So here's the sort of family who will give something like Dodge's Caliber a try. They'll be sick of the usual family hatchback alternatives - you know, the Ford Focus/Vauxhall Astra/Toyota Corolla type of option. They'll be unafraid to try something different but in return, be wanting something that looks special, offers great values and includes plenty of standard equipment. Judged on those criteria, Dodge's Caliber seems to tick all the boxes and I had high hopes when one rolled onto my driveway. It's not pretty, but it is handsome in a chunky sort of way. My family could live with this, was my first impression.

It's not the biggest car in its class or the one with the finest interior finish. That said, you can't deny that this Dodge has quite an appeal. My road testing team colleagues call it "all round funkiness". The interior colour schemes are certainly bright and there are some nice hi-tech touches, although there isn't much oddments storage space. My nephew loved the Apple iPod holder that sits on the underside of the centre armrest. Flip the centre portion of the armrest over and your iPod has a place to sit rather than being clonked and scratched by gear in the glove box as you go round every corner. A chilled compartment above the glove box is big enough to store four bottles of water and kept the kids' chocolate from becoming a sticky mess. Meanwhile, we were able to fold the front passenger seat flat to get my niece's bike inside. The loading bay itself is pretty big but with the seats, rear knee room isn't hugely generous. My test car came with the optional Boston Acoustics stereo upgrade. With no fewer than nine speakers, this system can really handle some bass. A speaker pod and subwoofer are fitted into the tailgate which can then swing down to face backwards - perfect, the dealer told me, for impromptu block parties or barbecues.

I tried the 2.0 diesel and it looks to be the pick of the engine line-up with plenty of pulling power and a power output of 136bhp. I'd go for this over the 1.8 or 2.0-litre petrol alternatives. The 1.8 will get the Dodge to 60mph in around 9 seconds and on to a top speed of over 120mph. The 148bhp power output is a decent return in a market where, for example, a Ford Focus 1.8i C-MAX can only call upon 118bhp but a penalty comes in terms of fuel economy, the Caliber weighing 1,345kg. Both the 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrols thrive on revs although the standard five-speed gearbox isn't the slickest unit on the market.

Certainly, The car's drawbacks don't bother me too much and are far out-weighed by its value and sheer pizzazz. As long as you don't mind the neighbours saying "You've bought a what?", it's well worth a try.