Test Drive Dodge Caliber since 2006 Hatchback

Special opinion

The first officially appeared on our market Dodge is absolutely on the drum, which represents the European and Asian golf class cars by which rules. Like a true American, he has his own look at things.




Fire, battery!
Charge an instrument of the time of the first domestic war Oh as not easy. And the people need a lot. One trunk of banits, then you will cool the wet shomeptol. The second bags fall asleep, the third canine. The fourth phytyl set fires ... time is out of the car, the pretext of the loud and rolling Ba-Bah!.

I guess that the presentation of the caliber on the Borodino field next to the guns and the importers' grenaders pushed frankly military name of the model. However, parallels can be carried out further. Painfully long for two years! Packaged and charged Americans. Tested, looked like the people will respond to unofficially imported durango. And what? Like thunder among a clear sky, we had a completely different and, perhaps, the most in the Dodzhem family is an extraordinary model. Outside, this wonderful machine looks greatly for the sorewood, and it turns out to be an ordinary passenger hatchbeck with compactne making.
 

And it's great that the caliber is all such a jeep and muscular. Non-stroke Radiator grille with cross in the middle, a stubborn view of square headlights and wide wheeled arches, multiplied by the discharged light, sweep the people from the left row no worse than the janitor painting with autumn foliage. Yes, he is very good in statics (do not think about the janitor). The high waist line, falling to the roof of the roof, huge rear light scatteers create an image of a kind of harness that can in the case of which to stand up for itself. Such a great fit in the city landscape, somewhere in the parking lot at the fashion club, and on the graveyard next to the country house it will look very good.
 



Friend of youth and not only
Do you think that only Rap's kings, Gangsta fighting and other bad guys from New York streets can not live without silent cars with such music, what will get and deaf? Daimler-Chrysler marketers, to whom it belongs to Dodge, is considered otherwise. In their opinion, the White Collar, who left nine to six in the office, simply dreams after work to throw his tie away, jump into the car and go on a party. That's exactly how they see customers of the caliber.
 

Why not? If you choose Dodge not in the basic configuration, but with P2 package, you will receive two powerful folding speakers attached to the rear door. Sound, by the way, they give out quite decent. Agree, very useful fever for a party in nature. Yes, and the neighbors in the country, respecting the work of the circle, you can give a decent fire.
 

But this is not all the bulls. The front cup holders have a fashionable neon backlight, and the ceiling in the back of the cabin can be pulled out and use as a flashlight. Again, use if the light is disconnected for non-payment.
 

However, the jokes to the side, the caliber is really practical and a spacious car. He is noticeably larger than his nominal classmates. As a result, an adult even an impressive complex will be the same convenient and front, and in the rear sofa. The backs of which, by the way, can not only be folded in parts, but also adjust the angle of inclination. And the front right chair the backrest is foldable. It turns out a fairly convenient table or additional space for the carriage of long.
 

Skillfully planned and glove box. There are two compartments in it: one is perfect for atlases and road maps, another, with cooling, is intended for tanks with drinks. It's easily come here four along zero five, and a specially molded rubber insert will not allow the bottles to ride and grow.

But no matter how neither Americans tried to make the interior as noble as the European cars, it turned out not all folding. The devices flown into wells with white scales, and the rectangular central console look, of course, stylish. But the fact that the famous Soviet satirik is unlikely to approve. Plastic Rings, not only when they knock on it with a fist, but sometimes while driving. And elbows frankly painfully rely on stone armrests. In the handles above the doors they will fit only the palms of the child. And what is this painful passion from Chrysler designers to air conditioner regulators with microscopic buttons? It is uncomfortable to use such.

 
   
In the sliding armrest there is also a convenient turning pocket, exactly suitable for a mobile phone
 

In boxing under the lid of the central armrest, easily fit with a dozen CDs
 

In front of the passenger of as many three compartments with a total capacity of 13 liters
 
  
Cruise control Standard equipment SXT version with 2-liter motor
 

The rear speakers are easily cleaned at the door and do not claim the place in the trunk
 

With a spectacular leather interior, the car costs almost $ 30,000




Concurrently
But may if they want. I mean can customize the car so that he can ride not only on Highways with the complete absence of bumps. Caliber, unlike its numerous countrymen, nice to control. Let the steering wheel still do not have that sharpness that golf or astra, but they feel a car very well in the turns. And on the waves, Dodge behaves quite noble, only sorting out, but without any damage to driving. Given the high center of mass and clearance in 195 mm, it is really achieving.
 

Moreover, minimum rolls and decent behavior in turns did not cause excessive stiffness. The characteristic American smoothness of the Kaliber has not lost and well isolates its passengers from small choseli and asphalt junctions, and the Koldybin village swallows without problems. On the last in dry weather, you can move without special feet: the ground clearance is 4 cm more than that of ordinary passenger cars.
 

However, all the aforementioned delights of the merit is not only Dodge specialists. After all, the chassis of the car was developed at the time when Daimler-Chrysler drove tight friendship with Mitsubishi. Yes, and Motors for Dodge were developed together. As a result, the engines of the caliber were not at all American, where with a huge volume, a handful of horsepower is removed. Take a look at the motor 1.8 l 150 horses in the harness, and in a 2-liter 156 liter. with. And without adequate. Weightful indicators are not often the basic versions of the golf class can boast an aggregate to one and a half hundred forces.
 

However, even his more powerful brother is distinguished by a very calm temper. It is worth noting that if only a 1,8-liter motor is based on a manual box, then the 2-liter is combined exclusively with the variator. And for a quiet ride, this duet is that the doctor prescribed. But if I wanted to sharply accelerate, you'll have to wait about half a second, while the engine will break the turnover, and the variator will change the transfer ratio. You can use the manual mode of the box of already with six steps, but it is ideally suited only to braking by the engine. Even with high speeds on the gas, the car reacts nevertheless with light delay, not allowing turns to undergo treasure. Nevertheless, adapting, you can confidently make overtaking and at a speed of 120 km / h.

But then the overclocking speaker is no longer ahti. Anyway, as an aerodynamics of the caliber, is far from the subject of its pride, the air resistance coefficient of 0.37, and in fact, like a jeep. And noisy in the cabin at high speeds is not only due to the wind, confused in the front racks. The engine after 3000 rpm also contributes its significant contribution. Alas, but with a neighbor the right had to talk, raising his voice. In a long trip, the noise is very tired.
 



Options are possible
Is it possible to put up with it? How to know. Looking for what you buy this car. If for a family and implies frequent long-distance travel, then it is not worth it. If you have to drive around the city, pickles in its surroundings or as a simply fashionable accessory, then, perhaps, the caliber is suitable. Stylish, roomy, comfortable, with a complaint of jeepiness, it costs quite reasonable money. Let the basic equipment for the I17 700 with a 1.8-liter engine and mechanical mechanics cannot boast air conditioning. But here's really defective the effort of importers! After paying just a hundred euros, you will receive this air conditioner, and in addition more rubber mats. Unheardly cheap. Such joy of life, as an audio system with a CD changer and unique twisted speakers, will require another 900. In principle, accessible.
 

That's just with the car variator are expensive. Six horsepower Advantages of a 2-liter engine Gottage not so noticeable. It turns out that the box is more convenient in the city will have to lay out and3000. What raises the price of the car above $ 26,000. Advanced not so much, you can buy a good equipped Korean Parquer.
    
It's only the beginning

Caliber is only the beginning of the discharge of Dodge to our market. Orders are already accepted for the legendary roadster Viper. The violence with a breathtaking 506-strong motor will cost from the I129 800. By the way, the most powerful caliber-srt4 is promised to bring to us. As for all-wheel drive version, importers are still deposited. However, it is likely that his brother jeep compass, which, most likely, will get to Russia next year, will be equipped with a drive and on all wheels.
 
PER

Stylish appearance, comfortable and roomy interior, good handling, good smoothness, rich package of complete sets, reasonable price of the basic version
AGAINST

Materials of the interior decoration are only on a troechka, mediocre noise insulation, expensive variator
 
 
Dodge Caliber 2.0 (1.8)

Total information
 
Body (number of places / doors)
Hatchback (5/5)
 
Curb weight, kg
1360 (1320)
 
Length x Width x Height, mm
4415x1800x1535
 
Base, mm.
2635.
 
Pitch, mm.
1520.
 
The volume of the trunk, l
524/1339.
 
Acceleration time 0100 km / h, with
11.3 (12.8)
 
Speed, km / h
186 (170)
 
Fuel consumption, l / 100 km
6.9 / 10.1 (6 / 9.6)
 
Fuel tank capacity, l
51.
 

Engine
 
Location
Front cross
 
Design
gasoline row 4-cylinder
 
Working volume, SMZ
1998 (1798)
 
Power, hp at rpm
156/6300 (150/6500)
 
Torque, kgmm at rpm
19.4 / 5100 (17,1 / 5200)
 

Chassis
 
Drive unit
on the front wheels
 
Transmission
Continuous variator (5-st. MKP)
 
Suspension
Independent, spring, with telescopic shock absorbers and transverse stability stabilizers
 
in front
Type Mac Foodson
 
behind
Multi-type
 
Steering
Rack type with amplifier
 
Torkemose
Disk, ventilated front
 
Tires
215/60 R17
 

Car
from 0.22 $ / km
 
 
Andrei Koltun, photo Maxim Potcharov
 
 

A source: Journal buy cars [15/2006]