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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  Looks can be deceiving.. - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By austiepoo - April 9 - 3:20 pm

  I have the 2.0 autostick Rallye edition. The styling is awesome, I have the black with the carbon grey wheels. It is definitely an eye catcher. The interior is very nice with the red accents in the seats and on the doors. The 8.4 uconnect is amazing and I LOVE having a back up camera because I am a terrible parallel parker! I cant complain about the gas mileage, I am not a conscious driver and like to speed every where I go and I average 22.5 mpg. However I was able to average 43.5 on a trip from Charleston, SC to Charlotte, NC which is about 200 miles. Acceleration from a stop is SLOOOWWW, but that is expected with the 2.0 engine. Over all I love my Dart! You will too!

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  I just got it. 1.4L turbo - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By kendaddy - February 21 - 12:04 pm

  This is a nice car, and the lease they have now is great. I got the 1.4L turbo. It is a little sluggish of the line, but has plenty of power. Ive been averaging 33-34mpg in it. I got the automatic. It takes some getting use to, but is fun to drive once you get the hang of it. I have no idea really about Reliability, I have 300 miles on it.

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  1.4 liter turbo Rallye with 6-speed manual - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By helilog - February 20 - 2:29 am

  Have owned for 6000 miles, averaging mid 30s mpg overall after accounting for the dash readout error. Turbo engine is gutsy and quick to rev when on boost. Turbo lag is a one-count by the time you count to two the lag is gone. Car has a couple of mild interior buzzes that come and go according to road texture. An exterior trim piece or two are slightly misaligned. Car is good for us for a 500 mile day but the comfy seat cushions could be a bit longer in length to be perfect. Quiet interior, smooth ride, great handling, strong easily modulated brakes, quick and tactile steering. Roomy back seat. Big trunk and the back seat folds down. No maintenance issues.

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  Dodge Dart wish it was better - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By savageman - December 12 - 8:01 pm

  Bought the Dart rallye with a 1.4l turbo. From the time we bought the vehicle, it has turbo lag. The engine is not smooth in torque or horsepower and in cold weather running cold is the worst. In order to function at all, it needs to warm up. Ive had my dart in three times for the same problem. It is getting ridiculous and am not happy with Dodge Engineers ignoring this obvious problem that everyone is talking about on the forums.

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  I ordered mine... - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By donpreuss - October 11 - 1:29 pm

  I ordered my 2013 Dart Limited with the 1.4 turbo with the 6speed dual dry clutch transmission and every available option from the factory. This car was actually test driven at the factory approx 30 miles to check on quality control. Well, the person who drove it didnt do a very good job in checking for quality. The alignment is off, the 8.4 audio/Nav system crashes at least once a day. Not very impressed with the Alpine sub woofer that you pay extra for. Dodge needs to switch to Bose. This car has a lot of get up and go, and very impressed with the fuel mileage. Love the dash layout options you get with the Limited as well. Hope factory works out the small "bugs" quickly..

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  Great car - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By dartman2 - September 14 - 11:01 am

  I have owned my new Dart a little over two months and so far I am very pleased with it. The Dart won out over the focus and cruse because I liked the interior far more. It is simple staightforward, uncluttered and very comfortable. I have the rallye with the 1.4 litre turbo w/manual and I am averaging around 32 to 35 mpg depending on how much city driving I do. The ony complaint I have is that first gear could be taller because you only get rolling and need to shift. Also sometimes there is an annoying little rattle in the floating island bizel...but I am very picky so this may not be noticeable by everyone. Overall I am very happy with the car and glad I bought it!

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  Great car for the money - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Michael La Course - September 19 - 5:54 am

  One thing you need to keep in mind, I have bought the manual transmission so it is sportier. However the 2.0L could have a little more kick. The voice control is poor, as i had to take it back the day after I bought it (guess anyone can get a faulty unit though) to replace the uconnect. The car drives great and fuel efficiency is great on the highway but could need improvement on city streets (29.8 mpg combined for me, 37 hwy, 24-25 city). Pros: - Great car for the money - Great Safety features - Great factory speakers - nice adjustability of seats - Awesome cargo space - Good on hwy gas Cons: - somewhat slow takeoff - Uconnect issues - instrumentation can be slightly confusing I just bought this car, so the review may still get changed.

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  Nice summer car - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Dalphne - August 23 - 7:57 pm

  This car was not made to be driven in snow.

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  Solid Car with Alpha DNA - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Russ Furchner - May 8 - 4:38 pm

  In the sea of compact sedans, the Dart GT stands out. Its very nice to look at, definitely not your cookie-cutter import. I honestly dont understand the criticism of the car in general. The car never feels under powered, the shifts are crisp and positive. The handling and brakes are very good for a front wheel drive car. My only complaint was the OEM tires which were overly harsh and really a poor match for this chassis. Once replaced, you now have a firm riding, quite and comfortable car, but not harsh or jarring. What you have is a quick, sharp and fun drive that is inexpensive to own and operate. Good value for money. Update at 34k miles - Aside from Interior rattles, which are quite annoying, still a solid workhorse and fun to drive package. Perhaps the firm suspension contributes to the rattles, but they are quite annoying when the cabin is gold. Still happy with the car, just annoyed at that aspect.

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  My Rally review - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Murray - November 7 - 8:55 am

  I bought the Dart sxt (rally) immediately after it became available in the fall of 2012. It came with most of the features that I wanted, such as Bluetooth, satellite radio, remote start and fog lights. It has the Rally trim, which included the red exterior with black accents, along with the black/red interior striping. The car looks very sharp and its fun to drive. It came with the 2.0 tigershark engine and the automatic transmission, which work very well together. It has served me very well for over 3 years with no major mechanical problems. 11/06/16..update.. The car is still fun to drive but has developed some quirks that I am trying to understand. The security system has a glitch that will cause the doors to lock and the horn to sound while just sitting in my driveway. I had to disconnect the battery a while back in order to stop the horn from blowing. The key fob was not able to silence the alarm. After replacing the battery in BOTH key fobs the problem appeared to be resolved, but the doors will still occasionally lock for no apparent reason.