New 2009 Dodge Caliber

Aggressive styling, excellent fuel economy, and a bevy of safety features make the 20089Dodge Caliber a leader in the hatchback segment.

There are five trim lines available – SE, SXT, SXT Sport, R/T, and SRT4. The 1.8-liter, 148-horsepower 4-cylinder delivers good fuel economy and peppy engine performance. The larger 2.0-liter, 158-horsepower 4-cylinder gives a slight power boost, but the2.4-liter, 172-horsepower 4-cylinder in R/T models offers substantial acceleration. The turbocharged version of that engine lands in the hot rod SRT4, with a momentous 285-horsepower and neck-snapping thrust. A five-speed manual transmission extracts the most performance out of the smaller engines, while an available continuously variable transmission offers seamless gearshifts for smooth, efficient performance. The SRT4 features a six-speed manual, offering faster acceleration and quick gear changes.

The Caliber receives excellent fuel economy with 19-24 mpg in the city and 25-30 mpg on the highway, and competes with the Saturn Astra, Toyota Matrix and Volkswagen Rabbit.  Enjoy 95.2 cubic feet of interior volume and utilize 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats (48 cubic feet with the standard 60/40-split folding seats down).

Interior amenities are plentiful across the board. The 300 boasts the incredibly versatile UConnect® system that can fulfill your digital dreams through a 6.5-inch touch screen.  Turn your car into a Wi-Fi hotspot and connect laptops, phones, PSPs, PDAs and play online games, surf the internet and download music.  The 30 GB hard drive lets you upload and store up to 6,700 songs, tons of photos and play your iPod/MP3 player through the sound system.  Include Sirius Satellite Radio, turn-by-turn navigation and Bluetooth connectivity and you’ve just turned your car into the ultimate entertainment center.   A Boston Acoustics® 458-watt, nine-speaker sound system offers the ultimate in sound reproduction.   An available ChillZone® beverage cooler is a cooled storage bin that can maintain four 20-ounce bottles or cans.

The available antilock braking system provides improved stopping control under hard braking or slippery conditions. The optional Electronic Stability Program assists the driver in maintaining control during extreme steering maneuvers. A tire pressure monitor is available, alerting the driver if pressure drops too low. Standard dual front airbags, optional side-seat airbags, a driver’s knee airbags, and supplemental side curtain airbags protect front and rear occupants in a collision.

From utilitarian people hauler to road-ripping turbo racer, the 2009 Dodge Caliber is a seriously fun, totally flexible compact hatchback.