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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  Dart limited 1.4 DDC - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By shadowmica - October 28 - 8:59 am

  I knew I wanted one of these when they first were announced a year ago. After following the development of the Dart I went with a loaded Limited cause I wanted the leather and the HID headlights and the TFT display which is not available on the Rallie at this time. This car has lived up to all of my expectations. The build quality is superb. The options put anything from Japan in its class out of the League. The ride is awesome and even driving spiritedly I get 32 MPGs around town. I came from a 2008 Civic Coupe and while that was a good car this Dart blows it away. Honda felt tinny and cheap while the Dart feels solid and well built. Buy one Period

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  My new 2013 Dart - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By jclark2012 - October 11 - 10:38 am

  I purchased my new Dodge Dart about a month ago. This car is so much fun to drive !! Its sporty but yet has a lot of interior room. The interior is very user friendly . I love the looks of the exterior of the car also. Runs great and gets exceptional gas mileage. I am getting around 42 miles a gallon!! Excellent buy , I love this car !!!!!!

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  What a car! - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By burdman660 - September 28 - 11:08 am

  Ive only had the car a week but Im so impressed. For the money, you cant beat it. Its sexy inside and out. I love driving it. The 1.4 L turbo is awesome. I have the dual clutch auto and it makes the drive really fun. Get the uconnect 8.4" display. Its really intuitive and makes the car fun and comfortable. The ride and handling is great, the gas mileage and power is great. My only regret is not having the power seats with lumbar adjustment. Other than that, its amazing. LED tail lamps, projector head lamps, upscale interior, 17" rims, awesome power and milage... buy the car, It will shatter your perception of compacts. This is a daily driver that makes the ride exciting.

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  Best car - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By lovekieshab - September 22 - 11:10 pm

  Love this car....the best car I have owned and I have owned BMW & Mercedes Benz. I love the gas mileage only fill up the gas tank every 2 weeks and $40 at the most. Great interior and amazing features. Perfect exterior love the back lights.

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  2013 Dodge Dart Ralleye 1.4l Turbo Auto Trans - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By dleininger - September 17 - 12:55 pm

  It was painful for me, but I had to trade in my 2011 Dodge Charger R/T AWD for something with better mpgs and a lower monthly payment. I knew the Darts just came out, and I liked the idea of staying with a Dodge. After some research online I knew I had to have the Ralleye trim. The exterior looks on the Ralleye trim are what sets it apart from the limited. I opted for the $1300 1.4l turbo motor and another $1100 for the auto transmission. Im glad I did because this turbo is FUN to drive! Obviously my Charger had more power, but this Dart is a fun and stylish alternative to a Honda Civic, or Toyota Corolla, etc. The seats are nice and bolstered too, which I really like, very sporty.

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  2016 Dart GT - 2016 Dodge Dart
  By Jon - May 13 - 9:05 pm

  LOVE MY 2016 DART GT... Ive had my Dart GT for 7 months. This is absolutely my favorite car Ive ever owned beating out great cars such as 2004 Mazda 3s 2.3, 2007 Ford Fusion SEL v6 and a 2012 Mazda 3s Touring 2.5. The reviewers of this car are harsh in my opinion. I test drove 2016 Mazda 3, 2016 Volkswagon GTi& GLi, Honda Civic and Hyundai. My decision to buy the Dart GT was pretty easy.....and I havent seen my twin on the road since. I love that. I live in an ocean of Fusions, Focus and Corollas...i love having something different , especially with its visual Alfa Romeo DNA disign ques. My TorRed GT has the fabulous 8.5 touch screen U-Connect system with Sirius, navigation, Technology group, Sunroof-Alpine sound, sport hood and Mopar exterior ground effects. This car is absolutely the best dollar value blending style, size, technology and performance. I wanted a car slightly bigger than the Mazda 3 but not quite Fusion size. Loving the USB input, it functions flawlessly with my 3000 song library thumb drive. This is my first car without a cd player. I thought that was dumb at first. Now that I have all of my music on a USB drive its simply amazing and powerfull. I love how the system displays most of the album art. The GT cabin is truly uber quiet cabin with regard to wind and road noise. Tire noise is specific to the road surface of course. How hasnt anyone mentioned this. The GT rides on wide 225/40/18s wrapped around gorgeous hyper-black alloys and I usually dont notice any sound. My 2012 Mazda 3 was so much noisier, not even close. Yes, youll feel joints in the road but not with the noise and punch some reviews state. If you want total silence simply pay twice as much or more. My manager, who owns a Mercedes, loves how quiet my Dart is. The handling is very crisp and reasonably flat. The steering is a tad less responsive than the Mazda BUT well worth the trade off. The low end from dead stop torque was stronger on the Mazda BUT...with that came premature tire wear due to the wheel spin. The GT takes off well from dead stop with out tire spin and will blow past the Mazda in the medium and top ends of the run. Technology and comfort: Okay, gorgeous power leather heated seats and HEATED steering wheel, heated exterior mirrors, blind spot monitor, U-Connect system that will let you hear incoming texts and reply when car is stopped. The phone automatically stores your contact list with every startup. The 9 speaker Alpine sound system is more pleasing across all frequencies than the 10 speaker Bose in my Mazda because its warmer, adds a subwoofer, a nice surround mode and equally detailed in all other areas. The driver information available and customizable is superb. Tire pressure reading (accurate) for each individual wheel and this is key when riding on 40 series tires, you should know this data always. This was the most technology packed car of the ones i considered. These wheels do not leak air. I was constantly putting air in my Mazda. hmmmm Style: Please... That is not even close. Again, Alfa Romeo DNA disign ques...My Dart GT has some heads snapping.. Its low and wide on a perfect 18" wheel & tire package. the low area is wrapped around in the Mopar front chin spoiler, side skirts and rear skirt that accents the big dual chrome exhaust tips. The body has a tasteful hunkered down look, without being too busy like all the Japanese models designed to attract attention in Tokyo grid-lock traffic, with widened fenders that are in correct proportion to the GT wheel package and the wheel-well opening. The sport appearance hood with scoop is the cherry on top setting it above other Darts and competition. The GT equipped as mine is was not plentiful. Although white was my first choice with TorRed 2nd, the dealer had the red from the car show right on their lot and that in itself gave them a pricing advantage. This car was born to be red in this trim level. Performance: I sit in rush hour traffic and my ego does not require me to drive overly aggressive. That said, my GT gets up to 90 mph extremely quickly and quietly without fanfare. As far as hardcore numbers, there are plenty of published reviews, for me...I drove the GT, GLi, GTi and Mazda 3 all in the same afternoon and the Dart GT simply screamed "this is the one". My only other thought is that I hope its as dependable and drama free as the Mazdas have been because id like to keep this car for 4 to 6 years. I love the exclusitivity of driving a car where I never see its twin, at least i havent in the past 7 months. Poor leadership decisions really fumbled this amazing car that FCA has since announced discontinuing. My gain...I love it. K&N Air Filter RokBlokz Mud Flaps Tint - 35% front & rear, 20% back Buy this cool sedan in GT or SXT with Ralley package.

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  Love my Dart - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Linda 944 - May 10 - 4:26 am

  Great little car!

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  Fun Little Commuter Car - 2016 Dodge Dart
  By Matthew Brettschneider - February 19 - 9:23 pm

  We purchased this car to basically drive into the ground. Time will tell how reliable the car ends up. Equipped with the sunsound group, the large touchscreen is pretty intuitive. the 2.4 and manual six speed is a fun combination and made it pretty easy for the lady to learn how to work a clutch. we picked it up with 23 miles and within the first week had 1500 on it. It is reaching MPGs comfortably in the 30s while I drive the crap out of it. (is there any other way to drive these little cars?)

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  2016 Dart Limited - 2016 Dodge Dart
  By AWJ00 - January 1 - 9:45 am

  I just bought the 2016 Limited and it is great! We took it on a long trip of 1,800+ miles. It performed flawlessly. The seats were comfortable. The Uconnect was great. The lane assist was really helpful on the highway. Very happy with this purchase. I also got the lifetime warranty as I plan on keeping the vehicle long term. It is well worth a test drive. The auto press pans the Dart. Drive it yourself and make up your own mind.

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  I LOVE THIS CAR - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By cmcl3m0r3 - October 8 - 8:56 am

  I am writing this review after owning the car for over 6 months. Also just found out Dodge is discontinuing this car. Which to me, is very sad. I bought this car as a daily driver (parking my 09 Challenger RT). I was amazed by the features, feel, tech, acceleration, looks...pretty much everything about this car. I have NO idea why it is getting such a bad wrap. I get compliments on it all the time (just as much as my Challenger). I am a 6ft 1 guy, and they seats are very comfortable to me. I also have 3 children, and they fit in the car fine. Trunk space is awesome. I have the 2.4L SXT with everything minus the leather. Black 18inch alloys, and the car is Dark Grey.