HIGH ON STYLE
Dodge’s Dart compact sedan has a lot going for it. Consider: The Dart sports striking American styling, fitted atop a European-derived chassis that began life as an Alfa-Romeo.
Then there’s the unusually large (for its class) cabin, with plenty of passenger space in front and rear seats.
There are three four-cylinder engines to choose from, and a pair of six-speed transmissions, either manual or automatic.
And the Dart’s 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system is one of the best in the business.
Models stretch across a broad swath of buyer’s budgets, from base SE through SXT, Aero and GT, topping out with the luxury-oriented Limited.
Our GT tester popped in the sunlight with Redline Pearl exterior paint, providing a sporty contrast to the carbon-black grille, trim, and the handsome (optional) 18-inch Hyper Black alloy wheels.
Powered by the lineup’s top engine, the 2.4-liter single-cam four, and paired to the (also optional) automatic transmission, the Dart delivered decent performance. But the vehicle’s heft, compared with several of its competitors, left the Dart feeling a bit underpowered, and took a slight toll on its gas mileage as well. The GT model has a sport-tuned suspension, not entirely successful. Sure, it readily slices through corners, but that prowess comes at a price.
On all but the smoothest surfaces, the GT delivers a brittle, jiggly ride, particularly on pockmarked city streets. Thankfully, that all simmers down at interstate cruising speed.
Inside, the Dart extends its dedication to style with an attractive dashboard with well-located, easy-to-use controls. An interesting digital gauge cluster permits selection of several configurations, depending on the driver’s desires.
Cabin materials are of a fine quality, particularly the perforated leather on the seating surfaces.
The sedan’s window pillars, particularly the B-pillar between the front and rear side windows, seem unusually wide, hampering visibility.
Still, for the price, there’s a lot of car here, with a slew of choices. Select the larger engine, whichever model you select, and it’ll be good-looking sedan that could easily meet a family’s demands.