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Wagons Dodge Caliber Dodge Caliber MPG-Real World Numbers
221 messages, Last post on Jun 09, 2009 at 5:10 PM
You are in the Dodge Caliber Forum. Your Host is kcram
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I have had several four cylinder cars over the last 15 years. All of them have had 16-valve engines and automatic transmissions. I live in a town of about 30,000 people and nearly ALL of my driving is cold start trips of less than 5 miles where I never exceed 50 mph. I have never achieved the EPA city rating in this kind of driving. Currently, I have about 8K on my Caliber SXT CVT and I get 24 mpg, just under the 26 "advertised." I have taken two highway trips that netted 31 mpg and 32 mpg. Oddly, the only time I have beaten the EPA city rating was when driving a 1989 Dodge Dakota four-cylinder 5-speed to deliver pizzas...talk about hard miles. I think 8-valve engines are much more stingy in city driving than the 16-valve engines everybody is using these days for performance. Of course, a manual transmission, might help too. Yes, I'd like better MPG, but the combination of style, performance, and safety for the price paid, can't be beat on the Caliber. The heavier Caliber should prove good in the snow too - at least better than most lightweight imports that might boast better MPG. Keep driving... 
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Replying to: nonnemacher (Nov 18, 2006 4:31 pm) |
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I have the 2.0 CVT, first 200 miles of driving with speed control at 70-75 mph i got 24mpg hope it gets better, but i love the car.  Calibreath
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Replying to: calibreath (Nov 19, 2006 10:42 am) |
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It's the size, weight, and acceleration. I went out to see the Fit, Yaris, and Versa this weekend. Last weekend I revisited the Focus (sedan and hatchback) and my current commuter vehicle is a Cobalt. THE CALIBER IS THE LARGEST, MOST FUNCTIONAL VEHICLE IN THE GROUP. The Focus is second best in terms of size and usable space, but a lot lighter, not as solid. The Cobalt is a little behind the Focus in terms of interior room. The Fit and Yaris apparently get great gas mileage, but their size is a joke. Sure they look nice when new and get sexy gas mileage, but in reality they are not much bigger than the GM Metro's and Suzuki Swifts we laugh at today. The Versa is a little bigger, but not by much, but has a real cheap feel to it. People on the Versa boards complain about 22-25 mpg with the Versa, so gas mileage isn't only a Caliber issue; and the Versa is a lot smaller and lighter. SO you can buy a "real" car (a lot bigger) - and get hammered on gas mileage - or downsize slightly but keep most of the functionality of the mid-sized car with the Caliber - and you'll get good gas mileage (most people here report about 25 mpg with a few reporting upper 20's. Your gonna have to seriously downsize to get the last 5-7 mpg of gas mileage to give you bragging rights, though, and I don't think its worth it in terms of long-term utility of the vehicle or saftey. Like many of you, I wish the Caliber got the mileage of the Yaris and Fit, but it looks like King Kong when parked next to them. That's why it gets less mileage. BUT the mileage still beats almost all SUV's and cars.... (Oh yeah, acceleration - I DO get 35 mpg with my stick shift Cobalt - but that is on a long freeway commute using all the gas saving tricks I learned from Popular Mechanics and my dad years ago. AND the Cobalt is a lot smaller than the Caliber, check it out for yourself and you'll see what I mean. IF you have a leadfoot and insist on V-8 acceleration in your compact car, you'll never get compact car mileage. I KNOW how much more quickly other drivers pull away from me at lights, and how hard they have to slam on their brakes at the next stoplight because they don't coast down. The great American leadfoot is the single biggest factor in not making EPA rated gas mileage - that and the fact that you don't drive stick shifts.  )
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Replying to: micweb (Nov 27, 2006 10:59 am) I recently started comparing some of the smaller vehicles in preparation for purchasing a vehicle for my wife. BTW where are the comparo threads for the Caliber vs. ....? Is it not comparable to anything? The Fit and Yaris apparently get great gas mileage, but their size is a joke. THE CALIBER IS THE LARGEST, MOST FUNCTIONAL VEHICLE IN THE GROUP. That's not what I seem to be finding. I guess some of it will have to do with one's definition of "largest". The Caliber is about 16" longer in length than the Fit, but the inside measurements are fairly close. In fact the Fit has more front head and legroom than the Caliber. Second row is pretty close as well. The Fit also has more cargo volume. I haven't looked at the Yaris or the others you mentioned but I imagine the results will be similar. For safety I do have concerns about the Fit being such a small vehicle, but the interior room advantages make me think twice. |
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Replying to: jstant01 (Apr 27, 2006 5:28 am) As far as know the best seats made are by Saab and Mercedes; possibly Volvo seat backs would not collapse, but I once saw a ~2000 Volvo wagon in the Dallas auto pound with a partially collapsed seat back. The rear end was crushed almost all the way to the back seat back. I once observed a group of lawyers and investigators at a Chrysler dealership watch while a Chrysler tech removed the rear seatback from a Ram extended cab pickup. The truck had been rear ended, the driver's seat back had failed and the driver's head had struck the back of the rear seat. The tech cut away the cover and foam from a marked area on the rear seat back and the metal mesh at that point was deformed, presumably by the driver's head. The tech I was standing next to told me that it was either fatal or paralyzing to the driver. I scanned the faces of the investigators when the deformed mesh was exposed and some of them got very grim expressions; others' expressions suggested to me that they thought their side in litigation would be helped by this finding. |
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Replying to: nonnemacher (Apr 06, 2006 6:19 pm) I read you posting about the Caliber and you referred to a check engine light problem. What are you referring to. We bought our caliber about 6 weeks ago and its got 1800 miles on it and tonight out of no where the check engine light came on. We have a lot of traveling to do over the holiday and I'm concerned. What do you know? Should I not drive the car. Obviously I can't get it to a dealer until after Christmas.
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Replying to: vocs (Dec 23, 2006 7:44 pm) check engine light can be as simple as a gas cap not tightened properly in any case if you turn the car off and the light is gone generally it's nothing to warrant immediate action.
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Replying to: bigtsr (Dec 24, 2006 8:11 am) and at 6000+ miles the MPG has gotten worse; a steady 25mpg. I am looking at replacing the *%*%* !! gas PIG thing with something a bit easier on my conscience! |
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