2014 Dodge Dart Expert Review

Reviewed by Staff Writer

Vehicle Overview

Chrysler has notoriously had trouble building a competitive C-segment compact car, but the 2014 Dodge Dart is its first truly competitive offering since the Dodge Neon of the 1990s. Based on an Alfa Romeo platform, the Dodge Dart is a front-drive compact with three available engines and transmissions. The Dart's base engine is a 2.0-liter I-4 making 160 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The next step up engine-wise is a 1.4-liter 160-hp and 184 lb-ft turbocharged I-4 borrowed from the Fiat 500 Abarth, and only used on the Dart Aero. The little turbo-4 is paired with a six-speed manual, or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Topping the range (at least until the long-rumored Dart SRT4 arrives) is a 2.4-liter turbocharged I-4 making 184 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque, paired with the manual or automatic transmission.

During our First Drive of the 2013 Dart, we found the base 2.0-liter engine lacking. "Even at sea level, where naturally aspirated engines do their best work, the entry-level Dart feels like it's struggling. When we took the car above 5000 feet during testing, struggling turned to defeat. Sometimes, cars above the 9-second [0-60 mph] range fall into that time category because they don't launch well, or won't even allow an aggressive launch. The Dart 2.0 is just truly is that slow." The 1.4-liter turbo-4 faired a bit better, "While the 1.4-turbo is certainly better, it has its own issues getting away from the line. When off boost, the tiny four-cylinder has very little torque, which means getting across fast-moving intersections or pulling out into traffic requires a fair amount of clutch slip or a higher RPM clutch drop…once rolling, though, the 1.4-liter comes alive. Mid-range pull is good and stays consistent through a wider powerband than you might expect. It doesn't require constant shifting, which is a good thing when the shifter is plasticky and less than precise." The Dodge Dart Limited

with the 1.4-liter turbo engine finished third in our recent compact sedan big test, beating out the Nissan Sentra and Honda Civic, but losing to the outgoing Mazda3 and new Kia Forte.

Dodge hasn't made any major changes to the 2014 Dart. Perhaps in an effort to stave off complaints that it's slow, the Dart's 2.4-liter turbo-4 is now available on most trims. The Dart Rallye is gone for 2014, becoming a trim pack, and there are new option packs, like a Cold Weather Group (which includes heated seats) that the Snow Belt is sure to love.

New for 2014

New last year, the 2014 Dodge Dart only gets minor trim changes this year. With the base 160-hp 2.0-liter I-4 being derided as slow, Dodge has increased the availability of the 184-hp 2.4-liter turbocharged I-4 across the lineup, down to the 2014 Dart Limited and 2014 Dart SXT. Last year's Dart Rallye has been discontinued, and is now a trim package, which includes sporty touches like 17-inch black wheels, a rear stabilizer bar, and a touring suspension.

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