Other interior color combinations are available, but none really befit the upmarket image Dodge is attempting to project with the Dart. Only an attractive stripe on the seat upholstery relieves the monotony inside. Boasting the same software used on a few other Chrysler products, the uConnect infotainment system is far more intuitive than any rival's system and the Garmin-sourced navigation is familiar and effective.īut there's something about the way the Dart's interior looks - especially when clad in our tester's relentless Diesel Grey (what's diesel about grey?). The controls are simple and conveniently located, especially the big 8.4-inch screen that controls the optional infotainment system. Front and rear seat space is excellent, bettering just about anything in the compact class. That's not to say that the Dart isn't functional and comfortable inside. In fact, the Dart's front end seems a little too reptilian from some angles, although that resemblance does provide something of a link to the SRT Viper.Ĭhrysler product interiors have taken a giant leap forward since the automaker was cast off by former ruler Daimler, but our time in the Dart revealed that there's still plenty of work to be done. Only subtle high-buck cues like an extra side window behind the rear doors and projector beam head lamps give it a slightly more upmarket tone, however, since the expressive front and rear fascias don't really inspire us. Throw in the 40 mpg Mazda Mazda3 Skyactiv and you have the makings of a long day of cross-shopping.ĭesigned primarily in the United States, the Dart doesn't bear much of a resemblance to its Alfa Romeo sibling, which is either a blessing or a curse, depending on your viewpoint.ĭart is a big car for the segment, stretching a few inches longer than a typical compact car, but its proportions are hidden well inside the rather conventional body. The stick-shifted Dart Aero tops the line with 41 mpg on the highway.Ĭompetitors range the gamut, from the high-volume Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla to premium cross-town rivals like the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus, the latter of which offers a dual clutch that has received mixed reviews from the press and public alike. For fuel misers, the Dart Aero adds, not surprisingly, a few efficiency-oriented items to boost fuel economy from our tester's 27/37 mpg (31 mpg combined) to 28/40 mpg (32 mpg combined). It was further loaded up with a similarly mid-level (and pricey at $2,400 combined) 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and six-speed dual dry clutch transmission, the first such gearbox to have ever been installed in a Chrysler product.Ī 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard (with either a manual or conventional automatic), while a 2.4-liter four-cylinder will soon arrive in the range-topping Dart R/T. In its place, the Dart promised some of the old Dodge Neon's spunk, but with an added dose of much-needed refinement.ĭart is available in a dizzying array of styles, but our Rallye tester slots somewhere in the middle. In concept, the Caliber seemed like a decent idea, but a dreadful powertrain and penny pinched interior relegated it to the fine folks at Hertz and Avis. Riding on a platform that underpins the European market Alfa Romeo Giulietta compact car, the Dart replaces the poorly-received Dodge Caliber five-door. is it the sporty compact we\'ve always wanted?Įven though its predecessor was one of the few genuinely bad cars to hit the road in the last decade, expectations for Dodge's new foray into a fiercely competitive compact car segment were high from day one.Īfter all, Chryler's mainstream brand hasn't been shy about touting the new Dodge Dart's Alfa Romeo DNA.īut is this formerly forbidden fruit all it was promised to be? After spending some time in the highest-tech version currently on sale, a turbocharged model with a new six-speed dual dry clutch transmission, we're not so sure. Review: 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye Dec 30, 2012, 1:45am ET Dodge\'s Italian DNA Dart receives a new turbo/dual clutch automatic combination. Review: 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye - LeftLaneNews LeftLaneNews
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