2007 Dodge Caliber: live shots at NAIAS
Autoblogger Chris attended the debut of the replacement to the venerable Neon. While official information can be found here, the following are some of Chris' thoughts and impressions on the DCX presser, complete with a troupe of Russian clowns and SNL vet David Spade.
"It looks pretty solid in person, with versatile packaging and good interior space for the class. Nice options like the iPod integration (with holder), glovebox cooler, and rear hatch-mounted speakers are clever. Best thing? The base MSRP that was announced this morning... really a deal. Plastics don't look so hot, but on the low end of the trim-level scale, there's really nothing to complain about. Rear end is likewise more attractive in person than in photos."
[More pictures can be found after the jump]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
mark 5:38PM (1/10/2006)
Maybe it's just me but isn't it just kind of boring? Outside is okay.. inside is bland.. eh.. like the neon, nothing that special..
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JayNorth 5:42PM (1/10/2006)
I love my iPod, and this looks the ultimate iPod accessory! Yeah, the HHR is nice too (as an iPod accessory)
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Chris 5:44PM (1/10/2006)
A little photo mirroring on that interior shot ehh. I agree with Mark, boring interior, it's what we've come to expect from this bunch.
What we want is a photo with someone standing next to it. It looks bigger than it is from all the car only shots.
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JustMe 6:15PM (1/10/2006)
The top photo makes the car look thick and ponderous compared to other, more flattering photos. Still an nice car that'll sell.
I wonder what DCX will do with the PT Cruiser after the Caliber and Compass make the PT irrelevant.
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Tim UF 6:23PM (1/10/2006)
what is it with profile shots of all these new cars looking like hotwheels ??
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Dodge Caliber 6:51PM (1/10/2006)
I can hardly wait for the SRT version of the Caliber.
If youre interested in the Caliber, check out http://www.caliberforums.com/
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Dodge Caliber 6:55PM (1/10/2006)
I saw the Caliber in person at SEMA and I was impressed by the looks in person, the pictures didnt do it justice.
I think the poster here also had the same impression as me.
http://www.caliberforums.com
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Jay 7:02PM (1/10/2006)
>I agree with Mark, boring interior, it's what we've
>come to expect from this bunch.
I think if it didn't have such cheap-looking plastics, it'd be a very nice interior...it's clean and well designed, but it just looks so low rent. Surely they could have thrown in a couple of hundred bucks worth of soft-touch on it...wouldn't have hurt the bottom line that much...
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Kaveh 7:07PM (1/10/2006)
I predict that is going to be wildly popular car like the 300. It is seriously piquing my interest as a replacment for my 93 VW Golf. Kudos to DCX for showing that vehicle designed and built in NA don't have to be boring or junky.
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mark 7:48PM (1/10/2006)
to #8(Jay)
Yeah that is exactly it, it's low rent.. Too much plastic, it would've been a nice design with some better materials. you hit it exactly right with what I was feeling too about boring..
to #3(Chris) - I know, I shouldn't expect more from this bunch, they've been doing it for years..
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Karl 7:49PM (1/10/2006)
That empty slot under the radio looks like it's for an 8-track tape.
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FM 8:49PM (1/10/2006)
Dodge Caliiber:The official clown-mobille?
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ryan 9:09PM (1/10/2006)
i love this car...my father is one of the managers at the plant that builds it and everyone there is 100 times more impressed with the caliber than the neon, or the outgoing civic, the outgoing jetta, the matrix, the vibe...etc.
i think the one thing they really messed up on...was the radio...and the gauge colors...sure its electroluminescent...but i had a dodge stratus coupe...the black on amber is soo much sexier and appropriate for this...light blue/green is for trucks and suvs.
not sport cars..
but hey, ferrari does it too!
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billy barnes 9:10PM (1/10/2006)
What is it with Dodge and the "boxy theme" of the interiors these days? The thing has an interior that looks cheap...it may be durable. So it's a toss up as to whether the materials will hold up in daily use. Although, as a former Dodge owner I will comment that a Dodge's material and mechanical quality is always a toss up... No worse than most american nor japanese brands.
I mean my current car is a stylish late model japanese car (that is a Caliber competitor) and its interior material quality show signs of cost cutting upon close inspection.
I read Dodge was marketing to 20-somethings banking 45k? Do they really think someone with an average income of 45k will choose this over something more stylish? This thing is truck-ish in a bad way. It's like a "hatchback-truck." Why didn't they bring back the D50, if they wanted a 4cyl. for thier truck brand?!
But I wonder whether Dodge is trying to shed the used beater image of the Neon with a "starter SUV." But how can a *DODGE* Caliber offer both hip, upscale and "economical" features without having a huge depreciation?
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lavardera 9:51PM (1/10/2006)
it looks like a little truck. big grille, pumped up wheel arches, high door sills. Why make a car look like an SUV? leaves me flat.
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Will 10:20PM (1/10/2006)
i want to see more inside shots. so far i like the styling from the outside, but the inside is what i really car about.
from what ive seen, it has a really nice interior for the price. any sub 17k car you look at pretty much has the typical blah, i even think the scions have a boring interior.
this is one of the cars i will consider buying, since it has the world engines in it and is well equipped for around $16k plus ttl
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John 10:30PM (1/10/2006)
are you guys really bitching about a low-rent plasticy interior in a car that starts at around 13K? What do you expect, wood-grain and brushed aluminum!? Its an econobox, its supposed to be cheap and economical... i cant remember ever being impressed with the interior of civics, corollas, etc. For what it is - a Chrysler Vibe, its going to sell well.
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David Krohse 10:34PM (1/10/2006)
All the pictures of the show are annoying. Especially the pictures of the new chrysler and half the pictures just look like snow. Lets see more pictures of the cars.
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Glenn Laycock 11:29PM (1/10/2006)
I have really enjoyed all my Neon, SX's ... but you know what this reminds me of?
When the Civic at around 1984 came out and it looked more like a station wagon then a hatchback (they actually did do a station wagaon version of it, but the hatch was very station wagon-like). I was so annoyed initially when I saw it, I was wondering what the heck happened to the fun Civic.
Well within a short time, particularly after went to the dealer to look at them -- I just CRAVED having one in the worst way. They seemed a generation ahead of the competition -- I imagined living in the car it seem so versatile.
Now the CRX came out eventually to keep the Sexy Sports car thing going for them; and even to day I do not see hatchbacks as sexy or sporty particularly; but versitile and great for a young person who lives the car experience they are hard to beat.
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JB 12:07AM (1/11/2006)
now that they have officially intro'ed the Caliber and Compass, when is DCX going to announce the Patriot? That seems like the perfect replacement for my aging Cherokee.
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