Test Drive Dodge Caliber since 2006 Hatchback

All photos of Dodge Caliber since 2006

Brothers in caliber

The view of Grozny, the front-wheel drive, customer requirements are the most diverse. The strengths and weaknesses of Dodia-Calibr and Nissan-Cascai detected Sergey Voskresensky.

Dodge Caliber
The five-door hatchback with the characteristic appearance of the PARKETING made his debut in 2006. Homeland offers two types of driving full and front, in Europe and Russia only front.
Engines: gasoline 1.82.0 l (140 156 hp).
Transmission: 5-speed mechanical (1.8 l), stepless variator (2.0 l).
Package: P0, P1, P2.
The price of basic complete sets: є17 70023 100 ($ 23,90031 200).
Nissan Qashqai.
The compact crossover appeared in Russia in the spring, becomes a bestseller. The car is sold in full and front-wheel drive options.
Engines: gasoline 1.62.0 l (115 141 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical (1.6 l, front-wheel drive), 6-speed mechanical or stepless variator (2.0 l, front or complete drive).
Feedback: XE, SE, SE +, LE, LE +.
Price: $ 21,90034 350.
So who are they? If just universals, why are the impressive road clearance when driven only on the front wheels? Mini Wenny? It is unlikely, because the internal space of the usual class of class with sizes. Well, for parquets, you yourself understand, muscles are missing. Lico having risen on a cozy green lawn, risk staying on it for a long time, until helping ... These cars, rather, asphalt and seem to be well adapted to our streets. It remains to understand whether this assumption is true.

OPA! America Europe!
Mighty and some kind of immense front panel. Powerful body racks, a series of small side windows. Outside, it all looks in the spirit of time, because the car should defend. Inside the caliber it seems to be enough light, shaved with a warm palette of rough plastics; Even their puffed rigidity does not cause much rejection. However, it is difficult not to notice the gouring closure of space, a promotional driver's seat profile and an uncomfortable entrance to the rear. Understand why the movement of the rotation indicators lever requires titanic efforts, and the helica work of the togglers causes confusion. After all, there are spent schemes!
But most annoying the other: Dodge-caliber is a representative of a completely different world, in which the Russian price of almost 24,000 euros looks like ... implausible. In the States for this money, you can probably buy two caliber. Well, one and a half exactly!
In many ways, the car is quite logical. The grip, perfectly lying in the hands of the steering wheel, comfortable lever of the variator, pedals, cheerful on the background of the rest of the device's combination. And, of course, the glove box, the cover of which should certainly fall on his knees, but open access to the whole battery cooled beverages.

Against the background of American Nissan-Cascai looks slightly prim, dressed in a rigorous suit from dark powdered plastics and leather. There is a desire to look expensive, and the car in this configuration for $ 28 150 it is possible much more than the competitor.
For nothing, in all the wellness and integrity. If the climate installation, then separate for the driver and the front passenger, if the steering wheel is adjusted not to doubt, in both directions. High landing on a swotume driver's seat not only improves the sense of dimensions of the machine, but also enhances the feeling of a large quiet car ...
Although Nissan should be chicting for heavy body racks, an inner mirror, forcing it to fit it in search of a better visibility, and a wide threshold that prevents landing from behind.
In the ambition area
At first glance, Dodge Caliber is sufficiently comfortable, his behavior on the road weigly and predictably. Of course, it is felt that in the settings of the car there is nothing extraordinary, but everything is very good. Yes, the tandem the engine carrier is too dumbfounded, when overtaking every time I forcing the pedal to the floor. Overclocking fills

salon loud doomed roar. But it is worth moving to the manual control of the variator, Dodge pleases instantaneous switching and very good trap. And most importantly, almost completely disappears an adsatory howl by 6000 rpm.
However, the established was mutual understanding only to the pore. The conspicency is designed for a specific high-speed range and a calm control manner. It is worth going out for 110120 km / h, comfortable suspensions allow the splitting of the body on tariated wave-like irregularities. In addition, they become rude, too noisy on seams and asphalt chips.
The seemingly quite reliable handling is also worsening. Just a car albeit not very willingly, but quite confidently entered the turn. Slightly add speed, and the caliber begins to swing strongly in turns, frightening with digging and rolls. It seems that the engineers set the car to the demands of the overseas traffic rules, and they simply waved his hand to the rest.
Some misunderstanding arising from us with Casca several months ago (SP, 2007, No. 4), now melts in front of his eyes. Then its settings seemed correct, but deprived of expressiveness. Now communicating with the car in joy. The six-speed mechanics completely revealed the capabilities of a 2 liter engine. Cascazy cheerfully, with a twinkle perceives the driver team. He is clearly on the soul of the bold, sometimes even with a small slip of the start from traffic lights. In this case, the motor is convenient and elastic and in more calmer modes. 6080 km / h It easily allows you to go to the highest gears of the box and roll, enjoying the well-coordinated reactions of the machine. Alas, caliber, despite even a slightly big energy transport, loses Nissan in all articles.

Cascai continues to score glasses, being also noticeably quieter, more comfortable opponent. Engine sounds, tires, aerodynamic missticks are so muted, which can not be tighted to talk at 100120 km / h or listen to soft music.
Good handling Another feature of Nissan. Not everyone will have to do the soul unexpectedly large and some kind of artificial effort on the steering wheel. Dodge-caliber in this sense is more convenient. However, trying to Cashkai in the case, a lot forgiving to him, realizing that at high speed it is a strict steering wheel that allows you to better feel the car. The car is surprisingly emotional in fast turns, and accuracy, the factories of his behavior can envy other ordinary passenger cars.
But the suspension settings caused bewilderment. Dense and coarsely, they shake on the irregularities, at first inspired confidence in all-road opportunities. You get used to it quickly, especially since the growth of Nissan is becoming more comfortable. The troubles begin on the seams and chips of the asphalt, where the shock absorbers seem to be locked, refusing to damping the oscillations. On a truly broken road, the suspension is clanging, showing that they are absolutely not adapted to such conditions.
Burden of popularity
Bad roads they do not like! Despite the formidable appearance and impressive ground clearance. Nissan-Cashkai and Dodja-Calibr fought more on the passenger rules. The rest of the tribute to fashion, the desire to fill out another consumer niche in a diverse and constantly expanding automotive world.
This niche has already formed. High cars with large road lumen learned to be almost passenger: compact, rapid, obedient. Now it would be necessary to adapt all this to our roads, first of all not only urban. You look, and the four-wheel drive will not need.
Sergey Voskresensky: At first, in these machines, it impresses a solid appearance, which gives birth to a feeling of permissiveness: Jource where I want and as I want. Then the feeling of everyday comes: in general, a passenger car, which has a little more opportunities.

Dodge Caliber Despite a large amount of leakage, it is too utilitated and easy to be in its qualities and opportunities. Apparently, he was still not very clearly determined by a niche.
Total rating of 7.4
+ Big ground clearance, original additional equipment.
- Very mediocre visibility, a tendency to the splint of the body, uninteresting handling.
Nissan Qashqai is not at all in vain in the top three best-selling Nissanov in Russia. Car with character. That's just manifests its abilities exclusively on smooth roads.
Total rating of 8.1
+ Communicable and thoughtful interior, convenient controls, high acoustic comfort, temperamental behavior on the road.
- mediocre visibility, vulnerability on bad roads.