Posibly on par with the 2nd gen neon, I didn't like the 2nd gen due to styling and performance, the 1st gen's did 0-60 in 7.6 seconds.

And yes, there are spots you are basicaly dumped onto the highways here.

here's a satilite image of one of the short ramps.
http://maps.google.com/?ll=42.570669...5,0.004603&t=k

here's one of a parking lot off of the highway, yes you litteraly turn out of the parking lot and you are on the highway, speed limit is I belive 50, people going 60 there is not uncommon.
http://maps.google.com/?ll=42.466984...4,0.004603&t=k

 

To me the ramps there are no different there than they are here in DM, and I have seen a couple Calibers get up to speed on the ramp with no problems...To me it sounds like an acceleration problem with the driver; than acceleration problem with the car!

 

If those are your examples, those are very poor examples. The first one shows that yes, the ramp onto the expressway is short, and has a curve which means you wont gain as much speed as a straight ramp, but you are given A LOT of distance in your own lane before having to merge with traffic. I could easily get the Caliber up to 70 in that area.
As for the one that dumps you on the Expressway, man, so what! We have those in a lot of places here in Michigan. Telegraph road, which is a pretty well known road, has a lot of distance on it that the speed limit is 50, and people are always doing 55-60. It is almost exactly like what you showed us in that pic. You leave a lot and are put right on Telegraph. I make that drive every day going to work in Southfield, and have pulled out onto Telegraph so many times I couldnt even give you an estimate. Telegraph is avery busy road too!

"Telegraph Road is located in the Detroit, Michigan area. It starts near the airport (S. of Detroit) and pretty much runs in a northern direction to Pontiac, Michigan (and the Pontiac Silver Dome where Mark performed). It's a well traveled highway that often has heavy traffic, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours. It is also known as Route 24 and additionally carries Route 10 traffic on it's northern end."

Plus I live in Detroit, we have enough traffic and "old expressways" that I would see if anything you were saying was a problem.

So sorry man, but none of this pans out, besides, if this was such a problem, what do people with Escort's and old station wagons and old Chryslers, old or even some new whatever, that dont have even half the acceleration of the Caliber do?

They must make it through otherwise there would be news all over about how much of a problem it is.

I know that my Caliber can get up to highway speed faster than my Explorer, and the Explorer is the highest sold SUV in its class, so if it was a problem for the Caliber, it sure as well would be a problem for the top heavy Explorer that cant make the slight turn onto the expressway as easy, and would be going slower.

I bet you I could be up to 40 when making that curve in the first pic, and up to 70 by the end of the merging lane without even nailing it, thats just general acceleration. We have our own "short" onramps here in MI, some are much shorter than that, to where they have signs for traffic on the expressway that say "Merging vehicles may be slower than traffic due to short ramp" and I have been on those ramps and never had a problem.

So it sounds like a driver problem, not a vehicle problem.

 

Here ya go, Telegraph road at a point where the speed limit is 50. Looks pretty similar doesnt it?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...3,0.005407&t=h

 

Just some stats...

Power to Weight ratios...

1. Dodge Neon RT - 150 hp / 2,712 lbs = 18.08
2. Dodge Caliber SXT - 158 hp / 3,039 lbs = 19.23
3. Dodge Caliber RT AWD - 172 hp / 3,308 = 19.23
4. Dodge Neon SE - 132 hp / 2,581 lbs = 19.55
5. Dodge Neon SXT - 132 hp / 2,626 lbs = 19.89
6. Dodge Caliber SE - 148 hps / 2,966 lbs = 20.04

The less poweful Neon RT will definately take the Caliber SXT and RT by a lot...

My base model SE will almost take the Caliber RT... actually, with the minor mods I have, I would probably win...

These new Calibers are great, but they weigh too much for my taste. If I bought one, I'd have to do some weight reduction...

 

To me there is more to a car than speed. Yes; speed a good quality, but there is always a faster car out there than what you have. Plus within a year or two there will be ad ons mods for this car, and could be as fast as your Neon. To me NEONS burned out a few years ago even before the SRT-4, and needed to be replaced. I like the Caliber and just because it may be a tad heavier than the Neon; makes no difference to me, and isnt going to make me dislike the Caliber.

 

I'm not saying the only thing that matters is speed... But I would like my car to be light on it's feet and have some *****...

 

Thanks for getting the stats together.

I dont know what the R/T Neon offered, so I would take your word for it on a race.

Still, I am willing to bet that with the way the CVT works that the Caliber R/T offers a lot better performance in passing and expressway driving. I honestly have never been in a 4-cylinder vehicle that actually improves its performance at higher speeds. Its usally the V-8's that do better because they can push all that torque around at lower RPM's, and the 4-cyls just rev a lot without actually accomplishing as much.

This Caliber though, man, it can move even when you are already doing 75-80 without any trouble at all.

The Caliber is a heavy beast compared to a lot of compact cars, but I have taken this thing through some corners and it, at least with the stiffer R/T suspension, handles pretty damn well for its weight class.

Anyway, I think what we need is to have someone take a Neon R/T and race a Caliber R/T, both stock, so we can really see whats up, until then all we have is speculation and our gut feeling of how each car seems to accelerate.

 

And it's even worse when you look at the neon i'm talking about, the 1st gens with the DOHC 2.0, 150hp / 2470 lbs = 16.46

 

WE GET IT...YOU DONT LIKE IT! NOW MOVE ON!