2010 Dodge Caliber: No More SRT4, But a New Diesel for Europe

Better interior than the Fit, Corolla, Matrix, etc. All small cars have "expanses of gray plastic".

If the Caliber's interior was like this to begin with, it would get a lot less flak. Good remodel.

Interesting that the passenger side is different in the two pictures.

It was the wrong car to put the srt 4 moniker on. They should have put it on the avenger instead of that fat bodied station wagon. They also should have stepped up the game an run the all wheel drive that you could get on the R/t. More brilliance from the Chrysler group.

Technically I think a performance Avenger would be an SRT-6. The Vehicle already gets a V6, so i Doubt they would put the turbo-4 in there. A performance Avenger will be even more appealiing though when it switches to a RWD platform though.

@ dlibby: Avenger won't be RWD.

@ carswapper: The AWD system from the Caliber RT couldn't handle the torque output from the turbo 4.

The worst part of the Caliber isn't its horrible interior. It's the horrible CVT. The same 2.4l 4 cylinder gets much better gas mileage in the Sebring/Avenger when equipped with the 6 speed auto.

I know that but how hard is it to upgrade the parts? If Joe Tuner can build a turbo car in his garage why cant they? No other company runs a 2.4L turbo with AWD?

Suby, I love it when WRX owners roll down their rear windows at my SRT-4... it makes it that much more enjoyable when I outrun them. Even from a dead stop.

@carswapper: Joe Tuner's turbo car probably lasts 50k between rebuilds. Factory reliability standards vs. backyard reliability standards are quite different.

I think they should have kept the SRT-4. Part of the reason I never considered it was because of the poor quality in the rest of the car.

@carswapper: Joe Tuner's turbo car probably lasts 50k between rebuilds. Factory reliability standards vs. backyard reliability standards are quite different.

I think they should have kept the SRT-4. Part of the reason I never considered it was because of the poor quality in the rest of the car.

Good improvement.

Well, your car is faster, slickersdrip...

...in a straight line! :o)

If they'd introduced the Caliber this way to start with, it would be slightly less of a laughingstock than it is now, and Chrysler would be slightly less dead.

Not impressed.

The Caliber design in general was DOA from the beginning.

I got so excited when the first pictures of the car came out. But then my excitement quickly died when I actually saw the car in the show room. So I went next door and bought me an Evo...

"I think they should have kept the SRT-4. Part of the reason I never considered it was because of the poor quality in the rest of the car."

In 2007 I were cursed with a Caliber rental while on vacation in MT. My wife and I called the interior the Tupperware Signature Edition. What an absolutely dismal car. After that the SRT-4 was never on my radar screen.

Looks very v-dub, but with better looking gauges and center stack. Hope someone, some where will pay it enough attention to re-review it.

I had no idea the Caliber came in SRT-4 trim. Diesel is a great idea, though.

"I had no idea the Caliber came in SRT-4 trim."

The SRT-4 never really lived up to the reputation of its Neon ancestor. The SRT-4 and the HHR SS essentially filled the "fast gawky trucks for import haters" niche...

Haha, Loren. I've never gotten a chance to autoX my SRT-4 against a 'Rex, but it would be fun. I've put some money into my Neon for suspension that I'd hope I could keep up in the corners (Hotchkiss sway bars, strut braces, adjustable traction bars, H brace, Mopar rear control arms, solid motor mounts, transmission mounts, wider, sticky tires, etc.)...

I'm hoping to go to get out of the University of Texas and head to grad school at USC like my dad in the next year or so, so we could see then...

I'd love to see a "track tested" post on the diesel.

From Green Car Advisor, the Caliber CRD 2.2L (Mercedes) gets 40.6 mpg combined on Euro test cycle with 6-speed manual, and can tow 3,300 pounds. While the original interior was awful, this one looks pretty decent. Too bad US emissions standards are on a slightly different track than Europe's; this car would be on my short list. Japan is smarter, their latest emissions standards match Euro6, so they can commonize emissions technology.

"The SRT-4 never really lived up to the reputation of its Neon ancestor. The SRT-4 and the HHR SS essentially filled the "fast gawky trucks for import haters" niche..."

LOL! Classic stuff dude! Yeah both were crap that offered no performance whatsoever. Thanks for reminding us.

"Yeah both were crap that offered no performance whatsoever."

I never said that they were crap, but they were far from dominant in either their market segment or sales numbers. What a shame; I'm sure that both were world-class vehicles that failed only because of the rampant bias of the automotive press.

"I'm hoping to go to get out of the University of Texas and head to grad school at USC like my dad in the next year or so"

Blasphemy!!

roadburner:

The press generally liked those vehicles. You never make any sense. They didnt even have much direct competition. Maybe the MS3 since its a wagon. The WRX, Si and Cobalt SS were not direct competitiors since they were sedans/coupes and the WRX has AWD.

You have sales numbers for either? Manufacturers dont break out sales of specific trims. How would you know how either sold? Oh wait, you don't know. But you commented anyway. Shocking.

"You never make any sense."

To you, anyway.

"You have sales numbers for either?"

Do you?

"How would you know how either sold? Oh wait, you don't know. But you commented anyway. Shocking."

I'm sure that Chrysler and Gubmint Motors cancelled the SRT-4 and HHR SS because they were selling so well.

I actually thought that i had read on here that the next avenger was switching to version of the charger platform and would have RWD to differntiate it more from the sebring...

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2009/07/dodge-avenger-may-switch-to-rwd-challenger-platform.html

There it is. It would be cool.