Dodge, in recent times, has had a strategy of making vehicles with an attitude and differentiation that make them stand out from the me too designs on the block. Take the Durango and  Charger for instance. These are vehicles that stand out like the proverbial cat among pigeons in their respective categories, and the Caliber takes this a yard longer in the competitive C-segment. Its tall, muscular stance accentuated by strong shoulders, crisp and well defined side line that culminates into its chiseled boot area give the Caliber a visual appeal like nothing in its category, while bringing an almost SUV-like appearance. Think of it as an all-in-one vehicle hatchback, mini-SUV, family car its surely is multi-functional.

Historically, American car makers have had a core of their businesses focused on their domestic market. Although they do talk about the international markets, the fact remains that most of their sales have been coming in from the North American markets. Intense competition back home, falling margins and threat from newer car makers from Asia are forcing them to come out of their cocoons. Chrysler group, with its Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler brand has been an early mover. If you were to walk in to a Dodge showroom in the Middle East some times back, youd see none other than the Durango SUV. But all this is changing fast with a growing line up for the middle-eastern buyers. Caliber is destined for the global markets and so are a host of other new products showcased by Dodge in recent motor shows. Caliber will be sold in nearly 100 countries outside North America, according to the company.

The Caliber is not a typical C-segment car by any standards. The crossover styling on the outside is complemented by a versatile and utilitarian interior. Its clever interior includes smart features such as a Chill Zone a cooled beverage storage bin within the glove compartment that can hold up to 4 half-litre bottles or cans. The consumers in Middle East are bound to fall in love with this feature given the year round heat and humidity. Adding to the chilled out attitude is an optional Music Gate Power that adds two articulating speaker packages in the lift gate to its existing Boston Acoustic premium sound system.

Calibers two-box design incorporating five doors including a one-piece lift gate, with wheels pushed right out to the corners allows for generous space in the passenger compartment which is designed to transport 5 occupants and their gear in comfort. The 60/40 split rear seats not only fold flat but also come with a recliner. Calibers interior design flows with Dodges do more philosophy; however, the eye appeal of its plasticky interior is a bit of a let down.

If you are a value-conscious buyer with safety as a key concern, Calibers more than 20 safety features including standard supplemental side-curtain air bags, optional seat mounted side airbags, electronic stability program and tyre pressure monitoring system will take the worry off your head, and body in case of any untoward incident.

Dodge offers a rather large family of diesel and gasoline engines on the Caliber. Our test car was a 2.0 litre turbo diesel version capable of delivering a mighty 310Nm of torque and 140 hp. Although the traffic and our test route that snaked through the islands less inhibited roads as much as it did through the urban landscape gave little opportunity to push it to its limits, the Caliber did a surprisingly adequate job in a most competent manner. The Dodge engineers have done a good job in containing NVH levels. This ensured that the engine noise in the passenger confines was well contained as was road noise. Calibers long wheel base and broad track contributed to a comfortable ride along the not so smooth roads of the Spanish countryside, while the independent McPherson strut suspension in the front and an independent multi link suspension at the back held the Caliber steady in tight corners. The 5-speed continuously variable automatic transmission, although a little hesitant to shifting quickly, was a boon in the traffic infested urban tar, the joys of surfing through the tight curves leading up to Cala Xarraca - a beautiful bay with its sandy beach and crystal clear water - was brought to the fore by the auto stick option that enabled one to select and hold gears through the twisties.

The Middle East is unlikely to get the diesel variant and all indications point to the family of petrol engines that include 1.8 litre and a 2.0 litre options. While the former is capable of developing 150 hp @ 6500 rpm and 168 Nm @ 5200 rpm, the later develops an additional 6 ponies and 190Nm peak torque at lower rpm levels that its younger sibling. A 5-speed manual transmission is also likely to be offered in the Middle East in addition to the automatic CVT with auto stick option. Although no definite price indications have been given, I anticipate the Caliber to be priced very aggressively in its segment, if going by the current pricing structures of Dodge vehicles in the regions is anything to go by.

The Caliber is mainly aimed at European competition and is not expected to pull the rug under the feet of the Toyota Corolla and Nissan Sunny types. What really sets it apart is its feature rich packaging, aggressive pricing, and look at me - again exterior design, making it a definite contender for a fair share of the limelight in the C-segment.

Look out for the Rams head stamped boldly on the Calibers signature front grill  - it is all set to charge and command respect in its segment! Dont say we didnt warn ya!

Body Type       Hatchback

Engine (litre)     1.8       2.0

Power (bhp)     150      156

Torque (Nm)    168      190

Transmission     5A       5A