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The 2011 Dodge Caliber receives improved steering feel, additional functions for the navigation system and standard stability control for most trim levels.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2011 Dodge Caliber is a compact four-door hatchback offered in five trim levels. The entry-level Express model comes standard with 15-inch steel wheels, heated outside mirrors, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, 60/40-split-folding rear seats, full power accessories, remote keyless entry, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, an in-dash beverage cooler, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth connectivity and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo with auxiliary audio/USB jacks and satellite radio.

Stepping up to the Main street trim level adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a chrome grille, a sportier suspension, fog lights, a tachometer, a power-adjustable driver seat, a fold-flat front passenger seat, reclining rear seatbacks and a rechargeable flashlight.

The Uptown model gets you rear disc brakes (versus drums), automatic climate control, leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats and a premium nine-speaker Boston Acoustics audio system with steering-wheel-mounted controls and flip-down speakers in the lift gate.

The sporty Caliber Heat takes the Main street model's equipment list and adds 18-inch polished alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim, sport-tuned suspension and steering, rear disc brakes (versus drums) and specialized cloth interior trim.

Building on the Caliber Heat is the Rush, which adds a larger 2.4-liter engine, 18-inch chrome-clad alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, automatic climate control, leather upholstery and a premium audio system with a touch screen interface and 30-gigabyte hard drive.

Many of the options found on the upper trim levels are offered as options on the lower trims. Additionally, a sunroof and a navigation system are also available.

Power trains and Performance

The front-wheel-drive 2011 Dodge Caliber is offered with a choice of two different four-cylinder engines. A 2.0-liter engine rated at 158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque is standard on all trim levels except the Rush. The Rush gets a 2.4-liter that makes 172 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque. This engine is optional on the Uptown. Transmission choices include a five-speed manual for the Express, Heat and Rush, while a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is standard on the Main street and Uptown. The CVT with manually controlled simulated stepped gears is offered on the Heat and Rush as an option.

Fuel economy is decent across the board, though mileage suffers slightly with the CVT. The 2.0-liter engine returns EPA estimates of 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined with the manual transmission, and 23/27/24 mpg with the CVT. The larger 2.4-liter engine is nearly as good, with EPA ratings of 23 mpg city/29 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined for manual-transmission-equipped models, and 22/27/24 for versions fitted with the CVT.

Safety

Standard safety features for the 2011 Caliber include a driver-side knee airbag, side curtain airbags, active front head restraints and antilock brakes (rear drums for the Express and Main Street, four-wheel discs for the other trims). Stability control isn't available on the Express but is standard on the remaining trim levels. Front-seat side airbags are offered as options for all but the Express trim. The Caliber has not been rated using the government's new 2011 crash-testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings resulted in a perfect score of five out of five stars in both frontal and side impacts. Results were mixed in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, however, with a top "Good" rating in the frontal-offset tests and a next-to-lowest "Marginal" rating in side-impact tests.