2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4

Give Chrysler’s street and racing technology group an inch and they’ll take a fast-hard mile! And that’s just what they’ve done to Dodge’s Neon-replacement, the Caliber. Suited up in its SRT4 gear, this quick compact crossover is set to compete with the likes of VW’s GTI and the Mazdaspeed3.  But just how will it fare in a game of automotive tug of war where the rope is pure pavement?

Performance fans already know that Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology division can really pump up a car or truck, and the Dodge Caliber SRT4 shows that even the most humble and handy little crossover can soar with their talents.

And nothing pumps up our crowd like more power. The SRT4 starts with the Caliber’s largest engine, a 2.4-liter 4 whose performance we described as “sluggish” in our original Caliber test. 

SRT engineers then machined the engine block for increased water flow, added lighter cast pistons and forged connecting rods, bolted on a high flow cylinder head, and added on a Mitsubishi TD04 turbocharger.  All that and more to crank out a huge 285 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. If you’re counting, that’s 113 horses and 100 pound-feet more than the regular 2.4-liter. If you’re not, just know that it’s real V8-level power.

Power that is rifled to the front wheels through a Getrag 6-speed manual gearbox. No automatic on this SRT.

The wheels that it spins are all 19-inch cast alloys, controlled by a custom performance suspension that includes twin-tube dampers and 210-pound springs.

This lowers the Caliber by 28 millimeters up front and 22 millimeters in the rear, giving it a true road hugging look.

Of course the extended grille and deeper front air dam, hood with functional air scoop and heat extractors, deep side sills and larger wheel flares, high mount rear hatch spoiler and chunkier rear fascia don’t hurt either.

And it goes like it looks! The SRT4 hits 60 in 6.4 seconds, and runs the quarter-mile in 15-seconds at 97 miles-per-hour. That’s 3-seconds faster to 60 and over 2-seconds quicker through the quarter-mile than the standard Caliber 2.4.

But you pay a price of serious torque steer. The front wheels dance across the pavement, and the steering wheel fights back, all the way into third gear.

Keep a firm grip though, and the SRT4 launches hard, and really flies once you hit 5,000 rpm. It’s quit the rocket ship!

And it’s not bad in the corners, either. Yes, transitions do feel a little clunky, but there’s much less front push than the regular Caliber.

The steering is reasonably quick, with moderate feedback. There is a bit more body roll than we expected, but despite the top heavy feel when pushed hard, and with the aid of electronic stability control, the SRT4 delivers plenty of grip at both ends.

When it’s time to drop your speed, the SRT4 delivers stops from 60 of a reasonable 129 feet, thanks to beefier 4-wheel discs with front twin-piston calipers and ABS.

The street ride is very firm, with increased road and drivetrain noise. But the throatier note of the SRT4’s free flowing 3-inch exhaust makes up for much of it.

The Caliber SRT4 earns government fuel economy ratings of 22 city/28 highway. Not bad for such a hot rod. Our test averaged 24 miles-per-gallon of premium gas.

Premium is a good word for the SRT4 interior as well. Nicely improved over the standard Caliber, it provides the sort of driver-oriented upgrades we expect from SRT, with deep sport seats, a performance gauge cluster, along with an optional performance computer that shows acceleration and braking info, a dedicated boost gauge, carbon-style trim on the leather wrapped steering wheel and of course multi-disc CD audio, with an optional system packing 13-speakers, a 322 watt amplifier, and a 200 watt subwoofer.

Pricing for the Dodge Caliber SRT4 starts at $22,995. That’s a real bargain price for genuine factory tuner performance.

The 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 is much more than just another hot compact 5-door. It’s real street and racing technology, in a package with real everyman appeal.