Performance and low price rarely go hand in hand when you’re talking about cars these days.
However, with Dodge’s pocket-rocket 2008 Caliber SRT4, you get 285 hp and 265 lb/ft or torque, starting at under the $25K mark.
Talk about a bargain. Most performance versions of these compact sport sedans list at closer to the $30K mark.
SRT stands for street and racing technology and it is Chrysler’s performance division. They have a number of models currently on the market including the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, Viper SRT10, Charger SRT8, and the Brampton-built Chrysler 300 SRT8 and Challenger SRT8.
With the Caliber SRT4, what they have done is taken a standard production Caliber, tweaked it with a turbocharger, high-performance suspension, huge brakes, 19-inch wheels and dressed it up with scoops and a rear spoiler, all for a starting price of $24,995.
With these modifications, your normal Caliber economy hatch now performs with the best on the street, going from 0-96 km/h in just over six seconds. A quarter-mile time is estimated at 13.6 seconds.
In the SRT4, the 2.4-litre intercooled turbo inline four-cylinder engine is mated with a six-speed Getrag manual transmission. No automatic transmission is offered, so if a high-performance machine is your desire, be prepared to shift manually.
My tester included an SRT option package ($925) and special SRT wheels ($250). With a destination charge $1,200, the car listed at $27,470— a great price for the performance this car provides.
However, if you hurry you might be able to do better than that. I recently saw a loaded 2008 SRT4 advertised for $21,795 as dealers start to clear out the 2008s to make room for incoming 2009 models.
In the SRT4, the four-wheel independent suspension is specially tuned and lowered. It features unique springs, front and rear anti-sway bars and twin-tube dampers. Traction control is standard.
On the braking side, Bosch dual piston calipers in a brilliant red colour are at the front along with huge 340 mm (13.4 inch) discs and functional cooling ducts. At the rear are 300 mm (11.8 inch) discs are on the rear.
To get the power to right places in this front-drive vehicle, the SRT4 has a specially-engineered Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Brake Lock Differential (BLD) technology to transfer torque to the drive tire with the most traction.
And as far as tires are concerned, 225/45R19 high performance tires are standard on  the SRT4, with 225/45R19 BSW performance tires available as an option.
Inside, the basic Caliber interior has been modified with special SRT4 embroidered front seats that are deeply bolstered and similar to those found on the $100K Dodge Viper.
You also get a centre-mounted tach, 300 km/h speedometer, turbo boost gauge, bright aluminum pedals and leather-wrapped steering wheel (with audio controls)  and shift knob. Also standard is air conditioning with the Chill Zone storage compartment near the glove box for keeping water and pop cans cool on hot summer days.
Outside has been dressed up with a functional hood scoop, a unique front fascia, fog lamps, a large rear spoiler and SRT badging. Four exterior colours are offered including the eye-popping Inferno Red Crystal Pearl featured on my tester.
While the base car starts at under $25K, you could easily go much higher with options like the power sunroof,   13-speaker   KICKER/SRT Livin Loud 522 watt sound system or the MusicGate Power sound system.
Performance is what makes the SRT4 attractive to a certain segment of the automotive market, yet fuel economy isn’t half bad for this turbocharged model.
The SRT4 is rated at 10.9L/100 km city (26 mpg) and 7.4L/100 km (38 mpg) highway— a long shot better than muscle cars of the ’70s were able to attain.
Weighing in a 1,447 kg (3,189 lb), the SRT4 is not a lightweight by compact standards, yet with 285 ponies under the hood, it gets to speed in a big hurry.
As with any high-powered front driver, torque steer is evident, but doesn’t make the steering unmanageable. Being a turbo, the engine is noisy, particularly at high revs where the engine really begins to shine in term of performance.
On the twisties, the SRT4 grips the road like a squirrel on a tree and takes sharp corners with ease.  Thinking back to my time in a regular Caliber, I believe the ride is firmer on the SRT model, but still quite acceptable for a compact front-driver.
Steering is  power-assisted  and fairly precise and predictable, while wind noise becomes evident at highway speeds.
From the cockpit, vision ahead on the highway is fairly good due to the vehicle’s high stance. However, the deep dashboard makes it difficult to judge just where the car’s front end begins making parking a bit of a chore and the A-pillars present a visibility problem when cornering.
The seats are more forgiving than the Viper’s for a driver of my stature, but the the bolstering holds you in snugly on hard cornering. Getting in and out of the heavily-bolstered seats is more of a chore for people my age (50+), but then again, very few people my age will be in the market for a car like this.
Minor quibbles aside, I can’t think of another car on the market that offers the same combination of power and performance at a price under $25K. The tuner crowd should be in love with this car.
DODGE CALIBER SRT4 2008
AT A GLANCE
BODY STYLE: performance compact car
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front-wheel drive
ENGINE: 2.4-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder (285 hp, 265 lb/ft).
FUEL ECONOMY: 10.9L/100 km (29 mpg) city, 7.4L/100 km (38 mpg) highway.
PRICE: $24,995, as tested $27,470 including $1,200 destination charge.
WEBSITE: www.dodge.ca