Vehicle Tested
| 2013 Dodge Dart Limited
Base Price: $19,995
At-Tested Price: $26,265
Built in Belvidere, Illinois.
Options
Technology Group
Premium Group
6-Speed Automatic Transmission
1.4-liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder Engine
Uconnect
Satellite Radio
17-inch Alloy Wheels
Engine: Turbocharged 1.4-liter I4, 160 horsepower
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive
|
Dodge replaces its aging Caliber with the all-new Dart for 2013. Still manufactured in Belvidere, Illinois, the new Dart is the first collaboration between parent-company Fiat and Chrysler Group to hit U.S. shores. The Dart is a compact 4-door sedan that competes with vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta.
Though Dart is an old name for Dodge, the '13 Dart is all-new from the ground up. Though the styling is unique to Dodge, Dart's underlying platform comes from the Italian-built Alfa-Romeo Giulietta that's sold in Europe. Engines and transmissions are also sourced from within the Fiat group.
Dart is offered in six unique trim levels: SE, SXT, Rallye, GT, Aero, and Limited. All are front-wheel drive. The SE, SXT, Rallye and Limited come standard with a 160-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. Standard on the Aero and optional in SXT, Rallye and Limited is a turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder that also makes 160 horsepower. GT comes with a 184-horsepower, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. All engines mate to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.
Standard safety features include antilock 4-wheel disc brakes with brake assist, stability control, tire-pressure monitor, daytime running lights and dual-front, front- and rear-side, curtain-side and front-knee airbags. Rear-view camera, blind-spot alert, and cross-path detection are optional.
SE is clearly the budget model as it doesn't come standard with air conditioning. However, it does include AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with digital-media player connection, power windows, height-adjustable driver seat, folding rear seat, and tilt/telescoping steering wheel. SXT adds air conditioning, power locks with remote, and a split folding rear seat. Rallye adds cruise control, a trip computer, and interior and exterior badges. The Aero adds a body kit and "active grille shutters" that deploy at highway speeds in an effort to improve fuel economy.
Limited comes standard with heated mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, iPod connection, SD card slot, USB port, 8.4-inch touchscreen, cruise control, passenger-seat storage, and power driver seat with lumbar adjustment. The GT is the sportiest Dart. It comes standard with a sport-tuned suspension, quicker steering, leather upholstery, heated front seats and steering wheel, automatic climate control, and remote start.
Key options include an 8.4-inch touchscreen with available navigation system, Bluetooth cell-phone link, a unique storage bin underneath the front-passenger seat cushion, sunroof, rearview camera, and satellite radio. All Dart models have a $795 destination fee.
Get Up and Go Dodge was smart to offer Dart with a trio of engines. The base 2.0-liter four feels like a typical compact-car mill - it's slow off the line and has mediocre passing response. The engine also gets winded quickly at high speeds. Expect a 0-60 mph time of about 10 seconds. The turbocharged 1.4-liter four is surprisingly peppy, dropping the 0-60 mph time to about 8 seconds or so. Due to its small displacement and turbocharged induction, it takes a second to build power, but then quickly delivers great passing punch.
Sadly, the automatic transmission isn't as smooth as it could be and doesn't match the refinement offered in some competitors. Its biggest offense is a clunky 1-2 shift, but the transmission also hesitates too long in downshifts and sometimes hunts between gears at part throttle.
Fuel economy is a plus. The turbo four is EPA rated at 27 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 31 mpg overall. Those ratings are comparable with competitors and what you would expect in the compact class. EPA numbers for the 2.0-liter are slightly lower. All engines will run fine on regular-grade gas, but Dodge recommends premium-grade gasoline for the turbo engine for best performance.
Real-world economy with the turbo four is quite impressive. It's easy to net better than 30 mpg overall in an equal mix of city and highway driving - provided you have a light throttle foot. Even is stop-and-go-commuting you'll likely average 27 mpg. Straight highway driving at a reasonable 65 mph is likely to average about 35 mpg.
On the Road Though never choppy or harsh, all Dart models feature a firm ride. That firmness grows as you climb the model ladder - especially so on models with the 17- or 18-inch wheels. In addition, the body doesn't seem to be as stiff as in some competitors and this leads to some cabin and dashboard judder when traversing railroad tracks and the like.
Though Dart looks very sporty, SE and SXT hold the road like typical compacts, meaning they have lots of understeer and only modest grip from the tires. Step up to the Rally or Limited and Dart feels much more agile and athletic. The steering has nice weight and good feel on all models. Brakes offer good stopping power but the antilock system seems to kick in too quickly and dramatically increases stopping distances.
Dart cruises quietly around town and at modest highway speeds. Unfortunately, the optional tires kick up quite a bit of road noise and the engines are coarse in hard acceleration. Overall, Dart is on par with most other compacts but doesn't match the class-leading quietness of the Chevy Cruze.
Behind the Wheel Dart's interior design is fairly conventional and functional. Materials range from budget on base models to fairly luxurious on up-level Limited. On all models, fit and finish are class average. Unlike most vehicles, Dart is available with two different instrument clusters. Base models get a fairly conventional twin-dial setup with warning lights. More-expensive models get a multi-function display with a large color screen between two semi-circular dials. Day or night, both are easy to read at a glance.
Climate and audio controls are fairly straightforward and placed within easy reach on the center stack. An available 8.4-inch touch screen is a surprise in this class and nicely blends audio, phone and navigation controls. Unfortunately, the map is a Garmin-based unit that's not as user friendly as most competitors and seems slow to react to touch. It's also constantly auto zooming in and out as you speed up and slow down. Other controls are simple and logically placed.
Front seats are typical for the class, meaning they are fine for short trips, but lack enough structure and padding for true long-trip comfort. Despite the low roofline, head room is good and leg room adequate for six-foot adults. Visibility is good and the availability of blind-spot and cross-traffic alert are a nice touch at this price point. Taller adults will wish for a slightly larger door opening.
Rear seats are comfortable despite being a bit cramped. Two average adults should have no trouble finding enough room, but push the front seats all the way back and knee room disappears. Rear door openings seem to be larger than the fronts, making getting in and out easier.
Trunk space is average for the class and the opening is quite wide. Unfortunately, the trunk lid has sickle-shaped hinges that eat into cargo space. Rear seatbacks fold on all models except for the SE, creating a long and flat-ish load floor. Interior storage is great with lots of open and covered bins and a huge glove box that will easily hold a 10-inch tablet or e-reader. Also available is a convenient hidden storage compartment under the front-passenger seat cushion. It's a great out-of-sight but easy-to-access location for cell phones or purses.
Bottom Line Quite simply, Dart is a huge improvement over its immediate predecessor and a competitive entry in the compact-car class. It's not as refined as some competitors and not as roomy as others, but offers a great mix of features and functionality for a relatively low price. With its nice mix of features, the $17,995 SXT is likely to be the sales leader. However, don't overlook the Limited at $19,995, which offers a host of high-end convenience and safety options.
|
|