OK, first I am not trying to diss Dodge or anything and in fact I pretty much hate all foreign cars. But I was looking at the accord online and I found out that they are rated to get 30 mpg on the highway with the 244 horsepower V6. Now this car weighs more than the caliber at 3400 pounds and has much more power 244 hp vs the caliber's 178 hp so how does it get the same highway fuel economy? Are those foreign engineers at Honda that much smarter than their American counterparts? Again I'm not bashing Dodge but these "World Engines" are supposed to be so great but they can't come close to Honda engine performance.[:@]

 

My Stratus R/T has 200hp and a V6 and it gets about 30mpg on the highway...as for the rest...I know Honda/Toyotas have traditionally always gotten better gas mileage then most American cars....

 

I don't understand it either x30 06x...

 

For one thing, a lot of the import companies are under fire for not reporting HP to the same standards as domestic vehicles (I think its ASE that sets the standard, I just read this the other day...).

As for the MPG, there is more to MPG than weight and HP. I am pretty damn sure, just by looking at each vehicle, that the Caliber does not have near the aerodynamics of the Accord. Also, as much as I love the CVT, I dont think that Chrysler did a good job in making sure it has the best programming for highway speeds. I dont know what the definition of "highway" driving entails (speeds, etc), but I have only hit the 27+ MPG rating that they say at 60 and below.

I am hoping that Dodge will in time better tune the programming with the CVT and the new engines and bump up gas mileage a bit, but I think most of it is just aerodynamics, there is nothing similar between the design of the caliber and that of the Accord.

My Ranger has 210 HP 4.0L V6, and I was happy to get 22 MPG on the highway, but that same engine has been thrown in the new Mustang and see 28MPG or better.

Aerodynamics and weight, if the weight is similar, I would look at the aero.

 

Thats because its a Japanese car that runs on rice!

 

Like 5 or 10 hp... And the Accord wasn't one of those reported...

Look at the engine more than any...

 

Actually, on this one I am going to have to agree with VulnoX. Case in point, the 300C/Charger/Magnum. They all run the same Hemi motor thats in the Rams....yet get much better gas mileage....granted...5-7mpg aint a huge increase....but its still better gas mileage. Now, what could be the reason? Same motor...but a major difference in weight....and aero...


Weight and Aerodynamics are the #1 and #2 factors in determining miles per gallon. If you are as tall as a building and heavy as a 100ton boat....well...you arent exactly going to get great gas mileage regardless of the motor...

 

Haha...for sure...an underpowered monster isn't going to get much better mileage.

 

Isn't that the truth. I haven't heard much about the Caliber, but would still recommend the Accord.

 

Well I was just speaking about the Accord/Caliber comparison... The Accord weighs more and has more horsepower... So your solution doesn't work there... Aerodynamics isn't going to make much of a difference here. So I look at the engine in this case...