A good-looking vehicle at an exceptionally good-looking price point
Dodge Dart is attractive outside and in, and adds a host of functional amenities
The Dart nameplate is welcomed back to the Dodge lineup in the form of a compact sedan. Introduced in 2012, it is loaded with standard features, as well as personality. Not to mention, the new 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye makes for a great road companion infused with flair. Design
I commend the designers of the Dart on executing a vehicle that has visual appeal on the outside and a fabulous cabin composition inside.
Its body lines have character and blend well with its overall shape.
Helping jazz up the exterior, along with standard rear LED tail lamps, is the Customer Preferred Package ($1,500), which adds a black grille, Rallye badge, dual bright exhaust tips, a dual rear exhaust, 17-inch aluminum wheels and fog lights.
The Dart’s exterior certainly has good things going for it, but I found I really gravitated toward what’s in the cabin.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised with how nice the interior feel is. Clothed in soft touch plastics, the dash has a tight fit and finish. The red and black colour combination also helps it look chic.
There’s also a leatherwrapped steering wheel along with premium cloth bucket seats.
Furthermore, this Dart came equipped with the optional Uconnect system ($450); one of my favourite systems to work with on the market today. Regardless of which Dodge product I’ve tested, its intuitive nature helps me feel at home right away. The GPS function leaves little guesswork when inputting a destination. Performance
Giving the Dart Rallye its zippiness is a 1.4L four-cylinder turbocharged engine ($1,300). It produces 160 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque through a six-speed manual transmission. While I love that this sporty looking Dart has a manual, it’s an interesting one to work with. I found the gear throws to be fairly long. I say that based on the fact that it looks a little more aggressive than its siblings, so I would expect a little more bite out of its gearbox.
Furthermore, with the transmission working with the engine, there’s a fair amount of turbo lag. At lower rpms, power delivery is scarce-ish. But upward of 3,500 rpm, I best felt the turbo kick in, despite the manufacturer numbers saying torque is reached between 2,500 and 4,000 rpm. You really need to floor it, then count a couple of Mississippis before blast off.
Do I hate the transmission? No, not at all. Could it better tuned to reflect the Rallye’s sportier nature? Yes. On the plus side, the clutch is springy enough that it’s not a chore to work with. The gear throws, albeit long, are smooth and aren’t notchy. Driving/utility
The Dart is a pleasant car to drive. It didn’t necessarily ignite feelings of passion, but I still enjoyed my seat time.
Whether taking on the urban centres or highway stretches, the Dart’s front independent MacPherson strut and rear multi-link independent with coil springs suspension is quite favourable.
Intrusion of engine and wind noise is kept at bay. But, should you roll down the win- dows and turn the audio system down, you’ll hear the gurgle of the dual exhaust. I liken it to the roar of a baby lion.
Sitting in the front bucket seats offers generous support for your back and looks good at the same time.
There were also a few add- ons to make life in the driver’s seat just a little bit sweeter. The Premium Audio Group II ($1,000) gives the audible pleasure of an 8.4-inch touch screen with iPod control, a remote SD card slot, a Parkview rear backup camera, a USB port and more. Visibility out the rear isn’t bad, but the added rear-view camera is always a helpful option.
Even with the turbocharged engine, the Dart Rallye consumes an estimated 7.4L/100km in the city and 4.9L/100km on the highway. For our time together, I averaged 8.2L/100km combined.
With sharp exterior styling, a great-looking cabin and a host of functional amenities, the 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye offers a solid package to those looking at an affordable and cool compact sedan.