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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  Not what I thought it would be - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By duster29 - September 27 - 9:35 pm

  I just wanted to say I have always been a mopar fan... I am a proud owner of a 71 duster... When I saw the new Dart I knew it was a car I wanted to buy... So I did... The first 6 months the car was everything I hoped it would be and more.... But after I reached 20,000 miles on my car I have had numerous problems with it.... The radio screen give a bright white flash and and shuts off then reboots atleast once a week and the dealer has tried to fix it once... The clutch sensor has failed three times and now the engine is shuttering so badd it feels like Im driving on a blown tire... Each time I turn the car in it takes anywhere from 7 to 14 days to get it fixed...

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  Steering Failure - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By jacobsfamily4 - March 25 - 12:37 pm

  Purchased a new 2013 Dodge Dart. Within 2 weeks of owning the car the lower control arm bolt either broke or was never tightened. My steering locked up on me while driving the car. In all attempts to talk with Chrysler, they refused to take responsibility. This was the 7th and final car that we will buy due to their lack of responsibility or loyalty to my family and the danger that they put us in.

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  Some redeeming features but think twice - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Dave in OH - June 7 - 2:54 pm

  Got a chance to rent one of these, and since my daughter will be looking for something used soonish for a first car, I thought why not try it? Nut shell summary -some stand out features, but would not buy or rent again. Cars should be made to be driven as job 1, not just looked at or sat in. The good? Appearance was nice in my eyes. And, the interior was not low rent by any means. Soft touch material and mostly decent switch gear feel? Check. Logical control layout? Check. Seats were okay, but not great. Still, given the price point? Color me impressed. A few quirks to note here which kept the rating being higher in these areas. 1) Front seats needs to go lower. While I can fit... I have to recline the seat and doing so blocks the speedometer. So I can either fit comfortably, or not see my speedometer between 50 and maybe around 80. Tilting/telescoping wheel hopefully is an option, so check if you are a all torso kind of guy like me. 2) Glare off gauge panel. Given the rest of the interior quality, the lack of a (more?) reduced glare gauge cluster covering seems a noticeable omission. Not cant read it bad, but still quite annoying when the light glare hits it. And, the mostly not so good. With the exception of steering, which really does hit the mark for this sort of car, driving dynamics were pretty bad. So the steering first. Somewhat lose on center but with good, but not too much road feel. Tracks well, not too much effort at any speed. Pretty much exactly what the doctor order for daily driver sort of car and maybe more. However, the engine was buzzy and lacked any ommph over 45 for the first few days Had to hammer it to even get up to passing speed in any reasonable time. After a few days the TCU and engine eventually learned that when I applied gas I truly madly deeply did want it at least _try_ to move faster than a dodering great grandma. Still even then, it remained rather poor, but at least not almost dangerously so, as was my experience the first few days with it. Engine noise and vibration were a constant unwelcome companion, especially at idle. Even the dash liner would visibly vibrate at times. If Dodge had not put so much effort into the interior it would have been buzzing like my old 78 Malibu did when it was cold. This is the lowest level of NVH refinement of any other car I have driven or ridden in in the last decade, or possibly two, which is quite a few cars from all price points. Brakes may have had a warping issue on this car so read as such, and not as directly critical of the car model. The rears gave a distinctive whrrr whhrr when backing down my driveway. I had to stop quickly once, and they actually clunked and the car lurched a bit while stopping fast. I assume this is not normal for a Dart, and did let the rental agency know. I would however worry about a car that did have brake issues as early as this, even for a rental. My adivce? Try some emergency stops and braking while backing down a hill to be sure if you are test driving one. Suspension. On smooth even pavement it was fine, and even a good ride. However, anything else gave varying degrees of jittery and busy. Absolutely no confidence in trying anything beyond 20% pushing it in this car. Given the brakes, and lack of oomph, that was probably for the better. Still a suspension should not communicate that it wants to take the car in all sorts of directions you are not steering in on anything but good pavement. If you live in an area of crappy roads like I do, make sure to try it out first and see for yourself if it suits. Fairly obviously, I have no idea if it corners fairly flat / has body roll, was not even tempted to try it. In short? VW, Mazda, Ford, Nissan, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai, GM... All seem to have better cars in this price range/category from a driving perspective.

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  as time goes on, start to dislike the car - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Emmy - November 20 - 3:44 pm

  looks great, but not a quality car. Cheap plastic interior parts. The car had a super stiff ride. Car also developed a vibration at freeway speeds. New tires, balancing did not correct the issue. Many better choices. You can find them cheap though. I sold mine after a year of ownership. There is a reason they dont make them anymore.

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  Nothing but problems - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Nick M - May 8 - 11:48 pm

  Ive had to replace the a/c condenser, radiator, Ive gone through 3 batteries, the alternator just quit out on me, the shifter cable broke a week ago. Ive had to tow this thing 3-4 times. Ive owned the vehicle since January 2014. 2.5+ years, Ive put 55k miles on it and it has been nothing but problems. The engine cover that is underneath constantly gets stuck on things and needs replacement. Im about to have to replace it for the 2nd time. The engine shakes constantly. It has real trouble switching gears. The electrical issues are enormous. I know 2 other people that own the same model and constantly have issues with it. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!!

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  I would not reccomend this car to anyone - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Ashley - January 2 - 2:33 pm

  I wouldnt recommend buying this car unless of course you like having your vehicle in the garage. This was the first new car I have ever bought in may of 13, the car was great for the first 3-4 months. My car was backed into and I had to take it in to have the bumper replaced, while in the garage the told me there were "updates" for my computer. This is when everything went down hill. A month or so later my cruise control function stopped working, went back to garage of course they couldnt duplicate it so its still not fixed. Next up there Id a glitch with the abs, when I slof on ice with my foot on the brake all my electronics/lights fail. The rotors on the drivers side are both shot after 10k miles but the other side was fine dodge says its normal wear and tare. Then my passenger side sun visor broke off, has that replaced finally most recent is has to have the car towed from Walmart this past December cause it wouldnt start. Turns out the battery shorted out. Obviously there is a computer problem with this car that they do not want to fix! My car has 26k on it tried to trade it in but was only offered 9k for it. Terrible! Also cat is terrible in the snow!

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  Not good - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Juan - January 8 - 2:58 am

  I bought my Dart brand new at the dealership with 14 miles in October 2012. Literally three days after I bought it, someone either put or I picked up a screw in my tire. $130 for a tire. We had a pretty typical winter in 2013, but somehow there was ice that got built up under the wheel well on the driver side, and it broke off a piece of the bumper. I had a headlight go out shortly after that, and I hit a deer a week later which dented the hood. I was told that it would cost "at least $1000" to fix the hood, even though it was very minimal cosmetic damage - but because it was a certain type of hood it needed to be repaired. I havent had to be in a garage for multiple days - but toward the end I was getting expensive repairs. The roads up here are not good for low-profile tires - I blew three tires on potholes and had to get a wheel bearing replaced. I also had the windshield crack for no apparent reason, the moonroof wouldnt close, and so forth. A cousin of mine recommended I get another vehicle. Found one yesterday (6/10/16) and traded it in. It was going to need a whole new suspension and it was less than 4 years old, and had been in Florida when I worked down there. Glad to be rid of it. Also the Dealer (Hartleys in Newport, ME USA) was garbage. They charged me $119 for a tire rotation that didnt solve the problem. $80/oil change as well.

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  Worst engine best comfort-safety - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Robert H - June 20 - 8:56 am

  This sedan would be 5 stars if not for the engine. It has the worst engine in any car on the road today. Sometimes you wonder if theres a lawn mower engine under the hood. Then again I get 28mpg around town and near 40 on the highway. The interior comfort and technology is excellent.

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  Dodge This Rental! - 2016 Dodge Dart
  By JRWKilleen - October 12 - 8:49 am

  I cant recall ever renting such a piece of junk! How Enterprise can consider this a full sized car is beyond my understanding. It is horribly underpowered. What amazed me was that this so-called modern car had no USB ports! I thought I was looking in the wrong place, so I went online for the info. Sure enough, this bare bones heap had none. The interior was absolutely cheesy!

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  Worst choice i have made. - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Justin - May 14 - 9:10 am

  I Recently bought a 2015 dart se base model and i absolute hate! at 1600 miles, i had to get the transmission control replaced because they didnt do the recall. Now im at 6500 miles and the car randomly dies. Sometimes it wont start and i have to sit and wait 20 minutes. I have been to several dealers and all of them are telling me something is wrong. Do not buy this car!