few dashboard controls were not hard to figure out.
Despite a few minor glitches, the new Caliber should be expected to give Dodge that rare, yet highly sought after blend of sex appeal and economy.
2007 Dodge Caliber
Type: compact
Styles: (base) SE; (midrange) SXT; (top-line) R/T
Price range: $13,900-$23,230
Engines: SE (four-cylinder, 148 horsepower); SXT (four-cylinder, 158 hp); R/T (four-cylinder, 172 hp)
Wheels: 15-18 inch
Colors: Inferno Red, Marine Blue, Solar Yellow, Sunburst Orange, Black, Light Khaki Metallic, Stone White, Bright Silver Metallic, Steel Blue Metallic
Fuel economy: Up to 28 miles per gallon city, 32 mpg highway
Features: All-wheel-drive on R/T model, Sirius satellite radio for $195, CVT automatic transmission for $1,000.
Safety: Standard equipment includes driver, front-passenger and side-curtain air bags; child protection rear door locks
It has plenty of room for me and the kids. Worked well with the strap on the headrest type DVD player. (They need to offer one of these lol) It also has the cargo room to allow me to still get what I need home. The Caliber is a product that came from a Ram and a Neon "getting together" (Sorry, my bestfriend says that 
