Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

2013 Dodge Dart

Gallery:
Chrysler has managed an impressive turnaround since the dark days of 2009. After carpet-bombing the market with a spate of new or refreshed models, the automaker saw its retail sales jump a whopping 43 percent in 2011, helping it report a modest $183 million profit in the process. Chrysler even managed to pay out profit-sharing checks for the first time since 2005. According to Richard ***, director of the Dodge brand, that trend hasn't slacked up in 2012. Year-to-date sales are up in the neighborhood of 40 percent.

But those gains were made largely by fluffing the pillows on old platforms. New engines, new interiors and reworked sheetmetal aside, we've yet to see what "the new Chrysler" can pull off with a completely fresh model. At least, that was the case.

Behold the 2013 Dodge Dart: the first serious small-car effort from the automaker since the Neon rolled off into the sunset in 2005. As the first completely new machine from Chrysler since the automaker's bankruptcy and subsequent takeover by Fiat, there's plenty riding on the new compact.

While technically based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, American engineers have drawn and quartered the chassis while also reworking the suspension to suit domestic tastes. With eye-catching styling, an à la carte option system and a range of fuel-efficient and powerful engines, the 2013 Dart isn't just a step forward for Dodge, it might just be a step forward for the compact class.


The last few years have seen America's B segment grow increasingly competitive. Higher fuel prices and looming CAFE standards mean that more manufacturers and consumers have pointed their eyes toward smaller, more efficient vehicles that still manage to offer all of the technology, convenience, safety and comfort features of their larger brethren. Despite an explosion of content stuffed into quiet cabins, the segment continues to remain dominated by lackluster styling. With the exception of the youth-oriented Ford Focus and the polarizing swoopiness of the Hyundai Elantra, buyers have been largely left with different variations on the same white bread theme.

Perhaps more than any other domestic brand, Dodge has established itself as driven by style. Machines like the Charger and Challenger are built to stir up the primal "do want" in all of us, and designers have managed to translate much of that same flare into the 2013 Dart. Significantly longer, wider and taller than its Italian predecessor, the Dart manages to look well-proportioned despite its extra girth. Up front, standard scowling projector headlamps and a menacing interpretation of the corporate split crosshair grille give the sedan heaps of attitude, and the contrasting black inset of our Rallye tester adds a layer of complexity to the front fascia without cluttering the design.

This car looks damn sharp from every angle, thanks in part to a contoured sheetmetal along the four-door's side. Designers chose to accent the wider track with subtle fender bulges front and rear, and the optional 17-inch alloy wheels on our tester did a smart job of filling the fender wells. Around back, the Dart lifts a page from the Charger playbook with a wide "racetrack" LED tail lamp array. From a distance, it looks just like Charger police cruisers we've begun keeping an eye out for of late. Unlike big brother, the base Dart doesn't illuminate the entire array when the driver crams the brakes, at least for now. The full LED suite will be available on SXT trim and above starting in the third quarter.


Were it not for the impressive light show, the dual chrome exhaust tips would be the big story out back. The pieces are part of the Rallye appearance package and are integrated into the rear valance to take care of any alignment issues.

But the design is as much about detail as it is large-scale flash. Small tricks like projector fog lamps up front, slightly raised front fenders and a set of pint-sized flying buttresses on the C pillars make this a vehicle that has no trouble catching your eye and holding on to it. Engineers managed to abandon the traditional roof gutter thanks to a new laser brazing technique that seamlessly joins the roof panel to body structure. To the naked eye, there's no separation between the two pieces of metal, resulting in a smooth, upscale appearance on every model.

And that may be our largest complaint with the Dart design. Stepping up to Limited trim does away with the sexy contrasting inset in the front fascia and the dual-outlet exhaust out back. Stripped of those simple tweaks, the Dart can't help but look more mainstream. And by mainstream, we mean boring and somehow cheaper. That's a problem for the top-of-the-line model and a boon for buyers who prefer the middle child of the Dart family. Dodge wants the Dart to be all things to all buyers, and the different exterior treatments are designed to appeal equally to those with conservative and more flamboyant tastes. Even so, we can't help but think the sedan looks infinitely better with the added contrast.


Ward's honored the Dodge Dart as one of the publication's Top 10 Interior Designs for 2012, and while we'll be the first to agree that the cabin is a massive step forward compared to the cockpit found in the thankfully-deceased Dodge Caliber, there are still some rough edges. We love the contoured, leather-wrapped steering wheel on our tester, and the stylish brushed-metal shift **** on manual-equipped vehicles is a nice touch as well. Technically, buyers can chose from a spate of interior options, including a handsome two-tone black and tan. Dodge says there are a total of 14 cabin and trim combinations, including both cloth and leather. Our tester came awash in a sea of grey, and while the seats look handsome enough, they feel a bit overstuffed for our tastes. Likewise, the rough cloth feels and looks cheap.

Dodge stayed cozy with plenty of interior plastic. While the upper dash is slathered in nice, soft-touch material, the lower center stack is a smattering of poorly grained plastics. Likewise, Rallye trim sticks the driver with fully plasticized door panels. Even the wrapped gauge cluster hood feels like a bit of an afterthought – flimsy and not particularly well integrated. Step up to Limited trim, however, and you're treated to a hood with attractive contrast stitching and soft-touch upper door panels. While we're fine with plastics in the compact class, they can be better executed. Look no further than the cabin in the Elantra to see what we mean.


There is plenty to be excited about indoors, however. Dodge has done an excellent job with packaging in the 2013 Dart. A vertical HVAC system behind the dash means this sedan boasts one of the most cavernous glove boxes we've ever seen. The box goes nearly all the way back to the firewall, which means there's space for a small laptop, text books or an entire Lilliputian village in there. Likewise, designers have moved the CD player from the center stack to the center console to reduce clutter, and an optional storage compartment under the front passenger seat means buyers now have a clandestine spot to stash small valuables.

If anything can tempt us to forgive the Dart its interior woes, it's the sedan's available technology. Dodge made a smart move by importing the same delicious 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect system found in the likes of the Charger and Journey. With a brilliantly quick interface, the system is easy and intuitive to operate, single-handedly putting the Dart leagues ahead of the competition in the infotainment department. Our Rallye tester did not come with the optional seven-inch TFT gauge cluster, but we stole some time in a Dart Limited to see what all the fuss is about. The screen is near completely customizable, with two speedometer configurations. The driver may also fill the four corners of the display with any information he or she so desires, including compass direction, gear selection or outside temperature.

Both the gauge cluster and the Uconnect system are visually separated from the rest of the dash with a handsome "floating" bezel, backed by red ambient lighting, and the finished product gives the array a driver-centric appearance not unlike what's found on the Charger. Material choices aside, the 2013 Dart is competitively spacious inside. That's thanks in part to clever carving by Dodge engineers. After stretching the Giulietta platform in every direction, designers were left with a Dart that's longer and wider than any other compact in the segment. With a 106.4-inch wheelbase and a 183.9-inch overall length, the Dart boasts 1.3 inches of extra space between the wheels than the Honda Civic. The Dart is also 6.6 inches longer stem to stern than the Japanese compact.

Surprisingly, that span doesn't necessarily translate into additional space indoors. For brevity's sake, we'll focus on the Civic and the Chevrolet Cruze. Up front, the Dart offers 42.2 inches of leg room, which is slightly more than the Civic and .1 inches less than the Cruze. Rear passengers enjoy 35.2 inches of legroom – an inch less than Civic Sedan and .2 inches less than the Cruze – while the trunk serves up 13.1 cubic feet of cargo storage. That number falls in at 3 cubic feet less than the Chevrolet and .5 cubes more than the four-door Honda. The numbers put the Dart squarely in the middle of the pack in terms interior space.


But it's what's under the hood that helps distinguish the Dart from its rivals. By the end of this year, buyers will be able to choose from a total of three engine and transmission options, starting with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter Tigershark four-cylinder. With 160 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, the engine serves only to help the Dart meet its entry price point. While offering 22 more horsepower than the base 1.8-liter engine in the Cruze and 23 more lb-ft of torque, the entry four-cylinder still feels a bit sluggish pulling the 3,243-pound Dart around town when paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. For comparison, Honda only offers buyers a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 140 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. It's not exactly a spring chicken, either.

The 2.0-liter does manage to match the base Cruze decimal for decimal in terms of fuel economy. Both machines yield 25 mpg city and 36 mpg highway, at least according to early estimates from Dodge. Even so, we imagine most buyers will have no trouble stepping up to the turbocharged 1.4-liter Multiair four-cylinder engine found in our Rallye tester. While technically the same engine as found in the Fiat 500 Abarth, engineers managed to crank up the torque thanks to a slightly beefier transmission. With 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of twist on hand, this engine has no problem pulling the Dart through traffic through fifth gear with our six-speed manual.

Sixth remains an incredibly tall overdrive geared toward yielding the best highway fuel economy possible. Even with 36 additional pound-feet of torque, Dodge says the 1.4 should yield 27 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. Opt for the extra aero package, and that number will jump to 41 mpg highway when bolted to the manual gearbox. A dual-clutch six speed will also be available later this year.


For reference, that number is within spitting distance of the 42 mpg highway netted by the Chevrolet Cruze Eco with substantially more power. With more grunt and better fuel economy, the 1.4 is the goldilocks engine to have in the 2013 Dart. That is, at least until the turbocharged 2.4-liter Multiair 2 shows up later this year with its 184 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. That mill will be available with a six-speed automatic as well as a six-speed row-your own, though Dodge hasn't mentioned any fuel economy estimates just yet.

On the road, the cabin is surprisingly quiet thanks to triple seals on the doors, over 600 hours of documented wind-tunnel work and an acoustic windshield on all models. Acceleration is a bit slow through second thanks to tall gearing, though torque piles on from third through fifth, providing plenty of delicious pull. The wide-ratio manual seems stunted by a tall shift lever with a long, flimsy-feeling throw, though we never missed any gears during our time behind the wheel.


Traditionally, the compact class hasn't had much to offer in terms of handling. Fortunately, the Dart seems to be happy to shirk tradition. Engineers graced the Dart with what is likely the best steering feel in the entire class. Perfectly weighted and responsive, the wheel is the first hint that there's a chassis just waiting to have some fun underneath. Dodge says 68 percent of the chassis is stamped from high-strength steel, and the result is a plenty sold-feeling ride. The suspension toes the line between comfortable and poised remarkably well, edging out the Ford Focus on our list of better-handling compacts. We would be highly interested in lining the Dart up against the Mazda3 for a quick shot around our favorite track to see which comes out on top.

Of course, we're now anxiously holding our breath for word of a Dart SRT as well.

Through the hills around Austin, Texas, the Dart had no trouble transitioning between brisk frolicking and comfortable cruising in a way we haven't seen from the compact class. Don't get us wrong. The car doesn't feel light by any stretch, but it is well composed in nearly every situation. We found only the slightest trace of understeer even under hard flogging. With disc brakes on all four corners, the Dart can scrub speed quickly and confidently, and the snarl and bark from the turbo 1.4 gives the machine a snap of soul that's long been absent from the economy car set. We're sure we could have gotten better fuel economy if we would have just kept from blipping the throttle every two seconds.

Dodge fully expects the SXT trim, which starts at $17,995, to take the lion's share of sales, complete with 17-inch aluminum wheels, body color trim work and the sexy illuminated tail lamp surround, though Rallye guise should take a close second. Our tester carried an entry price of $18,995, excluding a $795 destination fee. The extra $1,000 throws in the excellent chrome exhaust treatment, cruise control, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and fog lamps, though our tester also included optional goodies like a sunroof, Uconnect with voice command, premium audio group, the turbo 1.4 and a rear-view camera for a final tally of $23,065, excluding destination. That's a chunk of change given the top-of-the-line Dart R/T starts at $22,495.

That underscores an important point about how quickly buyers can option a model above higher-tier trims. Dodge has adopted a European-style option sheet where buyers aren't lured into clunky content packages. Instead, the company lets consumers pick and choose which options they want, nudging the price tag skyward in the process.


Still, stick to base packages, and the Dart is pretty competitive with the likes of the Chevrolet Cruze. Step into the Cruze's 1LT trim with a turbo 1.4, and you're looking at spending $18,555, excluding destination. The money will buy you smaller wheels, a less stylish exterior and less powerful engine.

Dodge has managed to put together an impressive machine in the 2013 Dart. With an engaging drive, powerful and efficient mid-level engine option and a very stylish exterior, it should have no problem welcoming disillusioned Civic buyers who want a car that doesn't feel as if it were designed by the minds at Frigidaire. Fun is far from dead in the compact class, and the 2013 Dodge Dart proves it.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/2...-review-video/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Certainly an improvement over past attempts in this class. The exterior is handsome IMO, but the interior is too "funky" for me to enjoy

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

Can't wait to see the SRT version of it.

mmarshall

Looks promising, but then again, it doesn't take much to be an improvement over the former Neon and Cavalier.

mmarshall

A non-test-drive, static-review of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart.

http://www.dodge.com/en/2013/dart/

IN A NUTSHELL: An iconic compact-car nameplate from the 60s/70s returns, this time with some Italian flavor.

CLOSEST COMPETITORS: Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Suzuki Kizashi, Subaru Impreza, VW Jetta, and lower-trim versons of the Buick Verano.












(1.4L Multiair Turbo shown)













OVERVIEW:

I didn't get any specific requests for a Dart review, but it appears to be an interesting new compact from Dodge, and worthy of a write-up. And, as most of my other requests for 2013-model vehicles are still on hold, pending vehicle release/availability, I thought I'd spend some time today on a vehicle I myself have been waiting to look at. Dodge had a Dart display at the D.C. Auto Show last January (a show I attend religiously...usually several times), but it was one of those displays where the whole car is mounted on a sharply-tilted platform, with an entire half cut-away to show the inner-workings, so one could not really examine it or sit in it. That disappointed me...I was hoping to see one and at least sit in it. I do have some interest in it.....but not as much, of course, as with the superb new Buick Verano.

Well, this morning, after my morning swim/walk/excercise, I drove past a local Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership, and there out front was one of the first new Darts to come into the D.C. area. So I stopped, whipped out my notebook and pencil, and started taking down my usual data/notes. It was painted a gorgeous bright-red (and well-done at that) with a slight tinge of red-orange, a 6-speed manual transmission, and gray cloth interior. The salespeople came out, and would not allow a test-drive (it was their only one), but agreed to let me do a thorough static-review....so here you are.

The Dodge Dart nameplate, of course, goes back to around 1960 or so, when it was first used on a full-sized/mid-level Dodge sedan/coupe, then was transferred to the totally-redesigned 1963 Dodge compact which replaced the awkwardly-styled 1961-62 Dodge Lancer compact. The compact Dodge Dart and its Plymouth Valiant twin quickly developed a well-deserved reputation for powertrain and suspension/chassis-durability, using the tough-as-nails Slant Six engine/Torque-Flite 3-seed automatic transmission, and front torsion/rear-leaf suspension. As with most Chrysler products of the era, unibody construction was used instead of the more-common body-on-frame. The Slant-Six developed a reputation of being one of the most durable engines of the era, going an easy 150-200K miles when most engines were usually worn out or overhauled at 90-100K. Many taxis of the era used either the Dodge/Plymouth Slant Six or the Checker Marathon with the Chevy-Stovebolt-6 engine...taxis, of course, have to be economical and reliable to make money for their owners.

The Dart/Valiant holds a special place in automotive history for me, as I took my first driving lessons (fall of 1968) in my dad's 1963 Valiant with the Torqueflite automatic (soon afterwards, I learned to drive a manual version with unsynchro first-gear). The Dart/Valiant was mechancally tough as nails, but had several noted faults...weak, fade-prone non-power drum brakes, an acrylic-enamel paint-job that was not well-done and tended to chip easily, a cheap stark interior, a firm ride by the standards of the era, and higher-than-average amounts of road/engine/wind/tire noise from the unibody and stiff torsion/leaf suspension. With these cars and their Push-and-Pray brakes, you quickly learned to downshift in the mountains (as I learned in the VA/WV/MD/PA Appalachians). But, taken reasonable care of (and not rusted-out) they would last and run practically forever. Tom Magliozzi of the "Click and Clack" Car-Talk team that some of you may have listened to, owned and drove a 1964 Dart convertible up to just a couple of years ago...over 45 years. Tom's brother Ray liked to make jokes about it (both of them often talked and acted like clowns), but the proof, of course, was in the pudding.

The Dart/Valiant, after a few years, got some small-V8 options, and, for 1968, the Dart (not the Valiant) got a high-performance Swinger 340 line with the high-performance 340 V8. Dodge "Scat-Pack" engineers at first tried to stuff the big 383 V8 underhood, but it wasn't as well-done or successful as Chevy's competing Nova SS 396. The first Plymouth Barracudas, in the mid-1960s, were Dart/Valiant spinoffs with very large rear-glass fastback windows. Another Plymouth Duster/Dodge Demon coupe-spinoff from the Valiant/Dart was introduced for 1970 (I owned a later 1975 Duster). In 1974-75, the cheap interior and trim-level was addressed by a plush Valiant/Dart Brougham 4-door sedan. In 1976, the last year of Valiant/Dart production, their Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen replacements were introduced, which, in comparison, were more refined, but terrible in reliability. Poor reliability and sloppy factory-assembly was to haunt Chrysler for decades after that....yes, even with Lee Iacocca's double-talk.

I won't get into the Chrysler Omni/Horizon, K-cars and their later derivitives of the 1980s, or the LH-models of the 1990s, because they don't have any bearing on the present Dart. The new 2013 Dart compact replaces the poorly-done Dodge Caliber, which, though I don't like to use unprofessional language in my reviews, was, IMO, a piece of junk, and the earlier Dodge Neon, which was IMO only slightly better than the Caliber. The new Dart stems directly from the takeover of Chrysler by Italy's Fiat....the platform for the Dart comes from a slightly stretched version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietti (Fiat also owns Alfa). On direct orders from Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, the new Dart (and all new redesigned Chrysler products) shows marked improvement in assembly-quality, fit/finish, and interior materials from their predecessors.....more on that below. The bright-red Dart I looked at today was worlds ahead of its Caliber predecessor. Like with the new Dodge Charger, Chrysler 200/300, and Jeep Grand Cherokee, I was stunned at the overall improvement, although, by now, after what I had seen with the others, I was more or less expecting it with the Dart. Nonetheless, it was still a pleasant surprise. But, like the new Buick Verano I was also pleasantly surprised with, its small back seat and door-opening is overly-tight....also more on that later. The Dart, BTW, is the first actual joint-venture vehicle between Fiat and Chrysler under Fiat Ownership, though other recent Chrysler products have also vastly benefitted from Fiat's management.

Initially, for the 2013 model-year, four versions of the Dart will be offered in the American market.....ST, SXT, Rallye, and Limited, with a top-level, sport-oriented R/T model soon to follow. Dodge is somewhat mum right now on a high-performance SRT-4 version, but don't be surprised, later on, to see one if initial sales are good. Sorry, fans of the old Duster/Demon and Dart Coupe.......only one U.S.-market body-style will be offered initially; a 4-door sedan. Depending on model/trim, two engines will initially be offered...a normally-aspirated 2.0L Tigershark in-line four of 160 HP/148 ft-lbs. of torque, a Fiat-sourced 1.4L Multiair Turbo in-line four of 160 HP/184 ft-lbs. of torque, and a late-availability, normally-aspirated 2.4L Multiair II Tigershark in-line four with 184 HP/171 ft-lbs. of torque. Two transmissions will be offered initially...a conventional three-pedal 6-speed manual, a conventional torque-converter Sport-shift 6-speed automatic, with a late-availability 6-speed Dual-Dry-Clutch computerized automanual to follow. Base prices start at $15,995 for the SE and run to $22,495 for the upcoming R/T. All versions are now FWD-only, but the upcoming R/T version will offer AWD (it's unclear whether AWD will be offered in other models). The Dart will feature, on all of its engines, a new shutter-close system up front that monitors engine-temperature and, as needed, reroutes air around the radiator grille and to the sides for better aerodynamcs. Potentially a good idea, IMO.......until the sensors fail and make the engine run too hot or too cold. Ah, the wonders of technology.

OK, enough of the history and overview.....on with the review: I looked over the whole car stem to stern, but, of course, will have to wait a little for a test-drive.


MODEL STATIC-REVIEWED: 2013 Dodge Dart SXT 6-Speed Manual

BASE PRICE: $17,995


OPTIONS:

1.4L Multiair Turbo Engine: $1300

Customer Preferred Package: $1000

Popular Equipment Group: $295

Premium Audio Group: $595

UConnect NAV/Technology Package: $495

Sirius Satellite Radio: $195

UConnect Voice-Command/Bluetooth System: $295


DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $795 (reasonable by today's charges, IMO)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $22,965


EXTERIOR COLOR: Red Line 2-Coat Pearl (Strangely, this did not cost extra like on some other Chrysler products)

INTERIOR: Light Gray Cloth (with white stripes)


DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 1.4L Multiair Turbo in-line 4, 160 HP, Torque 184 ft-lbs., 6-speed manual transmission with Hill-Holder feature.
(This, BTW, is the same engine found in the American-market Fiat 500 Abarth)


EPA MILEAGE RATING: 23 City / 39 Highway / 32 Combined

(not bad for a gas-powered turbo, but, of course, it is a small-displacement)




PLUSSES:

Vastly better fit/finish and material-quality than on Caliber predecessor.

Fairly solid-closing doors.

Good EPA mileage for a gas-powered turbo.

Light, easy-to-lift hood.

Excellent bright-red paint job (and does not cost extra).

Nice paint-colors offered....especially on the upper-trim levels.

Locking gas-cap (something often neglected on American-badged vehicles).

Good interior-quality materials by compact-car standards.

Adequate (barely) front-seat headroom for tall adults.

Cleverly designed console storage-slots.

Nicely-done steering wheel.

Nice-looking/feeling seat-fabric.

Simple, easy-to-use buttons/*****/controls.

Reasonably-priced, especially in the low-trim levels.





MINUSES:

Quirky (and possibly unreliable) radiator air-reroute system for aerodynamics.

Fairly poor underhood-layout (with the 1.4L turbo)

Overly large silver-ball shift-lever handle.

Vague, imprecise shift-linkage.

Long shift-lever throws.

Very tight rear seat headroom and legroom for tall adults.

Narrow front-seat bolsters for large torsos/rumps.

Flimsy glove-box door and lock.

No body-side moulding for parking-lot protection.

Temporary spare tire.




EXTERIOR:

In general, I liked the Dart's styling. By compact standards, IMO, it's tastefully done, not too stodgy (as was the case long ago between 1963-1976) or overdone and too much like a spaceship (Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus, etc....). The front end has mildly-tapered headlights (which were done, of course, in conjunction with the aforementioned shutter-deflect system for the radiator-air), and the typical Dodge crosshair-grille. Red/black-trim accents abound on both the front and rear-ends, as with the current marketing of the Charger and some other Dodges.....though the number and amount vary by Dart trim-models. The platform, of course, is taken from the Alfa Romeo Giulietti, but the overall exterior styling (not surprisingly) is strictly Dodge. The exterior sheet metal seemed of decent quality/thickness, and the doors shut with a fairly solid thunk. The paint-job on this particular car was a real eye-opener (as I mentioned above).....a classic Italian fire-engine-metallic red, with a slight red-orange tint to it. It was excellently done, with virtually no orange-peel and a smooth glossy texture. And, unlike past Chrysler products, this Pearl-Red does not cost extra.A large number of different colors are offered, depending on trim-model (see the web-site for details), including the citrus-lime yellowish-green that was offered on the Neon some years ago. The twin side-mirrors swivelled and locked very easily. The gas cap had a door that locks to prevent gas-siphoning.....something that, from cost-cutting, is still neglected in many American-designed vehicles. The exterior trim (most of it black, chrome, or red), was well-done and well-attached. The only trim flaw I saw (a small one) was a slightly uneven line-up between the red/black trim on the trunk-lid and that of the rear fender. The silver-alloy wheels on this SXT version, I thought, looked good. Like on many new vehcles, though, the bean-counters won by not providing body-side mouldings to help ward off parking-lot dings (what would they cost to produce...........maybe two or three dollars a car?)




UNDERHOOD:

Both good and bad news here. The hood itself is feather-light yet strong (it appears to be made of either aluminum or plastic...the solid noise it makes while closing more-suggests aluminum). Granny, or someone with weak/arithritic arms/shoulders, should be able to manage it (for me, it was a piece of cake). Under the hood lies the usual insulation-pad (some entry-level vehicles omit the pad). A typical manual prop-rod holds up the hood, instead of nice gas struts. However, I'm going to surprise you all this time, and not list it as a MINUS complaint like I usually do, because the light, easy-to-hold hood and the pleasant precise thunk it makes when closing makes the manual prop-rod much less irritating to use than usual. The transversely-mounted, Fiat-sourced 1.4L Multiair turbo four generally fits in the engine-compartment well, with at least some small spaces between the block/components and the radiator/fenders. But the idiotic (and huge) plastic engine cover blows just about all of that work-space by effectively blocking it. The battery, likewise, plays Hide-and-Go-Seek under a plastic cover........as do a number of the other underhood components. Not much is easily reached, except a few dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs. Unlike with the manual prop-rod this time, though, I AM going to complain about the plastic covers. IMO, someone should take those covers (not just on this car, but wherever they are used), break them up into little pieces, and quietly insert them into a part of the horse's anatomy that I will not name in public.




INTERIOR:

Like with the exterior, the interior is rather attractively done in the (more-or-less) typical new Dodge format, with an instrument panel and a red-stripe/black theme somewhat downsized from that of its big-brother Charger. The steering wheel is good-looking, nicely-surfaced/padded, comfortable, and easy to hold....the SXT-trim wheel uses vinyl instead of leather. The sun visors and headliner are covered in fairly thin fabric, but at least have some softness and are not just simple hard-plastic. My test-car lacked a sunroof, yet headroom in front, even with the manual seat-controls adjusted all the way down, was just adequate for my 6' 2" frame and ever-present cap. Headroom and legroom in back were OK for kids and small adults, but for people my size....forget it. And people my size will also bang their heads on the rear-roofline getting in and out, unless they duck their heads way down. The front seats had nice-looking/nice-feeling gray fabric with dual white/gray longitudinal stripes (and matching stripes in the rear). The front seats were generally comfortable, though the side-bolsters, somewhat sharp and sport-oriented, were a little too narrow (just slightly) for my wide torso and rump. The inner-door-panels were an odd mix of hard cheap plastic (on top) and much nicer fabric and padded-materials (further down the panels and armrests). On either side of the front-console (about where your knees usually rest) were a pair of cleverly-designed, built-in slit-compartments that would easily hold small thin items frequently-used, like toll-cards, EZ-passes, electronic parking-lot cards, building-IDs, etc.....a nice touch. The dash *****/buttons/controls were simple and easy to use. But the turn-signal stalk, though generaly solid-feeling itself, had a somewhat light, thin feeling to its actual operation. The upper-dash was well-padded with a nice material, but the glovebox and lock below it was probably the cheapest and flimsiest-feeling component to the interior. My interior, as I noted, was gray/white cloth, but some 12-14 different combinations are avalable...check the specs for details. The typical-Dodge red-trimmed gauges have some built-in backlighting, but I didn't get to see them in general operation, as in the pictures above. Nor was I able to listen to the stereo-sound quality...I'll check both of them out later, when (and if) I get a Dart test-drive. And, despite the interior's few faults, it goes without saying that it was (easily) head and shoulders above that of the previous Dodge Caliber and Neon models.




CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:

Not the most impressive cargo area I've seen, but adequate and fitting for the compact-car class. I could not find a trunk-release-button anywhere in the interior (though it may still be hidden in there somewhere), or on the rear-end, so a young saleslady, who looked young enough to be just starting out in the sales-buisness, brought out the key. The trunk lid did not open and close with the same preciseness as the hood (it didn't have a solid thunk), but was still easily manageable. Inside, the trunk room itself wasn't bad by compact-sedan standards, but it clearly is no Chevy Suburban. Both the floor and walls were covered in a somewhat thin but nice-feeling gray fabric/carpet. The rear seats drop down for added cargo space, and have an added center pass-through for long thin items like skis or fishing-rods. But I didn't see remote-release levers that you could drop them from the rear of the car with. Under the trunk-floor was.........(yep, I know some of you are probably tired of hearing me mention it)....the usual temporary spare tire. Roadside-Assistance or not, I'm still a firm believer in traditional spares, though, for several reasons. If the bean-counters keep omitting them (as with the body-side mouldings), then I'm going to keep on complaining.





ON THE ROAD:

I didn't get to sample it on a test-drive, of course, but, just sitting in the car and moving the shift lever and clutch, I definitely wasn't impressed with the manual transmission. The shift-lever's BIG silver-finished ball-grip, even with my big hands/fingers, felt like something that Michael Jordan would have tossed through the hoop for two or three points. And the shift-lever itself had long throws through the H-pattern gates, with vague and imprecise-feeling linkage. Dodge (or perhaps Alfa Romeo?) could use some lessons here from the Honda Civic's snick-snick precise manual FWD transmisson.




THE VERDICT:

I've pretty much described my views of the new exterior, higher-grade materials, and overall fit/finish, but I'll leave the whole verdict for when I get a test-drive.


And, as always, Happy Car-Shopping.

MM

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

The Multi-air Turbo doesn't surprise me, but the 2.0L Tigershark in-line four does. It's not very common for these I4's to have more torque than HP in this segment. 160 HP/184 ft-lbs

mmarshall

The Multiairs are also Fiat designed. They are not Chrysler/Dodge engines. The 1.4L Multiair comes right out of the Abarth Fiat 500. The 2.0 Tigershark, as I understand it from the specs, is not turbo...it's normally-aspirated, which is why it doesn't have as much torque as the 1.4 turbo.

Actually, small turbo fours often do have more torque than HP. A perfect example is the VW/Audi 2.0T.....long one of my favorite small powerplants. If anything, for that engne, the official torque figure in the specs is probably underrated. Drive one, if you haven't had the chance to so so yet, and you'll see just what I mean.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

I think Mike made a typo putting the 1.6t engine spec on the 2.0 tigershark.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

Actually, this is the first American compact I have interest in, even though it's based on alfa romeo platform. But it's a pretty impressive little sedan! Can't wait to see the SRT version ( most likely since the last srt Neon and srt Caliber were offered )

Fizzboy7

This is what you get when a Dodge Intrepid mates with a Dodge Neon. Not a bad thing, but not super modern either. Dodge is apparently comfortable taking the flashy and gimmicky road for American. It just might work.

I'd say 23 city mpg's is on the low side for a compact. The 39 highway is commendable. But why such a huge spread between the two numbers? They are usually a tad closer together.

Overall, the interior and dash make for a nice design. But the streeing wheel appears a little too close to their truck/van line.

mmarshall

The 1.6T is not offered on American market Darts, so I didn't list it. But yes, the torque figure I put down for the standard 2.0L was off. The correct torque is 148 ft-lbs. I went back and corrected that. The rest of the HP/torque info I had was OK. Thanks.

mmarshall

I did have a typo on the 2.0 specs, Hoovey. (see my reply to blacksc400). I corrected it to 148 ft-lbs. of torque.

And, yes, it is uncommon for N/A fours, in general, to have more torque than HP....but not for turbos.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

exterior looks like a kia optima.

mmarshall

Neither the Neon or the Intrepid, though, had a basic Italian platform underneath them.

I didn't take the MPG figures off of the website. The 39/23/32 was what was actually printed on the car's price-sticker. 39, as you note, is commendable for a turbo....but this turbo, of course, is only 1.4 liters. An engine that size is not going to burn a huge amount of gas even if you do force-feed it.


To save money, complexity, and the need to stock a large number of different parts, Dodge/Chrysler, like some other manufacturers, uses the same basic steering wheel for a number of its vehicles. That's been industry-practice for some time. It also saves a lot, of course, in the design of the steering-wheel air-bags and sensors, which are expensive.

mmarshall

The front, does, more than the back......which is almost pure Charger. And, as for the new Optima, just look at how it is selling.