Dodge charges into the mainstream

The Caliber includes nifty touches such as an iPod holder built into the armrest.

Dodge is about to butt into the family car market in New Zealand with the new Caliber.

It's the first mainstream model to wear the distinctive ram's head badge, and is aimed at attracting buyers who want to stand out from the crowd.

As with models from Dodge's stablemates, Chrysler and Jeep, the Caliber's styling is pure Americana.

Designers have gone for a shrunken sports utility vehicle look, giving the hatchback swollen wheel-arches, big alloys and bold headlamps.

The off-road crossover appearance is a result of the Dodge's high ground clearance, but don't be fooled into thinking this is a four-wheel-drive.

Though an all-wheel-drive Caliber is sold in the US, New Zealand and Australian models feed power only to the front wheels.

The car pictured on this page is the higher-performance SRT4, meaning "street and racing technology". It is expected to be available here next year.

A peep inside a standard US-spec Caliber finds plenty of space for front and rear passengers, although the boot is small for this class.

There are some nifty touches, such as the neat iPod holder built into the armrest, and an optional boot-mounted, fold-out sound system.

No word on price yet, but DaimlerChrysler has surprised with prices on the 300C SRT8 and Jeep Commander, so the Caliber could come in at around $30,000.

The Caliber is expected to be available here around August with the choice of three petrol engines and a turbo-diesel. The petrol offerings are 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4-litre units and the oil-burner is a 2-litre made by Volkswagen.