Overview & Reviews

Compact Dodge cars haven't had a glowing history, with names like Aries, Caliber, Neon and Shadow best consigned to the forgotten chapters of automotive history. However, the original Dodge Dart was one notable exception. Not only did it provide reasonably dependable (for the 1970s) family transportation, it also elicited quite a following among car enthusiasts.

It's this enthusiasm that Dodge is trying to recapture with its distinctive new Dart. The days of Darts with available powerhouse V8s are long gone, but with a front-wheel-drive chassis derived from the lithe Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the four-cylinder Dart promises a different sort of fun. Instead of laying down rubber, it offers sharp steering and commendable road holding whether you're taking a spirited drive on a back road or simply running errands around town.

More importantly, the new Dodge Dart offers a degree of quality, feature content and mechanical sophistication that greatly exceeds that of previous small Dodges. When compared to other compact sedans, it's not a class leader, but it's certainly competitive.

Current Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart is a compact sedan whose basic structure, suspension and steering are derived from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, a sporty hatchback sold in Europe. This isn't just an Italian dressed in an Uncle Sam hat, though. The Dart is not only much bigger than the Alfa, it's also larger than its myriad "compact" car competitors. Only VW's Jetta comes close. This results in more passenger space and also creates the feeling that you're driving something rather substantial. It certainly doesn't feel like a compact car.

There are five trim levels: SE, SXT, Aero, Limited and GT. All offer a choice of a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, with the exception of the automatic-only Limited. The base SE model has a 2.0-liter, 160-horsepower four-cylinder engine.  Acceleration can be rather slow with this engine, especially with the automatic. We recommend going with the SXT, Limited or GT, as all come with a 2.4-liter 184-hp four-cylinder. The fuel-efficiency-focused Aero features a turbocharged 1.4-liter four with 160 hp that offers more punch and better gas mileage than the base SE. Note, however, that the Aero's automatic transmission is an automated manual design that is considerably less refined than the conventional automatics found in other Darts.

Although the SE comes with just a basic level of equipment, the Dodge Dart nevertheless slathers on an abundance of comfort, convenience and luxury items as you move up trim levels and start checking off options boxes. Although features like blind-sport warning systems and dual-zone climate control have become increasingly common in this class, they still give the Dart a bit of an upscale feel. Several special trim materials and a broad palette of available colors make the Dart a little more distinctive as well.

Overall, we think the Dodge Dart is a competitive small sedan that ultimately falls short of its competitors. We would steer clear of the base model and the Aero model due to their unappealing powertrains, while some drivers have found the front seats to be uncomfortable. On the other hand, the Dart deserves consideration based on its sizable cabin and trunk, user-friendly electronics, big-car driving character and ample feature content.

Used Dodge Dart Models
The Dodge Dart was reintroduced for 2013 and cars from that first model year had different engine availability. The 2.0-liter engine was standard on all trims, while the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine and its wonky automated manual transmission were more widely available. Given that only the GT trim came with the 2.4-liter engine, we'd probably steer clear of a first-year Dart.

User Reviews:

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  Lemon-DO NOT BUY - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By da101670 - June 17 - 10:44 am

  Car bought Dec. 2013- 13k miles..This car has been 1 problem after the other from 3 recalls to 3 times in the shop due to the service transmission and engine light comes up. The first time the dealer couldnt duplicate the issue.. I drove for a few weeks second time it happened again they had to replace one of the electrical panels. Then the third incident I was on the highway in traffic the car wouldnt move. I had to shut it down and inch my way off to the side to get a towed to dealer and now they have no clue since they cant "duplicate" the issue. Chrysler must be waiting for a serious law suit because I am not the only one with the issue.. just cant wait until my lease is up!

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  Nothing but problems - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By abrown1984 - June 16 - 4:13 am

  The mud flaps drag on the ground every time I go into a driveway the front bumper does also. The front bumper drags even if I a lightweight female am the only one in the car. When its cold outside the pressure gauge for the tires is a pain in the rear. It constantly goes below 27 and sets off the low pressure alarm which is extremely annoying when you know once it warms up a little it will go back to normal. When you get on the gas the muffler sounds really tinny. Like they put the cheapest muffler on it and it rattles like crazy. Speakers are horrible. Now I have begun to smell antifreeze and I have 38,000 miles on the car. No get up in automatic when starting off from a light.

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  Second one and still problems - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By tsilvia - May 27 - 11:16 am

  I got my dart when they first came out and loved it until at 911 miles all lights came on and the engine stopped. Took in to dealer they had it for 2 weeks and then told me they couldnt fix it didnt know what was the problem with it. So they reordered me another Dart which took over 10 weeks to get. In rental car all this time. Wow finely got my other new Dart. Keep in garage for the winter now I have it back out on the road was doing good up to 6000 miles.Then when the tranny got heated up and would shift it would raz the engine up to high RPMs and thump really bad and not want to pull very well. So you guessed it back in the shop again. This is really bad in second and fourth gear.

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  Fun to drive the dart - 2014 Dodge Dart
  By wizkidvj - March 28 - 11:56 pm

  After comparing a lot of compact sedans, I settled for the 2.4L Dart mainly because it was the only car under 20K offering a 2.4L engine and an auto 6 speed. I was firstly delighted by the standard 8.5" touchscreen control. Absolute pleasure to control music, climate, nav without any distractions. The second thing that I found amazing was the interior cabin space. This C-class compact car almost goes head to head with a D-class sedan. The car has a ride handling that is zippy and fun even though a bit heavy (which is why I feel the mileage is not the best). Ive driven 2 5-hr long trips on my Dart since I bought (last 2 months) and I found it to be absolutely delightful.

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  Do Not Buy This Car - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By stacysmoon - March 8 - 6:40 am

  I bought this new car because I wanted reliability as my last car was ten-years-old and I have a new baby. Since I purchased it a tire blew, the electrical has issues, the thermostat was faulty causing me to be overheated and stranded, the hose connecting the radiator is deterioating and leaking red coolant, and who knows what will happen next. I have had it six months and have been in the shop every month since. If you have money to waste this car is pretty enough, but dont rely on it it work.

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  2013 Dodge Dart 1.4 turbo - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By lauras6 - February 19 - 12:27 am

  I have had the car for a year now and have out over 27,000 miles on it. At 15K the transmission stopped working. Took it to the shop and they fixed it. At 16K the transmission quit again. Again the fixed it. No problems with the tranny since but the shifting is not as smooth. At 20K the centre console went black. Car ran drove fine but could not change anything, which was not fun since the defrosters were on HI. They reset the module and it has been fine since. Overall I really like the car but I think there are going to be a lot of problems with it. Thank goodness I bought the lifetime warranty on it, I think im gonna need it.

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  I would buy elsewhere if I were you. - 2014 Dodge Dart
  By rmeese5 - February 17 - 11:52 am

  There are not enough characters allowed on this to describe my distain for this vehicle. Engine malfunction light came on in 200 miles. It is a faulting oil pressure sensor, they replaced and the light is still coming on. They are waiting for a software update that they "hope" will fix the problem. Computer sometimes prohibits the car from accelerating over 4000 rpms. No fix. They dont know what is wrong. Again hope for a software fix. This is a real safety concern to me. In cold weather the battery light dings and flashes on the dash annoyingly, again they hope a software updated can fix it.. We are now going through the lemon law process. I refuse to pay over $18k for a broken new car.

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  Rallye 1.4 turbo - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By helilog - February 4 - 10:35 pm

  After 22,000 miles I have had zero maintenance or quality issues, only oil changes (which are $60 due to synthetic oil requirement). Plenty of power with a nice throaty exhaust note and a 33 mpg overall average. Forty mpg is routine at 65 mph. The magazine writers who whine about turbo lag with this engine are describing gear/rpm/speed situations no sane driver would use, such as 1500 rpm/4th gear/30 mph. Use 3rd gear at that speed (2000 rpm) and enjoy snappy response. This car is a nice combination of comfort, economy, power and sporty handling.

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  What a lemon - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By natpat1 - January 27 - 5:18 pm

  I have 27,000 miles on the car and the engine is being replaced. The engine light came on for no reason and the dealer couldnt find anything wrong with it. Shifting is the worse. I thought it would settle in, but sometimes you dont even know the gear you are about to shift into. You get lost. I cant put a regular car mat down on the driver side because the shift pedal catches the mat. The service departments are really there to go above and beyond the normal problems. They have had my car for on month and want me to pay 10 days or more on a rental, while Im payinng the car note and insurance on a car I cant drive because they are so slow in fixing it. Customer Care gets no where

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  Brand New Lemon - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By stacysmoon - January 21 - 11:53 pm

  At first this vehicle was easy on the eyes with an affordable Ralley appearance package. It was before I made my first payment that things started to decline. Initially, my tires were losing pressure quickly and then the front passenger tire blew on my way home from work. There are a lot of electronic issues with gas gage, dimmers, and lights. At 6100 miles engine malfunction indicator came on, defrosters/heaters stopped working, and engine overheated in -8 weather. Dealership states faulty thermostat and flush needed. Im not sure what else to expect in the future for my brand new car.