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Mazda3 vs Caliber

15K views 99 replies 40 participants last post by  MetalCord 
#1 ·
I just got my brochure on the new Dodge Caliber and I personally like it. How do yall think it stacks up against the 3? I think it's a hell of a car with some pretty cool features. I have not gotten behind the wheel of one just yet, but I was wondering if anyone has if they can compare it to the Mazda3 and let us know where the Caliber succeeds and fails.

I wish I had a scanner to scan some of the brochure pics (put the site pics to shame), but here's what I like about the car:

1) Style - looks chizzled, mean, and sporty
2) Features - spot for cell phone/mp3 player in armrest, aux jack, musicgate 458 watt sound system with flip speakers on the liftgate, mini fridge in glovebox, and plenty of options
3) Engines - Rival the Duratecs for power and fuel efficiency (1.8 = 148 hp, 28/32 & 2.0 = 158 hp, 26/30)
4) AWD - Available all wheel drive, which the 3 does not offer
5) Versatility - Can boast up to 48 cubic feet of cargo capacity compared to the 3's 31.2 cu. ft.
6) Instrumentation - I like the instruments in the Caliber. Very clear and organized dash and centerstack. Well layed out. On par with the 3.

Dislikes:

1) Rear Drums - Braking is not going to be as good as Mazda
2) Handling - I've heard it's above average, but still body roll because of the taller roofline (3 inches taller, but you get more headroom)
3) CVT - Could be a plus or a minus depending on how you feel about CVTs. Reliable, but with quirks. I'd rather have the 5 speed auto from Mazda.
4) Grille - Truck grille looks a little out of place and derails the rest of the cars sexy exterior. Atleast it's not as obscenely big as a Ram or Durango


I can't wait to get behind the wheel of one. There's a lot to like about the Caliber, but how does it truly compare to the 3?
 
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#52 ·
[quote author=ziegs2020 link=topic=42891.msg654600#msg654600 date=1144537858]
I'd get a Caliber if there was no 3 option. But like someone mentioned, there are usually tonnes of quality problems at first and it takes a few years for the manufacturer to listen to consumer complaints to implement improvements. Only now are 2007 m3s getting rear cup holders (that stuff should have been standard, same with a rear arm rest FFS!), mp3 audio jack, and dual power slots.
[/quote]

The 3 has rear cup holders.... well technically, they're bottle holders. I assume you considered them inadequate. I've never had any complaints about them from any of my friends with Starbucks cups.
 
#53 ·
^^ I dunno, most people who ride in the back of my car says "where's the cupholder" followed by "what the hell type of weak-ass cupholder is this" followed by "shit man, I think my soda spilled" followed by "sike" followed by "this cupholder still sucks."
 
#54 ·
[quote author=MetalCord link=topic=42891.msg656559#msg656559 date=1144702594]
The 3 has rear cup holders.... well technically, they're bottle holders. I assume you considered them inadequate. I've never had any complaints about them from any of my friends with Starbucks cups.
[/quote]

Where are they ?

I rarely have rear passengers..

are they in the doors?

Igor
 
#55 ·
[quote author=igor2 link=topic=42891.msg654535#msg654535 date=1144532853]
I just want to point out again... Mazda3 and Caliber are barely comparable.. Mazda5 is the competition to Caliber...
We should realize that... If dodge wil get Caliber to handle anywhere near MAzda3 terrirtory, they will get a big applausse from me because that class of vehicles - compact space wagon - is very hard to make handle well.

The Mazda5 did an OK job handling.. but it is no 3 . .why? extra 300lb and come 3 inches of height... and that is basically tue of all Compact Space wagons on Us Market: HHR, PT, Mazda5, Vibe, Matrix, Caliber... it is a different class from regular compacts.. they have their advantages - taller seting and better view of the road, more cargo space, usually very versatile and fature packed interior - but yo ucannot expect them to also handle like Mazda3.

BTW HTown3 .. MotorTrend is as usuall Full of it.. Why is MAtrix XRS there and Vibe GT is not it is the same freakign car.... as usual MT and RT are the most ureliable source of info.. I wish MPH had stayed around.. I liked their reporting style.. it was very well weighted....

Igor
[/quote]
So let's say someone goes to a Dodge dealer, and they really like the Caliber. The layout works for them, general size is OK. Not enough to make a spot purchase, but enough to use that as the basis for comparing other brands. So then, they go to a Mazda dealer. You think that this person will be more drawn to a Mazda5 than a Mazda3?!?! Mazda5 is a micro-van, or whatever! It has 3 rows of seating. Maybe you are only talking performance, but as far as true market comparisons, that's nuts!

Mazda3 is the most well-executed offering in a decent size crowd of compact 5-doors. Mazda5 is truely groundbreaking (for the US market!). I don't think you can compare anything else in the US market to the Mazda5 as far as market appeal, certainly not the Caliber!

Do you see Mazda rushing to make a Mazdaspeed5 to compete with the Caliber SRT-4? No. It will be the Mazdaspeed3 versus the Caliber SRT-4 that all of us will be waiting to see on the magazine covers.
 
G
#56 ·
The least expensive Mazda 5 MSRPs at $17,995, is larger and is more or less a minivan. This is not the Caliber's competior. The Caliber replaces the Neon. The Neon was a direct competitor for the 3. Yes, it's bigger and SUV-like but its base price and hp range tells you who it competes with in the compact car market. The Mazda 3 5-door.
 
#57 ·
Yeah, I'm participating on the caliber forums lately - and the Mazda3 seems to be the straight-up closest competitor that the members there talk about comparing vehicles. The other close-match tossed around is a Vibe/Matrix.
 
#58 ·
[quote author=igor2 link=topic=42891.msg656959#msg656959 date=1144722893]
[quote author=MetalCord link=topic=42891.msg656559#msg656559 date=1144702594]
The 3 has rear cup holders....  well technically, they're bottle holders.  I assume you considered them inadequate.  I've never had any complaints about them from any of my friends with Starbucks cups.
[/quote]

Where are they ?

I rarely have rear passengers..

are they in the doors?

Igor
[/quote]
Yes, they are in the doors.  Just like the holders in the front doors.  I wouldn't let anyone use them for open drink containers.  You have to put the cup at a slight angle to get anything in their.  Like someone said, I think they are really intended more for closed containers like water bottles.  Did I hear that the '07 will have true rear cup holders?  I think there has always been an optional ash tray that snaps in behind the center console.  They probably redid that area to allow for the ash tray, or cupholders.

I will be impressed in they build in a flip-down arm rest (with integrated cupholders) into the larger rear seatback.  Many vehicles do this.  I the up position, it's the center seatback.  In the down position it's an armrest and cupholders for 2 rear passengers.  IMO this was a major oversight on Mazda's part in '04.  The RX-8 has this...why not Mazda3?
 
#59 ·
Keep in mind that both the Caliber and the Vibe can be had with AWD. The Mazda3 can't/isn't. Any vehicle with AWD option is usually gonna ride a bit higher, even if you get the 2wd version.
 
#60 ·
#61 ·
Wow! That new Mazda3 owner that started that thread on caliberforums sure is a jackass!!!
 
#64 ·
[quote author=edrection link=topic=42891.msg657618#msg657618 date=1144775308]
the dodge is more of a SUV. I dont think it can really compare.
[/quote]
SUV? :?
It might make it down an residential dirt road, but I wouldn't call it an SUV just because it has AWD and the ground clearance is a tad higher than Mazda3.
 
G
#65 ·
I think it has certain SUV intentions...the ground clearance and body style does represent the new generation of SUVs coming from Nissan, Mazda, etc....but the serious RWD or 4WD off-roading SUVs would leave this FWD or AWD 'crossover' in the dust. It's WAY more a car than an SUV in that respect.
 
#66 ·
I think the Caliber just looks really big, but if you actually sit in one or just see it on the roads - you'll find it's not that big.  Yes, it's larger and taller than a Mazda3 or Protege 5, but the Ford Freestyle and other "wagon/suv/things" are still much larger than the Caliber.
 
#67 ·
right, crossover is what I was trying to say. its not a sporty car, its supposed to be the new - post $3+ gallon of gas suv replacment. I think we will see a lot more 5 door cars out there.

that said, the caliper is funny looking. I saw one the other day and its much much smaller than the pictures make it look.with the huge grill and barkelights it dosent look right.
 
#68 ·
[quote author=thebrakeman link=topic=42891.msg657538#msg657538 date=1144771764]
I will be impressed in they build in a flip-down arm rest (with integrated cupholders) into the larger rear seatback. Many vehicles do this. I the up position, it's the center seatback. In the down position it's an armrest and cupholders for 2 rear passengers. IMO this was a major oversight on Mazda's part in '04. The RX-8 has this...why not Mazda3?[/quote]

The RX-8 can't accomodate 3 passengers in the rear because of the driveshaft tunnel. Adding some cup holders to that space since it can't be occupied by a person is the least Mazda could do.
 
#69 ·
the 3 can book another win over Caliber actually 2 of them depending how much credit you give MyFordDreams Blog

1st, Karl Brauer of edmunds.com postsed ethe following on this "Karl on Cars" Blog:
2007 Dodge Caliber -- It's All New...But Is It Better?
By now we all know that Dodge has bailed on the economy sedan market in favor of the Caliber five-door hatchback. We posted a First Drive several weeks ago, and now we've got one in the parking garage downstairs. I actually got to drive the Caliber a few months ago as well, but it was in Aspen as part of an all-wheel drive press trip, and there was little chance to really try it out under normal (non snowy) conditions. After a trip home and back in the last 24 hours I have a better idea of what works on this car...and what needs work.

First I should point out that my wife loved the look of the Caliber R/T and couldn't believe it was a roughly $20,000 vehicle. Of course she didn't sit in it or drive it, and that's where the car falls a bit short of my expectations. For starters (and to sound like a broken record player when refering to another domestic product), the interior is just too cheap. The plastic dash tries to escape the issue with a textured surface, but it still looks and feels too cheap, even for an economy hatchback. Same goes for the door panels and center console. BTW, I'd argue that in "R/T" trim, and at $20,000-plus, the Caliber isn't really an "economy" car anymore, making the interior plastics all the more unacceptable. If the Mazda3 can come off as possessing a reasonably high-quality interior than it can be done -- and consumers will (or at least they should) expect others to match that level of interior quality.

Speaking of the Mazda3, that car's FTD factor continues to be its strong suit, and it has established a base-level that others now must chase (so far the Civic comes the closest). The Caliber uses a 2.4-liter engine that offers adequate thrust with 172 horsepower, but it's mated to a CVT that feels...well, like most CVTs -- spongy and squishy. There's no real sense of urgency when flooring this vehicle, just a high-winding groan as the engine revs to around 4,000 rpm and stalls there while the CVT adjusts its interior ratios for maximum acceleration. I know CVTs are more efficient than traditional trannies, but they are also superbly effective at quelling any sense of performance (with rare exception, such as the new Nissan Altima's). On a Dodge product wearing an "R/T" badge that is unacceptable. I know that "SRT" is the new Dodge moniker for ultimate performance, but the Charger R/T and old Neon R/T still were at least still fun to drive. This vehicle is not, and that's a travesty.

Maybe if you start with an SE or SXT, and are careful with option checking, you can create a Caliber that offers good value, but in terms of fun I already miss the Neon (and I never thought I'd say that...). Obviously the 300 horsepower SRT version will have to be fun, just based on power-to-weight alone, but it's too bad the "normal" versions of the car offer nothing for the enthusiast.

Posted by Karl Apr 18, 2006 3:02 pm
LINK:http://blogs.edmunds.com/.ee90aae

Then Joe on Myforddreams2.blogspot.com posted the following:

Caliber shot down, looks like Mazda3 may be my new ride.

Now we all know, this should be my new ride, a Ford Focus ST, built on the C1 platform. But Ford hasn't seen fit to release this in the US. So I had been doing a lot of research, in order to buy a new car. I want something useful, that will get decent milage and look fairly good.
And I thought I had been lured by the Siren's song of the Dodge Caliber SXT. On paper it seems to be quite a car, roomy and versatile, with good economy and muscular looks. But it only took one test drive to just suck the wind out of it's sails. I had an opportunity, thanks to my brother the Mazda guy, to visit a dealership that sells both Mazda and Dodge. That way I could test drive both the Caliber and the Mazda3 back to back and compare them side by side litterally.
And even if I was willing to overlook the cheaper interior materials on the Caliber, which I was, what killed it was the drive. The Caliber was an SXT with the 2.0l I4 and a CVT auto trans. Power was close on both cars 158 hp for Caliber and 160 hp for Mazda. Now I had never driven a car with a CVT trans, so I was expecting it to be very near a conventional automatic transmission. Boy was I wrong. Pulling into traffic on the 2 lane road was fine, but getting onto the parkway was a real education. As I accelerated on the ramp, I was assaulted with a buzzy engine and a total lack of power. I mean we did get to 50 mph, but the revs never dropped below 4 grand and the lack of shift feel had me nervous. Once up to speed with traffic the engine stayed up at 4 grand and stabbing the go pedal didn't seem to make much of a difference. Now I had intended to buy a manual transmission model anyway, but after driving the Mazda3, even that couldn't sway me. Besides after talking to several local dealers, I don't believe it will be possible to test drive a manual trans Caliber for some time.

Now the Mazda3 was a real breath of fresh air. The 160 hp 2.3 I4 and 4 spd Auto trans worked in unison to bring me up to highway speeds with confidence and obviously power to spare. The car pulled with a good amount of low end grunt and I don't think the tach went over 3500 rpm. The engine hummed up to speed without the raspy clatter of the Dodge. And the slush box shifted firmly and without and hesitation. As for utility, the 3 can handle it, the rear leg room is similar to the slightly larger Caliber and the slightly smaller hatch is not really a penalty, because with the rear seats folded, they are very close. Add to that the higher quality materials everywhere in the Mazda and it's a clear decision. Well, as fickle as I am, nothing is clear, but the Mazda3 just feels better anyway you compare. It's about $1500 more than the Caliber when equiped similarilly, with Leather, Moonroof and 6 disc stereo, but the value is there because of the quality.

Now if Ford would bring the C1 Focus here, I wouldn't have had to look at either of these.
LINK:http://myforddreams2.blogspot.com/2006/04/caliber-shot-down-looks-like-mazda3.html#links

Seems like my previos words were confirmed.. you cannot build a Compact Space Wagon to handle like a regular "low" compact.
And it seems CVT has still its haters.. it still has long way to go before it is fully accepted for itrs merits and its drawbbacks are finally rejected as frivolous.

Igor
 
#70 ·
R/Ts will have an optional 5-speed manual by the end of this year..... I haven't met a single person who felt a CVT was a sporty option - so this is something Dodge will remedy later.

Of course, over 90% of the population would rather have an eco-automatic anyway ... so they're selling the popular options before they dive into the fancy-pants stuff.
 
#71 ·
A guy I work with is coming in late today so he can go to the dealership and get a new Caliber. When he called to let me know I didn't have the heart to tell him it came in 6th out of 7 compacts under $15,000 in the new Car & Driver that I just got in the mail yesterday.  :p  Plus he's only worked here like 3 weeks, so he doesn't exactly have a steady job to risk getting a car note. In fact, I'm his manager and he's been struggling on quite a few things.  :?

When I first saw/heard about the Caliber I put it as the runner up to the 3 on my "prospective buy" list, but ever since then it's just kind of slipped out of the picture. :| 
 
#72 ·
[quote author=edrection link=topic=42891.msg657738#msg657738 date=1144779011]
right, crossover is what I was trying to say. its not a sporty car, its supposed to be the new - post $3+ gallon of gas suv replacment. I think we will see a lot more 5 door cars out there.

that said, the caliper is funny looking. I saw one the other day and its much much smaller than the pictures make it look.with the huge grill and barkelights it dosent look right.
[/quote]

The Jeep Patriot (cheesy name) is based on the Caliber platform and far better looking (IMO) on the exterior and interior. The Caliber had the worst interior I've ever seen. Once (if?) they work out the usual first year production issues it may be a decent vehicle :eek:
 
#73 ·
I'm looking to replace the family mini-van this summer. While my husband has a Mitsubishi 3000 gt vr4 and a 1967 Plymouth Baracua, I have a land whale to drive. So, I'm looking for a fun small car to replace the grocery getter. I originally was looking at the Dodge Caliber, the Honda Civic, and the Mazda3. The local Dodge dealership called us in March when they got their first Caliber in. It was the SE model w/the CVT. At first sight I thought the car looked very masculine, stocky, and had some cool SUV type lines. It looked big standing outside the car. Once I got inside the car it didn't feel as big. I hated the short line of the windshield. It just made me feel like it cut my visibility and made me feel closed in. I hated the CVT. It had a terrible lag that I couldn't get used to. The interior noise was also not good and seemed louder than my mini-van. I also thought the interior design was cheap, but the car is cheap so I wasn't expecting much more. I had been waiting to drive the Caliber for 2 months so I was really disappointed when I finally got it on the road. On the other hand, I was really impressed w/the Mazda3. FUN is an understatement. My husband did figure eights w/the car and all the wheels remained firmly on the ground and I'm sure left the salesman in hysterics. Acceleration was pretty quick for a 4 cylinder and all the features of the car of this price was really nice. I saw the new civics and didn't even bother test driving because they are so very ugly and with less HP and torque, why waste my time. My head turns when I see the Mazda3's on the road because they are great looking cars and I've seen nothing that really looks like it. So many of the other econo cars have the same look to them and I have no desire to add another boring Corolla to the roads in Minnesota. So, to sum it up the Caliber didn't impress me. The Mazda3 on the other hand was an overacheiver. I can't wait to get one.
 
#74 ·
Make sure you post about your new Mazda3 in this section once you get the keys! :)

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?board=39.0

I agree, the Caliber has some issues with the fit/feel of materials, and the SXT trim really isn't set up for performance or spirited driving. Granted, they're not really targeting the sport-oriented people (yet).
 
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