Caliber fuel mileage?

Hi Robert,

Are you in Canada by chance? The reason I ask is that prior to converting to the metric system, we Canadians used "Imperial" gallons (as opposed to "U.S." gallons) as our standard of fluid measurement.

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am in Canada.

That is misleading advertising that Transport Canada has to put a stop to, or better yet, have all three, CAN/US/UK.

It's been quite a long time since we've changed from gallons to metric around here, hehe.. I think we can follow our US neighbours so that we can follow along when we read Consumer Reports and not be stunned when we find out AFTER we bought the vehicle, that the stated MPG was in different units.

Cheers

If you indeed own a CDN version of the Caliber, then please quote from the owners manual exactly what units the display is configured to show when set to MPG.

On my 300m (as bought in Canada from a CND dealer in Nov/99) my overhead display will show milage in Miles per US gallon (not UK gallons). I can't believe that Chrysler Canada would pull a bone-head move like show milage in terms of UK gallons.

BTW: this is on the window sticker at the dealer, not referenced from the manual.

I don't own a Caliber, but I'd like one.. however, the fuel mileage doesn't impress me very much. I expect it to come in at 10L/100km in everyday driving (75% highway- based on current reports with the CVT, yes, it will improve slightly as the engine breaks in, however, that will be offset as the engine ages due to wear/tear, then it will consume approx 10L/100km again ;).

I'm waiting to test drive the manual 1.8L which isn't available on the lots yet.

For a vehicle that weighs 3000 lbs, I'd expect a lot better than

10L/100 km (23.5 mpg).

On a recent 200-mile highway round-trip, my overhead console had me at

30-33 mpg (in one direction) and about 28 mpg in the other direction in my 6 year old, 62k miles 300M. That's 8.1 L/100km for a 3.5L engine in a 3600 lb car, doing 120 kph (75 MPH) with the tach saying 2250 - 2300 rpm.

I believe the computer display on my 300M Special speaks five different languages; fortunately for me, English just happens to be one of them. :-)

In any event, I can confirm it allows me to choose either litres per

100 km and miles per U.S. gallon. My '94 and '97 LHS are both uni-lingual (the former is still with me, but the latter now since gone); again, I could switch between litres and US gallons.

BTW, I bought my first LHS in October of '93 and I'm pleased to say "Lady Chrysler" turned 265,000 km last month and is still going strong.

Cheers, Paul

Hi Robert,

It probably comes down to simplicity; three different methods of measurement could be a little confusing and perhaps even moot, given the current generation of Cannuckleheads have always used metric and most of the preceding generation have, to varying degrees, successfully adapted to it.

For years I knew our Imperial gallon was 25 per cent larger than a U.S. gallon. However, what I didn't know until recently is that our ounce is bigger too (that bet cost me a few bucks... the moral here is always check your facts). I guess we should be thankful we no longer use stones and hands. ;-)

Cheers, Paul

On long stretches of open highway and on relatively flat terrain, I can still average 7.9 litres per 100 km in my '94 LHS, but only if I keep my speed in the range of 100 kph. My '97 always managed to do just slightly better and I remember my best extended round-trip number was 7.7. Really quite remarkable for a car of its size and weight.

I don't believe I've ever gotten below 8.2 in the 300M but, then again, it's hard to only do 100 in this car. And, interestingly enough, the only non-Chryco car I've owned (sorry Chrysler, I promise never to be unfaithful again) was a '84 SAAB 900 Turbo -- a four cylinder, 5-speed -- and I don't recall ever doing better than 10 litres per 100 km.

Cheers, Paul

sure, but the Saab is a turbo, and it does pound out some decent power, so I bet you "pressed" on the pedal once in a while and the turbo spooled up nice nice didn't it!?!? hehehe...

I like Saabs, I'd buy a nice used Viggen, but, whatever.. I dunno about the caliber though.

The published fuel economy vs. what we get is another story.

They are saying 28/32 mpg for caliber automatic (28 city, 32hwy)... I believe that was from the Dodge USA site.

28stones/100furlongs

Guilty as charged! The SAAB was an absolutely fantastic car to drive and I truly loved its "ugly duckling" styling and quirky design, as well as the huge amount of leg room and commanding view through the wrap around window.

Sadly, it was also ... and lets put this as kindly as possible ... somewhat "trouble prone" and horrifically expensive to maintain. Furthermore, there was just one dealership in the Toronto area I trusted to work on it and who I felt wouldn't rip me off -- that dealership, btw, was Budd's in Oakville. Graham, their head tech knew these cars inside-out and made handing over that credit card just a little less painful.

In any event, some of my fondest memories are of the drive between Halifax and Montreal via I believe I89. It would be 02h00 in the morning and the road completely deserted. I would turn on my brights and floor it up the mountains, with the turbo needle tickling the red zone. And when you pushed that car, you knew exactly how it would behave... the handling was perfectly rock solid.

Cheers, Paul