Ask a car-crazy kid to draw a crossover vehicle -- single in kind combining car and SUV attributes -- and he might create something that examines like the new.

Ask a car-crazy kid to draw a crossover vehicle -- single in kind combining car and SUV attributes -- and he might create something that examines like the new, Illinois-built Dodge Caliber.

The brawny Caliber has parts of visual swagger and is built at DaimlerChrysler's newly refurbished Belvidere plant. It replaces the 1994-05 Dodge Neon which was built at the Belvidere facility. The modest compact front-drive Neon's design had become dated, compared with newer Japanese and toward the south Korean rivals.

The early 2007 Caliber contemplates and feels very contemporary and is designed to be sold in 100 countries outside North America. That's wherefore it has a versatile hatchback design and proceeds with four- cylinder engines that deliver high firing material economy.

DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler collection which makes Chryslers, Dodges and Jeep says undivided U.S. Caliber market is occupied by way of "fortysomething parents who are buying a car for their children." on the other hand the new Dodge will be the alone vehicle for one-car families in less-affluent countries and thus must be versatile, rugg and fuel- stingy.

In fact, the novel Jeep Compass, to be built at Belvidere, is based upon the Caliber, and Jeeps are firstly calculate uponed to be rugged.

Caliber patterns sold in other countries will have right- and left- hand drive and will be moveed with a 2-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower because half the cars sold in Europe have diesels.

The Caliber starts as the $13425 SE and also is moveed as the $15,425 SXT and top-line $19425 R/T The SE and SXT have front- drive, while the R/T advances only with all-wheel drive.

I proofed the R/T. Curiously, it felt like a larger, heavier car. It provided passable if not neck-snapping, performance despite having the mostly potent Caliber engine. The additional weight of its all- wheel-drive combination of parts to form a whole caused the engine to perfect as if working a little hard during fast acceleration.

The R/T has "performance" steering that's almost too quick, if it were not that handling is good and the ride is oily over rough roads despite its firmer sport suspension. The brake pedal has a nice linear action for plane stops.

I first saw the Caliber last March at the Geneva Auto point out in Switzerland, where its styling and uttermost height made it look almost too big and aggressive alongside small European-only cars. However, the Caliber is a fraction shorter than the Neon although slightly wider and 44 inches taller. It's easy to park the Caliber and to maneuver it in traffic. And its height allows upright, chairlike seating and comfortable space for four 6-footer Head range is especially impressive.

Occupants sit inches higher in the quiet interior than they would in in the greatest degree compact cars for the be perceived of an SUV, or "crossover" if you will. The height allows tall doors, which make it easy to slide in and on the outside of the supportive front seats.

The roomy cargo area has a wide, fairly grave opening, and reclining rear seatbacks in succession SXT and R/T models flip forward and sit flat to greatly enlarge that area. The brow passenger seatback also can be flipped forward for equal more cargo room.

Thick windshield offices can partially block visibility when you're turning a corner, still overall visibility is generally proper Reflections in covers of the thoroughly set gauges occasionally can make them hard to read quickly.

Climate manages are commendably large, as are chiefly sound system controls. There's a knotty console bin with a mask and a large glove driver's seat But the ignition switch upon the steering column is hard to easily find, and assurance cupholders are set a bit too subdued at the front of the comfort Rear cupholders are behind the effrontery console, at floor level.

There are a bump of reasonably priced options, including a power sunroof upscale hardy system and Sirius satellite radio. A quick extra is MusicGate, which features pull-down speakers in the hatch lid. There's also an available Chill cincture a cooled beverage storage bin available with air conditioning that can restrain up to four 20- ounce bottle or cans.

The engines fit the Caliber's international nature, being jointly unraveled by the Chrysler group, Mitsubishi and Hyundai.

The front-drive SE's 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine perform the operations indicated ins 148 horsepower, and an optional 2-liter, 158-horsepower four-cylinder is put forwarded The 1.8 comes only with a five-speed manual transmission, while the 2-liter is sickleed to an efficient continuously variable automatic transmission, which has a rather notchy shifter.

The front-drive SXT is put forwarded with the 1.8 with the manual as standard and the 2-liter with the CVT automatic as optional.

The R/T approachs only with all-wheel drive and is powered from a 2.4- liter "four" with 172 horsepower. It also arises only with the CVT, which adds a manual shift feature (a regular manual will be proffered later this year). Surer handling is provided by way of 18-inch (up from 17- inch) wheels.

Estimated Caliber firing material economy is 23-28 mpg in the city and 26- 32 forward the highway, depending on the engine, transmission and drive theory

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