LOOKS
The look of the Dart, with its distinctive grille and overall sporty feel, will be attractive to young people.
Inside, the center console features the large and helpful UConnect tech interface, which is a highlight of the Dart, but overall the materials inside are pretty basic -- which is understandable, as this isn’t a luxury car -- it’s a compact sedan aimed at young people and I doubt they are expecting leather on everything.
Space is an issue in the Dart, as it’s got a back seat but that seat is quite cramped. Of all the compact sedans I have tested, it’s not the worst in terms of back seat room, but there are others in the class that do offer more comfort to those in the rear seats.
ENGINE, HORSEPOWER
Dodge is now the performance wing of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (think Hellcat), but the Dart is probably the exception to that rule. The performance was very hit or miss.
Sometimes, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine performed well and got me on my way quickly with its 184 horsepower, whereas other times it seemed like it took forever to get up to speed. I didn’t expect the same feeling I got when driving a Challenger or a Charger, but still felt disappointed at times with what the engine could do.
TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY
As I mentioned earlier, the UConnect system is among the best you’ll find in an automobile in terms of user-friendliness, so the Dart has that going for it. Voice commands and touch commands are both very simple to figure out and use, and other vehicles would be smart to emulate what FCA is doing with their system -- because it works.
In terms of safety, government rankings on the Dart are very impressive, all four and five star ratings, so just because a car is little doesn’t mean it is not safe.
MPG
My test vehicle had official numbers of 23 city/35 highway/27 combined. One version of the Dart offers as high as 41 mpg when on the highway (30 city/41 highway/34 combined). Compared to the competition in the compact sedan category, these are pretty strong numbers (better than FCA vehicles usually do in mileage comparisons).
PRICE
My test vehicle was at the high end of the Dart lineup, and came in just over $25K. A base Dart starts under $17K, good pricing for young, first-time buyers looking for a ride they can afford.
BOTTOM LINE
I can’t give a rave review to the Dart, as its performance left me a bit disappointed, but within the context of the compact sedan category, it’s got enough good points to make an impact.
Domestically the Ford Focus is its biggest competition, and foreign vehicles such as the Mazda3 and Honda Civic won’t stand by idly in this fight. But there’s enough people out there with unique tastes and needs that everyone should be able to see their own level of success.
After all, every vehicle isn’t made for every person.
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Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.
