Dodge has a glorious tradition of “quick and dirty” high-performance compacts extending from the Omni GLH of the 1980s through the Neon SRT4 of this decade. The latest offering drops a 285-horsepower 2.4-liter turbo four into the engine bay of the Caliber hatchback. Does the new SRT4 retain the character of its ancestors? Or does it fall short in some areas? Or perhaps improve upon them? I took one for a test drive to find out.

Styling

The Dodge Neon was designed to be cute and friendly. The Dodge Caliber was designed to be “anything but cute,” and ads for the car have sought to put as much distance between the new car and the Neon as possible.

The SRT4 takes the basic “tough” theme of the Caliber to the next level, with an aggressive fascia and large fender flares. No one will call the result beautiful—that’s no the intent—after all—but I personally like the extreme look that results. If Mad Max were filmed today, this car would fill the bill. And yet since there’s no monstrous wing spoiler---as in the Neon SRT4, STI, Evo, and such—an adult won’t feel silly being seen in this car tooling around suburban sprawl.

Inside, unfortunately, we’ve pretty much got stock Caliber. So a total lack of style and yards of hard plastic. The vibe is more shrunken SUV than compact hatch.

The one aesthetic bright spot: the aggressively bolstered seats common to nearly all SRT products. They can make just about any interior seem sporty.

Accommodations

I didn’t care for the thick pillars and deep, deep instrument panel in the regular Dodge Caliber, and I don’t care for them here, either. The seats that look so good aren’t so good in practice. The bolsters which provide excellent lateral support extend too far upward, forcing your shoulders uncomfortably forward.

Worse, the seats combine with the basic driving position and clutch to yield the worst driving position I’ve experienced in recent memory, perhaps ever. Even setting the seat as far rearward as I could and still fully depress the clutch, the steering wheel and shifter were far too close. Also, even in its lowest position the seat feels too high to me. I’m not sure who would use the height adjuster to go higher.

The rear seat is much like those in other Calibers. So it’s a little low for adults, and not as roomy as those in some competitors—such as the Vibe and Matrix. Roomy enough for the average adult, yes, but just barely.

Cargo volume is much like that in other compact hatches. So enough to haul a fair amount of stuff, especially if the rear seat is folded. Unlike in other Calibers, though, the front passenger seat does not fold forward. The large bolsters preclude this feature.

On the Road

Of course, what really matters is how the car drives. I never could see myself in the Neon SRT4 because of the huge wing and because of the obnoxiously loud POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! that issued forth from the tailpipe whenever one’s foot was lifted off the gas. The Caliber SRT4’s engine makes no such noises.

Boost comes on smoothly and linearly, so driveability is good for such a highly tuned turbo four. On the flipside, driving the car isn’t as visceral an experience as in the Neon SRT4, STI, or Evo of a few years ago. It’s more like having a regular Caliber—just much quicker. If only it felt as quick as it is.

As in the MazdaSpeed3, only a six-speed manual is available. The shifter is neither awful nor excellent. I could live with it if the driving position weren’t such a disaster.

The regular Dodge Caliber drives like a cross between an SUV and a compact. The SRT4’s suspension is tighter, and its steering is firmer, but it still isn’t an agile car. The high, cramped driving position doesn't help. “Planted” is the best I can say of the chassis. The car does feel more solid and substantial than previous Dodge compacts--and not nearly as rough around the edges. There’s more finesse this time around. Though I suppose that isn't saying much.

Despite the massive amount of torque being channeled through the front wheels, torque steer isn't overwhelming. Sure, it's there, but it didn't ruin the handling of the car. Perhaps I would have minded it more if I hadn't headed into the drive expecting it.

The biggest surprise might be that, even with the taut suspension and low-profile 19-inch tires, the ride quality isn’t bad. It’s cetainly firm, but rarely harsh. And noise levels are reasonable, even on the highway. The Caliber SRT4 is a thoroughly livable car—except for the seats and the driving position.

Dodge Caliber SRT4 prices and price comparisons

Two years ago, the Dodge Caliber SRT4 might have had a huge impact by offering 285 horsepower for $22,995. But now we have a MazdaSpeed3 and Chevrolet HHR SS with nearly as much power, for the same base price. Want a coupe? Then Chevrolet also offers the Cobalt SS. A sedan version of which is also on the way. So from none a couple of years ago there are now a number of high-powered $23,000 compacts.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Dodge Caliber:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Caliber.php

Last Words

The Caliber SRT4 is a more thoroughly engineered car that previous hot compacts from Dodge. It’s quick and taut, but doesn’t beat you up.

Problem is, as noted a few times (too many times?) in the review, the driving position is awful.

Now if the Caliber SRT4 were the only car offering big power for a price in the low twenties, I'd say go for it. But there are a number of other cars in this segment at a similar price. I haven’t driven the new Cobalt SS or HHR SS yet. But I have driven the MazdaSpeed3, and I don’t see why anyone would buy the Dodge over that car unless they REALLY liked the styling of the Dodge—or got a huge discount.


A Note on Dodge Caliber SRT4 Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Caliber SRT4 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Dodge Caliber SRT4 reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the Caliber SRT4--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Amount Paid (US$): 22,995
Model Year: 2008
Model and Options: SRT4