Thanks to Fiat, Chrysler has begun to emerge from bankruptcy and is quickly paving a path to success. In this important journey, every auto manufacturer needs to have a strong presence in the compact sedan segment.
Dodge hasn’t had a winner in this market in quite some time — they hope to change that by reviving a historic name: the Dart.
Not only is the Dart Chrysler’s re-entry into the compact segment, but it is also the first all-new car developed under Fiat’s leadership. Needless to say, a lot is riding on its success. It joins the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze as domestic alternatives to the long standing leaders from abroad, namely the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.
To be honest, I am puzzled by the selection of the name. The new Dart has ties to Fiat’s Alfa Romeo products but the name suggests “American” — something I can’t quite grasp yet.
Design
The new Dodge Dart enters the fray with sporty exterior and high tech features. The fresh look is one of the most dynamic in this segment.
It’s based on an Alfa Romeo platform, but looks vastly different than the Alfa Romeo Giulietta cousin on which it is based. The Dart retains the Dodge “crosshair” grill, making it somewhat recognizable as an “all-American.”
With a wide front end and its cabin pushed rearward, the Dart certainly looks athletic.
The grill is narrower than on other Dodge models and the lower air intake is more prominent. Behind it, optional active shutters may be seen, helping to aid aerodynamics.
In a welcomed deviation from the norm, Dodge decided to use piano-black accents instead of the traditional chrome mouldings.
The optional Charger inspired, LED “racetrack” taillights dominate the rear of equipped models.
The Dart’s exterior dimensions are larger than the Giulietta in every way, which also translates to a roomier interior as well. More soft-touch materials are used in the cabin than in previous Dodge compacts. While a few hard surfaces remain, thankfully they are not in places the hand touches often.
Customers of the Dart are blessed for choice with six trim levels to choose from. The base model is known as the SE and the line-up moves up through SXT, Rallye, Aero with Limited and GT models at the top. Each model has a couple packages and stand alone options to further customise each customer’s Dart.
Performance
With Dodge focusing on customization, there are three powerplants to choose from. Most models come with either the 2.0-litre Tigershark I-4 or the 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo.
It’s debatable which powerplant is more fun to drive as they both produce 160 horsepower. The 1.4 does create more torque, 184 ft-lbs verses 148, but the turbo lag certainly delays the time it all kicks in.
The turbo is certainly more fuel efficient however. It uses only 4.9 litres per 100kms of highway driving verses the 5.4 needed by the Tigershark.
The 2.4-litre Tigershark with MultiAir is only available on the GT model. It makes 184-hp and 171 ft-lbs of torque.
A six-speed manual is standard on all models except the Limited. An optional six-speed auto is available, with the transmission mated to the 1.4-litre Turbo a dual dry clutch unit.
The manual transmission has a natural-feeling gate and a solid clutch. However, the ratio setup means you constantly have to change gears at lower speeds. The automatics obviously sort that whole process out for you.
Since the Dart is based on an Italian car, some may be expecting spirited handling; and they’re not wrong, in a sense. The engineers at Dodge have softened the ride a little to match the tastes of North American drivers but managed to keep confident road-holding ability.
This is the first Chrysler with electric power steering. A good first effort as it is quick and well weighted with a tight feel.
Overall, the car feels confident though it no longer feels “Italian” and resembles more of an American-derived vehicle.
Environment
The Dart was created to fit under a certain price point, but Dodge managed to squeeze-in decent level of features.
Front seats are quiet comfortable for a compact sedan and provide good lateral support. The A-pillars are relatively thin and the dash is set low, giving you a great view out of the cabin and limits blind spots.
In the back, there’s a surprising amount of room. It boasts plenty of legroom and enough headroom for someone over six-feet tall. However, only expect to comfortably carry two passengers in the rear seats.
Wind noise is limited making the cabin fairly quite and relaxing, but some road and tire noise does creep in.
The standout feature inside the Dart is the 8.4-inch touchscreen running Chrysler’s Uconnect infotainment system. This is standard on all but the base model SE. The Uconnect system is user friendly and centralizes all of the interior controls, tidying the cabin of a lot of needless buttons.
Safety is another of the Dart’s strong suits as it comes standard with 10 airbags, including side curtains.
Features
The Dart ranges in price from $15,995 for the SE to $23,245 for the Limited.
Standard equipment includes projector headlamps, LED taillamps, and keyless entry.
Additional features, available as options or on higher trims, include dual exhaust, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, 7-inch TFT reconfigurable display, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring.
Fuel efficiency numbers (L/100km) for the 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo with the manual transmission are 7.4 city, 4.9 highway. The 2.0-litre Tigershark with a manual sees 8.1 city and 5.4 highway.
Thumbs Up
The Dart represents high value with an excellent infotainment system, good handling and contemporary looks.
Thumbs Down
While the Dart has respectable character, its name and its heritage are “mismatched” — the overall feel has been compromised too much towards “American.”
The Bottom Line
The new Dodge Dart is a youthful compact sedan that deserves a fair look in this extremely competitive segment.
Competitors
- Toyota Corolla
The Corolla recently received a massive refresh which makes it look much younger and feel more upscale. Toyota has become an industry leader on its reputation for quality and strong resale values. The ride and handling too, is vastly improved.
The Corolla ranges in price from $15,995 to $20,250.
- Honda Civic
Competition in the compact sedan market is so fierce; it forced Honda to make a significant revision to the Civic just one year after debuting an all-new model in 2012. The new Civic possesses all of the refinement and performance expected of a perennial segment leader.
With a starting price at $15,440, the Civic is one of the most affordable in this segment.
- Chevrolet Cruze
When the Cruze was introduced a few years ago, it boasts decent looks, a comfortable ride and impressive fuel economy. Fuel economy receives an even bigger boost with the addition of a turbo diesel model. It has roots in German engineering.
The Cruze starts at $15,995 for the LS, and the Clean Turbo Diesel starts at $24,945.
