First Drive Review
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The Dart plays its most mainstream tune.
The Dart sedan is perhaps the most anticipated new Dodge in some time, and while it will offer a panoply of powertrain and transmission options, the car driven here is the one that aims most directly for the heart of the compact market. Its 2.0-liter four-cylinder is the affordable base engine—more torque is available from the step-up 1.4-liter turbo and, later, sporty 2.4-liter R/T models will offer 184 hp—and, well, we know that Americans love them some automatic shifting. So while it ain’t sexy, this combo should be the most popular. (For the full rundown on the Dart lineup, read our first drive; info on the late-arriving fuel-sipping Aero trim is available here.)
Hitting the Mainstream Target
Aside from its engine—we’ll get to that in a second—this most mainstream of Darts behaves much like the turbo’d cars we’ve experienced. It’s a reasonably sporty thing, with a suspension that soaks up impacts well but also exhibits poise and some athleticism during cornering. The steering loads up linearly (if deliberately) when bending the car into a turn, and while the electrically assisted rack filters out most detailed feedback from the road, it is accurate. The Limited we drove was a pre-production model, but even in its early-build form, road and wind noise were fairly hushed, as they have been in other examples we’ve driven. Chrysler engineers told us there are virtually no differences in suspension tuning or sound deadening between the 2.0-liter car and the turbo. The R/T will stand alone with a unique sport suspension, but we have yet to slide behind the wheel of that one.
Move Slowly and Carry a Big Back Seat
The 2.0-liter Dart certainly doesn’t go like a turbo model, though. Although the naturally aspirated four-cylinder makes the same 160 hp as the force-fed 1.4-liter mill, it is down 36 lb-ft of torque. And getting at the output requires more work: The 2.0-liter’s torque peak occurs higher than the turbo’s (4600 rpm versus 2500), and the same holds true for peak ponies (6400 rpm versus 5500). The 2.0 therefore seems to struggle against this Dart’s estimated 3300-pound curb weight, and acceleration is leisurely. On the plus side, engine noise is pretty muted even when the four-cylinder is at full tilt, and it doesn’t sound thrashy. No untoward vibrations enter the cabin through the steering wheel, shifter, or pedals.
This Dart’s typical buyers likely won’t care about the pokiness; for them, the car’s relative refinement and the enormous back seat ought to carry the day. For proof how important the latter is to consumers, look up the sales numbers for the latest Nissan Versa sedan. They’re higher than “none,” so obviously having cavernous hindquarters is a primary consideration for some, above, say, having a good car.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $17,890
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1995 cc
Power: 160 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 148 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 106.4 in
Length: 183.9 in
Width: 72.0 in Height: 57.7 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 9.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.1 sec
Top speed: 120 mph
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 24/34 mpg
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