This last week, I had a chace to jump behind the wheel of a pre production version of the Caliber SXT and take it for a spin. I like the engine responsiveness, and the CVT2 does a good job of keeping the car in it's power band. It's a little odd at first as you keep waiting for the thing to shift, and a shift never comes. Pretty cool. The car looks good from the front, almost like a mini Magnum. I can't say the same for the rear, it's stacked to high and has too many goofy angles for my liking. The fit and finish on this car was cheesy, but it was a pre production unit, so I won't pass any judgement on that front.

 

Couldn't tell the difference between the ones in the pics and the one you drove?

 

The production version is now at dealers. I drove an SXT while having a recall performed on my wife's PT Cruiser.

I'm very interested in seeing how this car will do. It's a tall hatch but with much of the look and feel of an SUV. Especially with the ultra-deep dash and heavy feel it felt like a mini-Durango to me.

Strengths: like nothing else, functional interior

The big downsides: very cheap interior materials and the deep dash. I also thought the rear seat would be roomier, but it's still adequate.

Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_221800074884

 

Nope, no obvious differences. Looked just like the pics to me.

 

This is unfortunate. With all the improvements Chrysler has made with fit and finish quality, you would expect better from the Caliber. I was hoping that the cheap interior was just because of the car I drove being a pre-production, but apparantly that's not the case. My Neon has a higher quality interior than that car. This is a real let down.

 

are you blind!!! The neons interior sucks!!! the caliber is way better inside than the neon. The only complaint i have is the thick pillars

 

Yeah, i'd have to agree with that, my dealer had just gotten in a caliber SXT so I had taken a look at it when I brought my car in for an oil change, it's a vast improvement over the neon's interior.

Of course i'm sure once consumer reports test it we'll get the same "the interior is to much plastic" which then give for almost every american car, even though basicaly every car out there's interior is almost all plastic except for high end cars with some real wood trim, or the cars that have some aluminum/chrome accents.

 

I agree with the others. The Neon's interior was really cheap looking. I owned an '02 Neon ES with the leather group, and other options in it and everything still looked very cheap. The Caliber interior looks very upscale for a $14,000 car IMO.

 

Ditto... Caliber interior > Neon interior

 

I'm still not sure I like the new car. Maybe it will grow on me with time.