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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  Good things come in small packages - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By walternmoss - December 19 - 10:14 pm

  This car is a joy to drive. The interior is amazingly comfortable and comes loaded with great tech. Performance is great and overall the driving experience very fun. We actually have the 2.4 Liter engine with the 6 speed automatic transmission.

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  Typical Dodge - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By bag2 - December 1 - 5:45 pm

  I rented one and wasnt impressed. It beats a Civic but not a Mazda 3

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  rallye w 1.4 turbo 6 spd manual - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By the_wolf - November 7 - 4:40 pm

  To get a vehicle with better gas mileage, I traded my jeep JK with 57 k miles for it. A little over a year later, I wished I had not done so. It’s a fun almost sporty little car to drive and the fuel economy is great. The review would be much more positive except that when the car needed repairs the parts always seemed on backorder. So much so that in the last sixteen months I have been in rental cars of and on for over three months of it. For an economy car, when it runs, it’s roomy exciting to drive and just plain fun, however even with my jeep getting half the mileage it was more reliable and in hindsight well worth the extra expense of the gas.

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  Disappointing Performance - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By rworth12345 - October 17 - 12:06 pm

  I have the Dart Limited with a 1.4L Turbo Engine, Manual Transmission. Overall the quality of this car is very good both inside and out. Some road noise at higher speeds, but the ride is smooth. Touch screen & GPS are great, it even finds lowest gas prices in the area. OK gas mileage, I currently get 29city/35highway. That is less than other cars in this class. Used both regular gas and plus, not much difference. And if you have the A/C on you lose even more mpg & the engine gets REALLY bogged down, like towing a boat. Manual transmission is OK, 1st & 2nd gear are a bit rough and 3-6 are fine. Clutch was sticking to the floor, dealer says nothing wrong with it.

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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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  not a compact - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By michaeldart - September 5 - 9:44 pm

  First, this is not a compact car. It has more or similar interior room and trunk space as the Honda Accord coupe and the Chevy Malibu. It is a midsized car at a compact car price and with compact car fuel mileage. I almost bought a Focus, but the Dart was better equipped and had more space. The Focus just cannot accommodate adults on a long trip, the Dart can. Anyone who says the Focus interior is superior to the Darts is blind. I own the SE with the manual, cruise control, and Uconnect. The build quality was excellent, no bad panel gaps, paint, everything worked. I have had it for 10 months, 2 long trips, 9,000 miles, and only oil and filter changes.

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  2013 1.4L Turbo - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By cuhll - September 3 - 11:19 am

  I now have 17000 miles on this Dart and have had it in the shop 3 times now with Turbo issues. They havent been able to fix it yet. I am on the edge of returning it. I love the car, if they could fix the turbo issue I would keep the car, but I am very frustrated with Dodge right now.

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  Underrated and Misunderstood - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By dartdriver - July 26 - 2:42 pm

  Ive had my Dart about a month now (Limited model with 1.4L Turbo and DDCT Transmission), and I couldnt b happier. What a steller small car. I havent been able to get the mileage to approach the highway rating yet, but it seem sto be slowly creeping up. It definately pays to put premium in the car (its recommended) and keep the A/C off when possible. I love the DDCT now that Im used to it. Remember, its an automated manual, NOT and automatic. For those of us that have driven plenty of manuals, we know what that means and should be used to the way this transmission behaves. Its smooth and very direct, as long as you dont hammer it like a maniac. Its tuned for smoothness.

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  2.0 Rallye 6 speed powershift auto. - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By elvis765 - July 13 - 6:07 pm

  The paint job was aweful. Thin and scratched easy. Had 2 major defects the dealer should have spotted before putting it on the lot. No paint below the passanger door just bare metal, and a big half dollar sized swirl mark. The buttons felt cheap and "wobbled" and the touch screen back up camera was cut off at the lower part of the screen and rolled up to the top part. Like an old t.v. with horizontal hold off. (Kids ask your folks). The seating was just o.k. and on longer trips somewhat uncomfortable. The brakes work by being on or off. No happy medium and this is bad. The duel exhaust rattled when you turned the car off like it was hitting something. Gas mileage was just o.k.

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  I Must Have Got A Lemon - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By worpt1 - July 12 - 11:24 pm

  Ive got 5000 miles on this car and have had nothing but issues since day one. There has been a consistent rattle from the front doors that has yet to be fixed. My headliner is sagging and fraying. My interior brake light is falling down. The transmission dropped at 4000 miles. The dome light fell off and had to be taped up. My right rear turn signal chooses when it wants to work. This car has just been a piece of crap.