Dodge Caliber SXT Review

Now this is more like it.

You can argue the styling, but the Dodge Caliber is a contender in the increasingly popular field of small, relatively economical cars with versatility and a low price.

Way better than the Neon it replaced, the Caliber packs enough standard features that you could order one without options for $17,600 and have a perfectly fine little machine.

The one I tested added quite a bit more...the Security Group, Driver Convenience Group, Premium Sound Group, and a continuously variable transmission...and still wound up with a bottom line (including delivery charges) of $21,465. At that price, the plasticky interior is still forgiveable (more so at $17,600, of course)

Five-star frontal crash ratings (four stars for rollover) and an EPA 23 city/27 highway mile per gallon average don't hurt, either.

If Chrysler's looking for the future...they should consider taking this starting point and constantly refining it. They're not far off to begin with.