The engine revs quickly, spooling up the turbo in an instant with little lag, and delivers enough punch to keep you engaged in driving. And until we can drive the 2.4-liter that will power the Dart R/T version, this would be our choice powerplant. The 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo is the same engine powering the Fiat 500 Abarth edition, although tuned differently for a bit more low-end torque.
#DODGE DART 2013 MANUAL#
The manual transmission, with its nicely spaced gearing and relatively short throws, would be our choice among the two transmissions. The six-speed auto can be shifted manually, helping to get at what torque is available. It gets a bit buzzy when working hard high in the rev range, but overall, the noise and vibration are handled quite well for a compact car. The base engine is adequate in hauling around the 3,186-pound 2013 Dart (the automatic adds 56 pounds), but the lack of torque is noticeable when trying to make a quick start and when trying to make a two-lane pass. We were, however, able to sample the base engine in a two different cars with two different transmissions: an SXT with the Powertech ATX six-speed automatic and a Dart Limited with a six-speed C635 MTX manual. Dodge did not make available a base SE model that comes with the "Tigershark" 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a six-speed manual. Our first drives of Darts came in four different cars, sampling two engine choices, two transmission choices and three trim levels. There are three transmission choices: a six-speed manual or automatic and a six-speed dual dry clutch that is available on turbo models. The three engines, all built at Chrysler's Dundee, Mich., Engine Plant., range from the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 160 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, to a 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged four-cylinder making 160 hp and 184 lb-ft, up to a 2.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder making 184 hp and 171 lb-ft. (Chrysler execs were tight-lipped about a possible SRT version, but if we were gamblers, we'd bet the farm that there will be a high-performance Dart in the future.)
When the 2013 Dart launches later this spring, it will be available in five trim levels: SE ($16,790), SXT ($18,790), Rallye ($19,790), Limited ($20,790) and Dart R/T ($23,290), with the latter model not available until the third quarter.
But with its bold styling, including the 152-LED "racetrack" taillights taken from the Dodge Charger, a sport-tuned suspension and an interior unlike that of other compacts in the market, the Dart stands out in a crowded field that includes, among others, the Ford Focus, the Chevrolet Cruze, the Honda Civic, the Hyundai Elantra and the Toyota Corolla. And right at launch, the Mopar accessory group will have 150 parts to help people further customize their Darts.Ĭhrysler has not had a player in the compact-sedan market-which makes up 85 percent of compact sales-since the Dodge Neon left the lineup in 2005. The compact car rides on a modified Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform and will be available in five trim levels with three engine choices, three transmission choices, 12 exterior color choices, 14 interior trim combinations and more than 100,000 ways in which to configure it. The 2013 Dodge Dart is Chrysler's first all-new car designed and built since the takeover/rescue of the company by Fiat.
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