Used 2009 Dodge Caliber Consumer Reviews
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over 200,000 and still going....sort of strong.
Charles S., 02/21/2021
updated 10/21/2022
2009 Dodge Caliber SE 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Bought brand new and now have approximately 224,000 miles on it. First 180,000 went pretty smoothly with general maintenance other than a $580.00 repair to a sensor at 122,000 miles. Since then have replaced front struts, controlling arms, a couple of tie rods, and a ball joint. At 215,000 replaced clutch and manual transmission. Things I like....1. Gas mileage. I get 33 mpg on highway and 26 in city even though I travel up five miles of an interstate mountain every day. 2. I like the cargo space and carrying capacity. Many a time I have packed my 225 lb frame with my wife and three kids, 2 dogs and luggage on a four hour trip to grandma's house. I have put water heaters, washer and dryers, and even a full size stove and small refridgerator in the back without having to tie down the hatch. One time I put 600lbs of gravel bags back there and the caliber carried it with no problems.3. It drives and handles solid on relatively smooth roads, and has adequate hill climbing and passing abilities but wont win any races. 4. I like front and back seat space and roominess. Comfortable on long trips and my 6' 2 inch son fits well up front or in the back seat.5. Controls and knobs are easy to see and use. 6. Sound system is powerful with great sound. 7. lots of storage for smaller items, and also like built in cooler and adjustable armrest for driver. 8. Frontwheel drive does very well in snow and ice conditions. (during one ice storm I kept going while expensive four wheel drives were going off the highway in ditches. I went down a mountain road in same ice storm and simply downshifted to first gear and safely got home with others wrecking around me). 9. I like the clearance level of car. I deliver food for a living now and the caliber can go down some pretty rough terrain where my hyandai would drag undercarriage on the jutted roads. I've driven it in 8 inches of snow and it cleared it easily. Things I dont like...1. Once things started to break it all hits at once and probably spent about $4000 to repair it all. 2. Suspension is a weak area of this car but got about 180,000 miles out of original suspension so can't complain too much. Rides smooth on highways but creaks, jiggles and groans on irregular and unpaved roads. But i have gotten used to the noise and either ignore the noises or turn the radio up. 3. Lots of interior plastics that dont bother me but might bother others. 4. This car has several blindspots, especially in the back window which can make backing up challenging, but over the last 11 years i've gotten used to it. Overall i like this car and got money's worth out of it. I'm going to run it until the wheels fall off because of the gas mileage and the diversity of the vehicle itself. It can do so many things that other cars in this class cannot do. I would buy this model again.It’s now 2022 and I now have 236,000 miles on car. Original alternated went out at 225,000 miles. Original starter went at 226,000 miles. All steering parts, heater, air conditioning, water pump, belts and hoses, timing belt have not been replaced which has pleasantly surprised me. the engine and rebuilt manual transmission runs great and strong. Car is good on brakes and and tires. I drive car everyday to work.
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Caliber on Fire
losam, 03/06/2013
2009 Dodge Caliber SXT 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Until now I have had no problems; but 12 minutes into my commute to work on February 28th proved to be fatal for my car and the truck parked beside it. There was the odor of something burning so I turned of everything electrical that I could think of that might be the cause. After coming to a complete stop in the parking lot at my workplace, I noticed steam coming from under the hood and the odor of antifreeze. Three minutes later, the engine compartment totally engulfed in flames resulting in a total lose 20 minutes later. The fire was so hot that its color was almost white. Still waiting to hear what caused the fire. Only 28,600 miles on this ride!
Great Car!
KBentley57, 09/07/2009
2009 Dodge Caliber SXT 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The review is actually for the SXT with the 2.0L and CVT. After trading in my old Dakota and taking advantage of a $5,000 rebate from Dodge, I purchased a new orange Caliber for $11,500 out the door! After looking at a fit, I decided to go this route instead. It is much larger, roomier, and better looking in my opinion. The gas mileage is great for a car of this size! I get about 32 mpg on my daily commute of 90 miles, traveling at no more than 60 mph. One year of free Sirius radio was also a plus! Dodge needs to do a better job of advertising their offers.
Love this car
bigd, 10/16/2009
2009 Dodge Caliber R/T 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My wife and I drove several different cars and finally selected the Caliber. We chose the R/T because we wanted the the power the 2.4L provided. All the little extras have turned out to be a lot of fun and add to the enjoyment of ownership. This is a lot of car for the money.
Great car!
KD, 10/17/2009
2009 Dodge Caliber SXT 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I took advantage of the cash for clunkers and got an amazing deal on this car. I have been driving a Mazda Protege 5 for the last 8 years. While the Caliber cannot compare to the Mazda in terms of performance, it is still a great car. It is a bit sluggish on takeoff, but using the CVT option takes care of that. My gas mileage has steadily increased as the engine has broken in and I am now averaging 29-30 mpg city and highway combined. My 6' friends are very comfortable in the backseat and have plenty of leg and head room. The cargo storage is amazing, especially with the rear seats down.