Dodge Caliber
Ratings
3 stars
Summary
Average. It's a Dodge - but not as we know it. The American company's first Europe-focussed effort has styling that's likely to divide opinion, a clever interior and a thoroughly inoffensive driving experience.
Review
Despite being big in America for decades, the Caliber is Dodge's first global car, with the company reckoning it's been designed around the needs of picky European consumers.
It certainly looks different. As a five-door family hatchback it's competing against cars like the Ford Focus and VW Golf. But Dodge's radical styling direction makes it look more like a mini-SUV thanks to big headlamps and Dodge's "crosshair" radiator grille. It certainly won't appeal to everyone, although it looks like it will age better than the excessively retro Chrysler PT Cruiser.
If you can live with the design then, against expectations, the Caliber has a lot to recommend it. The well thought-out interior is simple and functional, with switchgear in easily-anticipated places and neat design details like a built-in torch and illuminated cup holder lips. It's roomy too, with plenty of space for both front and rear seat passengers and a decently sized boot too. Trim quality is reasonable, too - far better than you would expect from an American market car.
On the road it drives well with a comfortable, pliant ride and reasonably agile behaviour in the corners. It's not sporty - but it is more than responsive enough to meet the requirements of its utility-seeking core audience.
The base 1.8 litre 148 bhp petrol model comes with a manual gearbox as standard, although it feels strained when worked too hard. Buyers can also opt for a more powerful 2.0 litre 158 bhp petrol engine (which comes with a standard autobox) and a 2.0 litre 136 bhp turbodiesel. The range-topping 300 bhp turbocharged 2.4 litre SRT4 is a rocketship.
The Caliber is specifically designed to offer something different from the mainstream volume offerings in the crowded hatchback segment. It's certainly a head-turner and packs a lot of punch for the money.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
3 star
If you like it you'll love it, if you hate it you won't even open the door to look inside. The rear lamp clusters are the biggest Dodge does on any vehicle, including some massive US pick-ups and SUVs.
Handling
3 star
Push it hard into a corner and there's surprisingly little bodyroll. The steering is nicely balanced too, and the ride has been fine-tuned from the American model for European roads and driver tastes. The gear change is a bit sticky.
Comfort
3 star
It's not luxurious, and there's a lot of plastic in the cabin. The lack of reach adjustment on the steering wheel will put some drivers off, but clever details help make it a car you can spend time in.
Quality & Reliability
3 star
American brands that cross the Atlantic don't have the best reputation when it comes to fit and finish. The Caliber seems better than most. Early test cars had one or two rough edges, but they should be sorted for the showroom.
Performance
4 star
The 1.8-litre engine is no hot hatch, and if you push it hard it begins to run out of steam as you go up the rev range. The 2.0 litre has far more in reserve, it's automatic gearbox featuring a clever sequential shift system that allows you to choose when to change cogs.
Roominess
4 star
There's a double decker glovebox in the front, and the armrest features storage space for an MP3 music player or mobile phone. With the back seats folded flat, there's 1,360 litres of space, which is almost 120 litres more than a five-door Ford Focus.
Running Costs
3 star
With Dodge having no history in the UK, there's little information on how the car will perform. At time of writing there's no official performance, fuel economy or pence per mile figures. Dodge bosses say it won't be expensive to run, but there's no way of verifying that yet.
Value for money
4 star
The showroom price for the Caliber puts it at the value end of the market, and you get a lot of standard features for the money. For example, the rear seats have a recline feature, while the glovebox is air-conditioned to keep chilled drinks cold.
