2010 Dodge Caliber Review

Well rounded and fun is an excellent way to describe the 2010 Dodge Caliber. It's a compact car that offers the versatility and confidence of a SUV. It's part wagon, part minivan and part hatchback; all combined into an innovative 5-door, 5-passenger vehicle. 5-door hatchbacks, although very popular in many European countries, are just starting to take off in the United States. The practical design and manufacturing standards of the Caliber are helping that to happen in a big way; it's definitely a hit.

There are four models of the 2010 Caliber from Dodge: Express, Heat, Mainstreet and Rush. Base Express trims feature retail pricing beginning at $16,880; making it an affordable, fun and safe family vehicle. The NHTSA has awarded 5-star safety ratings in front and side impact crash tests. Competitors including the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and the Hyundai Elantra Touring are trying their best to match the value that the Caliber presents.

Standard safety features on all trim levels of the 2010 Caliber include:

• 4-wheel antilock braking that modulates pressure to allow all wheels to continue turning in hard braking situations;
• Front, overhead and knee airbags;
• Frontal seat belt pretensioners that tighten automatically to keep occupants as safe as they can be during a collision;
• Head restraints that prevent whiplash in the event of a rear collision;
• A vehicle security system with an ignition disable device;
• And the list goes on...

The Dodge Caliber 2010, although classified as a compact car, doesn't appear or feel like it. It's 173.8 inches long, 68.8 inches wide and 60.4 inches tall. Its wheelbase is 103.7 inches and base trims clear the ground by 7.0 inches. The Caliber's curb weight of just 3039 pounds makes it that much easier for the 2.0L 158hp I4 engine to propel it quickly and efficiently. The I4 joins forces with a 5-speed manual transmission to produce 141 lb-ft of torque at 5000 RPM. On the inside, front occupants will enjoy 40 inches of headroom, 54 inches of shoulder room, 52 inches of hip room and a pleasing 41.8 inches of legroom. Not exactly the Taj Mahal, but spacious and comfortable enough to still enjoy long journeys. You'll also find 18.5 standard cubic feet of luggage capacity that can be expanded up to 48.0 cubic feet by lowering the rear seats.

The 2010 Dodge Caliber has a maximum towing capacity of 1000 pounds. All trims are front wheel-driven and require a 17.7 foot turning radius. Because EPA estimations for fuel economy concerning the Caliber are reported at a wallet-loving 23/31 mpg urban/rural, you can expect to travel well over 350 miles with its 13.6-gallon fuel reservoir filled. Enjoy all the practicality and efficiency of the Dodge Caliber beginning today!