Dodge Caliber

Caliber is a tough-looking, chunky rival to the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. But don't be fooled by the tall shape and macho looks. It may pretend to be an off-roader, but in reality it's an American take on a family hatchback. It's spacious, affordably priced, reasonably well equipped and comes with three engines, including a strong 2.0-litre diesel. Caliber's major let-down is the cheap-looking interior which feels poorly made and isn't entirely intuitive to use; it's a far cry from those offered by VW, Ford, Honda and Vauxhall.

S, SE, SXT, SXT CVT Auto, SXT Sport, CRD S, CRD SXT, CRD SXT Sport

The base model in the line-up is badged S. It comes equipped with a CD player and electric windows. The next model is the SE which comes with reclining rear seats, a folding front seat, driver's seat height adjustment, rear cargo cover, air conditioning and a cooled glovebox. The SXT has cruise control, front fog lamps, alloy wheels, leather upholstery, a tyre pressure monitor and an automatic dimming rear view mirror. The SXT Sport model has in addition, a six-disc CD multichanger and 18-inch alloy wheels plus the seats are upholstered in fabric with coloured inserts. Options include a roof rack and tow bar, plus a range of interior enhancements.

SXT Sport