Mike Ofiara, Road Test Coordinator

2010 dodge caliber rush front three quarters2

There has been a lot of talk in recent months about Fiat bringing "small-car expertise" to Chrysler, the implication being that the hicks in Auburn Hills only know how to make trucks and muscle cars. I dispute that notion. Anyone remember the K-car? Even if you don't, you probably owned one. The problem with the Caliber has nothing to do with know-how and everything to do with money. When it came time for Dodge to replace the ancient Neon (which some might recall was our Automobile of the Year way back in 1994), it was on a Daimler-imposed starvation diet.

All of this goes to say that there's nothing wrong with the Caliber that an infusion of cash couldn't fix. The interior, for instance, is decently laid out, but has spectacularly cheap materials. The "leather" on these seats feels like what you find on a school bus bench, and there isn't any soft-touch plastic to be found. The 2.4-liter isn't terrible (it's not great either), but there's not much insulation to keep out its droning. The most egregious area though, is its suspension. Somehow, it manages to ride harshly and float.

We can hope now that Fiat will soon come to the rescue with a respectable portfolio of small cars, but it's a shame Chrysler's last solo small car wasn't a more valiant effort (get it?).

David Zenlea, Assistant Editor

2010 Dodge CaliberRush

Base price (with destination):$20,745

Price as tested:$25,995

Standard Equipment:

2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine

5-speed manual transmission

4-wheel ABS

Cruise control

Air conditioning

Power windows/locks

CD/DVD/HDD radio

30GB hard drive with 6700 song capacity

6.5-inch touch screen

Sirius satellite radio

Uconnect phone with voice command

Auto-dimming rearview mirror

iPod control

Audio jack input

9 Boston acoustic speakers

Heated front seats

60/40 split reclining rear seats

Leather-wrapped steering wheel

Options on this vehicle:

Security group -- $940

Electronic stability control

Brake assist

Security alarm

Daytime running lamps

Remote start system

Trailer tow wiring harness

Engine oil cooler

Leather interior group -- $795

Leather-trimmed bucket seats

Satin silver instrument panel

Satin silver shifter bezel

Driver convenience group -- $300

Tire pressure monitoring system

Electronic vehicle information center

Universal garage door opener

Continuously variable transaxle -- $1000

Tip start

Auto stick shift control transmission

Power express open/close sunroof -- $845

Engine block heater -- $95

Media center 730N -- $1275

GPS navigation

Key options not on vehicle:

None

Fuel economy:

(city/hwy/combined)

21 / 25 / 23 mpg

Engine:

Size:2.4L DOHC I-4

Horsepower:158 hp @ 6400 rpm

Torque:141 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

Drive:

Front-wheel

Transmission:

Continuously variable transmission

Wheels/tires:

18 x 7-inch chrome clad wheels 215/55R18 all-season tires