Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Dodge
2001 Dodge Grand Caravan
Jul 13th
You’d think that Chrysler would be content to rest on its laurels when it comes to minivans. After all, the useful little boxes from Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth have fairly dominated the market they helped to create from the beginning. The latest incarnation features a power-operated rear liftgate and a movable center console, among other surprise-and-delight features, and Chrysler has a van at every conceivable price level in the market, with dozens of trim level combinations to choose from. So what else is there to do?
Make ‘em easier to buy, of course. For 2001, Chrysler has chosen the most popular options and lumped them all together into one model–the Grand Caravan EX. Traction control, the power liftgate, removable console, and three-zone air conditioning are all included at a price that puts the Grand Caravan EX right in the middle of the minivan price spectrum. Chrysler hopes this will simplify the selection process, especially for online buyers. All of the standard equipment on the EX can be had on lesser models, but the overall package represents a savings of nearly $1500.
The really great part of the deal, of course, is that all that equipment comes attached to what we think is one of the best minivans to be had these days, at any price. The Grand Caravan is nicely styled, nicely built, and nice to drive, which is a great deal more than can be said for the majority of minivans.
The Caravan is all-new for 2001. It looks similar to the previous models, but larger head- and taillights give it more character. With its bold, cross-shaped Dodge-brand trademark grille, the Grand Caravan is instantly recognizable. Subtle character lines on the side make the van look less ponderous and box-like. Adding to the modern look is a body that curves gently at the rear, rather than ending in a squared-off box shape.
Inside, the gray-on-gray interior is loaded to the gills with convenience features. The instrument panel features black-on-white lettering and is very simple and straightforward. Turn signals and warning lights are located in a strip that runs across the top of the dashboard, just like they’ve always been in Dodge minivans. The smallish stereo equalizer’s controls are hidden by the shifter when it’s in gear, but we never had cause to fiddle with them. There was plenty of cause to play with the climate control, however; we couldn’t find a combination of blower and temperature settings that wouldn’t either roast or freeze us. Behind the driver’s seat, the Caravan is an errand-runner’s dream. Of course all of the rear seats–captain’s chairs in the second row and a split bench at the rear–are removable and have convenient rollers for easy removal, but there are also hooks to hold shopping bags molded into each and every one of them. The center console can also be removed, to make space for extra-long loads, or it can be mounted between the rear seats for convenience on road trips. Parents and children alike will appreciate Chrysler’s power sliding side doors, which don’t resist being opened by hand, unlike the heavy, power-all-the-time doors on Toyota Sienna and Chevrolet Venture.
Under the hood, a 3.6 liter V6 moves the Grand Caravan EX along with a distinct lack of effort. Thanks to the 215 horsepower motor, this minivan doesn’t feel as sluggish and ponderous as the typical example of the breed. It’s no stoplight dragster, of course, but in the city and on the freeway the Caravan moves eagerly along. Under hard acceleration, the V6 is a little bit noisy, but it never sounds as if it’s being truly overworked. Highway travel is marked by smooth operation from the four-speed automatic transmission. Lesser Caravans are available with a choice of 2.4 liter four-cyliner or 3.3 liter V6 engines, but the EX gets the more popular, most powerful V6. An all-wheel drive model is also available.
A smooth, comfortable ride is of course crucial in minivan-dom, given the people-hauling duty that most of them see. The Grand Caravan EX delivers with an independent front suspension and a beam axle rear. Like most minivans we found it to be happiest while traveling; even without a family of four to transport, the Grand Caravan makes a decent argument in favor of trekking long distances in search of exciting things to bring home. Antilock brakes are standard, but the four-wheel disc brakes are a little weak for our taste. Side airbags are optional.
With an as-tested price of $27,315, the Grand Caravan EX is one of the least expensive minivans we’ve ever driven. It’s also one of the best-equipped; power side and rear doors, the unique movable console and seats, a CD player and a whole host of neat interior storage solutions are all standard equipment. With the addition of Dodge’s excellent driving dynamics and a real personality (hard to come by in a minvan these days), the Grand Caravan EX proves that Chrysler is still tops in the minivan game.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan EX, which we tested.
Length: 200.5 in
Width: 78.6 in
Height: 68.9 in
Wheelbase: 199.3 in
Curb weight: 4450 lb (est.)
Cargo space: 158.5 cu.ft (all seats removed)
Towing capacity: 3500 (w/towing package)
Base price: $26,070
Price as tested: $27,315
Engine: 3.8 liter OHV V6
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 215 @ 5000
Torque: 245 @ 4000
Est. mileage: 17/24
2009 Dodge Caliber R/T
Jul 10th
Let’s get one unpleasant fact out of the way right at the start; the Dodge Caliber is not the darling of many automotive enthusiasts. The Caliber came along in 2007 to replace the Dodge Neon, and though it’s a slightly larger, much more useful and arguably a better vehicle, it hasn’t exactly lit the automotive world on fire.
The Caliber’s five-door hatchback body style is a versatile setup that puts it head-to-head with enthusiast darlings like the Mazda3 and Volkswagen Golf, and tepid performance from the base engine doesn’t match up. Dodge wasted no time in getting aggressive R/T and SRT4 models onto the streets, but for some reason the Caliber still hasn’t caught on in a big way. So what’s the matter with the Caliber, then?
Well, it certainly lacks manners. The Caliber and I didn’t get off to a good start; the first time I slid into the driver’s seat, the lower edge of the dash caught my knee a painful blow that left me limping for an hour afterward. Things didn’t get much better from there; the ungrateful little orange beast whacked my knee four more times during its time with me. Once inside, the Caliber sports a high seating position for a good view of the road; just be careful getting in.
This car is decently put together, but the interior materials are low-rent. As if trying to make a cynical statement about its position in the market, cheap gray plastic adorns the interior in large, flat swathes that emulate the style of larger Dodge vehicles but have the feel of a bad designer knockoff. That said, the Caliber has a number of good points. The seats are comfortable enough and there’s rear-seat room for three across. In the center console, a folding holder carries cell phone or MP3 players out of sight. The trunk can swallow up to 48 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats folded, and there’s a removable light back there for emergencies as well. The glovebox “Chill Zone,” a micro-cooler that holds up to four bottles of water or soda cans, is pure genius. A 115-volt plug that will power laptops and other small electrical devices, the UConnect tunes system with at 30-gigabyte hard drive for storing music, and fold-down speakers in the tailgate are cool add-ons that are standard in the Caliber R/T. The R/T gets cool color-matched seats (orange in our car’s case) and it looks good.
Don’t let the R/T in the name fool you though; the Caliber’s acceleration is leisurely at best. Three engine choices are offered in the Caliber lineup: a 148-horsepower 1.8 liter four-cylinder, a 158-horse 2.0 liter, and the 172-horsepower 2.4 liter that’s offered in the Caliber R/T. The standard continuously variable transmission (CVT) didn’t help, often letting the Caliber down when it was time for acceleration. In the R/T, the CVT has an “Auto Stick” feature that allows manual selection of up to six gear ratios. It’s an effective way to simulate a conventional transmission, but performance is still somewhat lackadaisical. The benefits include improved fuel economy, but merging and passing are not this car’s strong points, and if you’re hoping for performance the SRT4 is probably your only option. Driven like an economy car, the Caliber’s performance feels mid-pack.
With a fully independent suspension consisting of MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear, the Caliber has average handling. The available Electronic Stability Program provides a measure of bad-weather safety with traction control; anti-lock brakes are standard on the R/T and optional on other models. A high beltline and slab sides make it feel larger than it is. Steering feel is acceptable.
If nothing else, the Caliber looks good. Dodge’s burly styling gives the Caliber good curb presence, and the unique five-door silhouette is handsome. The standard oversized crosshair grille leads into a slab-sided, muscular body. The greenhouse drops toward the rear of the car, giving the Caliber a coupe-like silhouette. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard on the R/T.
It’s a clever and capable enough companion, but the Caliber remains somewhat rough around the edges. If you’re in love with the armored-truck looks and unique interior features, the Caliber won’t let you down, but for the money, we prefer the Suzuki SX4 or Kia Rondo. Caliber pricing starts at $17,090, with the better-equipped R/T stickering for $20,925.
Specifications: All specs are for the 2009 Dodge Caliber R/T.
Length: 173.8 in.
Width: 68.8 in.
Height: 60.4 in.
Wheelbase: 103.7 in.
Curb weight: 3156 lb.
Cargo space: 18.5 cu.ft. (seats up); 48.0 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $20,925
Engine: 2.4 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: continuously variable automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 172 @ 6000
Torque: 165 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 13.6 gal.
Est. mileage: 21/25
2001 Dodge Neon R/T
Jul 9th
That American icon of the ’60s, the muscle car, is back. It’s true. This story should be familiar: young hot-rodders take the smallest cars in the lineup, beef up the engines, add fancy wheels and paint jobs, and have a grand old time. Before long the manufacturers want in on the game, and out come the factory hot rods, which get progressively wilder as everyone tries to outdo the next guy. Sound familiar? Now, are the main players in this story Ford Fairlanes and Dodge Darts, or Honda Civics?
And now there’s a name common to both hot-rod eras: R/T. Those letters that graced the sides of high-powered Dodge Challengers in the early Seventies can now be seen on high-performance Dakota pickup trucks, Dodge Intrepids, and on this week’s feature, a hot-rodded Dodge Neon. And it’s more than just a trim job, too–under the hood resides a 150-horsepower powerplant.
The Neon was all-new for 2000, but retained its happy face. The evolutionary redesign gave the car a bigger, more tiptoed look, but the familiar round headlights and happy face were retained. The redesign also addressed noise, vibration, and handling issues. Now that the bread-and-butter models have made their debut, Dodge is bringing out the sporty ones. The 2001 Neon R/T offers more grunt for the street, and the upcoming Neon ACR (Automotive Club Racer) is geared toward track performance.
The most aggressive Neon available from Dodge doesn’t hide its light. Sixteen-inch wheels and a big spoiler announce the R/T’s intentions from the first. The Neon’s arched-cat stance is emphasized by the larger wheels, and by large wheel arches. Out back, curved taillights bracket a wide, oval tail. The wheels are a multi-spoked, open style, and look good. A body-colored, slightly larger-toothed grille treatment doesn’t take quite enough of the cuteness out of the Neon’s round-eyed face, though. The Neon seems more likely to coo than to snarl, even though it’s more overtly sporty than a similarly appointed Ford Focus ZTS.
Inside, the updates to the interior are welcome, and put the Neon on a plushness level with competitors from Nissan and Subaru. It lacks the machinelike European precision of a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf, but that just makes it seem friendlier at first blush. The seats are comfortable, a nice compromise between heavily bolstered sport seats and long-trip benches. The stereo controls are an ergonomic nightmare; buttons are large enough to push easily, but they’re labeled too small for quick use. Worse, the optional CD changer is located at the bottom of the console, nearly out of sight and convenient for items in the console to bump the buttons. On the plus side, the Neon R/T’s optional leather interior features side airbags.
A dead pedal would be welcome, as well, because the Neon R/T does have the moves to back up its racy face. The Magnum powerplant pulls strongly. It does its best work toward the middle of the tachometer–off-the-line performance seemed less than urgent to us at times. A 150-horsepower 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine sets the pace, and it’s linked to a five-speed manual transmission. The combination works well, although it runs out of steam at the extreme low and high ends of the powerband in a big way. An occasionally bratty clutch led to some embarrassing stalls at traffic lights, but that was as much driver error as it was the car’s fault.
The MacPherson front suspension has been tweaked with stiffer springs and struts, and uprated sway bars. At the rear, the R/T receives a similar treatment. The tightened Neon holds the road well, with some reluctant understeer coming in at the very edge of the Goodyear RS-A tires’ grip. It’s a very forgiving setup, making the R/T a good companion for younger drivers who want to play on the twisty roads but don’t enough experience for more serious performance cars. A Focus ZTS has less horsepower, but will outhandle the Neon R/T without question. Four-wheel disc brakes and standard ABS on the R/T increase the forgivability factor. Traction control is also available.
Unlike its stripped-for-drag racing forebears of the Sixties, the Neon R/T doesn’t skimp on the appointments. Our test car featured a raft of options: full leather interior, side airbags, a sunroof, spoiler, 4-CD changer, traction control, and anti-theft system, and stickered for $18,885. The interior options are also available on the Neon SE, but the R/T’s engine and suspension options are unique.
So, then. Anybody who wants to get into a muscle car war for the new millennium, the glove has been tossed. With competition from Subaru, Nissan, Mazda, and Ford looming on the horizon, the Neon R/T is going to have its sporty little hands full.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Dodge Neon R/T which we tested.
Length: 174.4 in.
Width: 67.4 in.
Height: 56.0 in
Wheelbase: 105.0 in.
Curb weight: 2559 lb.
Cargo space: 13.1 cu. ft
Base price: $12,715
Price as tested: $18,885
Engine: 2.0 liter SOHC 16-valve four cylinder
Drivetrain: five speed manual, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 150 @ 6500
Torque: 135 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 12.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 27/33
6/2009 update: Time has not been kind to the Neon. Dodge’s little happy-face didn’t age well, and quality problems cropped up quickly, resulting in a lot of Neons hitting the used-car lots and falling into the hands of young buyers looking for bargains. The Neon’s fun-to-drive qualities are still there, but it’s hard to find one in good condition, just eight years down the road.