There’s been a buzz building about the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart since it was unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). There, it was so well received that it earned the Autoweek Editors’ Choice Award as the show’s “Most Significant Vehicle.” In showrooms, it’s shaping up to be the most significant addition to the compact car segment in years.
If the groundbreaking new addition to the Dodge family strikes a memorable chord with you, it should; the Dart name has carried with it an aura of novel dependability for decades. The 2013 re-launch of the Dart adds a new chapter to the story with impressively bold styling, performance and modern technology. Arriving in SE, SXT, Rallye, R/T and Limited trims and sporting an exceptionally appealing price tag – MSRP starts at just $15,995 – the compact Dart is primed to become a major player in the small car market.
Start outside where the new Dart shares its basic architecture with the award-winning Alfa Romeo Giulietta, allowing for exceptional road-gripping agility. Dodge has widened and lengthened the Dart platform to enhance interior spaciousness as well. Dart styling features bold elements beautifully intermingling with sophisticated details and useful amenities. A wide stance (with available Hyper Black or polished aluminum wheels), powerful crosshair grille and racetrack rear LED lights coexist nicely with soft, fluid curves, projector headlamps and foglamps. And while each Dart trim is unique in and of itself, a vast array of more than 150 Mopar accessories, from wheels and hoods to shifters and colors, allows you to make the compact your own.
Under the hood, the Dart promises to deliver real performance to the segment with a choice of three diverse engines and transmissions, each specially tuned to deliver an ideal balance of power and efficiency. Base models start with a new 16-valve 2.0-liter TigersharkÔ four-cylinder that makes a healthy 160 hp. A 1.4-liter MultiAirÒ Intercooled Turbo (also 160 hp) and a 184-hp MultiAirÒ TigersharkÔ four-cylinder are also available. Each offers a finely controlled air intake and combustion for greater power, enhanced fuel efficiency and fewer carbon dioxide emissions. A four-wheel independent suspension (or a highly tuned sport suspension on R/T trims), along with the strong stance and Alfa Romeo-inspired architecture allows for impressively fun and satisfying driving dynamics.
Coated in soft-touch materials and peppered with innovative storage options, delicate handcrafted stitch work and class-leading spaciousness, the cabin of the new Dart is comfortable, ergonomic and attractively styled. It’s also the most technologically advanced in its segment, offering class-exclusive available features like a premium full-color seven-inch Thin Film Transistor cluster display, a long name for a state-of-the-art digital gauge cluster that’s both reconfigurable and loaded with vehicle status updates, graphics and navigation information.
Atop the center stack, the 2013 Dart gets the largest color touch-screen in the segment (available on SXT, Rallye, R/T and Limited trims). Featuring the Dodge Uconnect TouchÔ system, the impressive screen integrates optional Garmin Navigation, USB/iPod connectivity, SiriusXM Satellite Radio and hands-free Bluetooth phone connectivity. The new Dart also provides a staggering 60 available safety measures including Electronic Stability Control, advanced brakes and brake-assist features, a Blind Spot Monitoring System with class-exclusive Rear Cross Path Detection and 10 standard airbags, making it one of the safest compacts in its class.
The all-new 2013 Dodge Dart is due to hit showrooms before the midway point of this year. With its dramatic styling, race-inspired performance and class-leading technology, the Dart promises to be one of the most significant and eagerly awaited vehicle introductions of the year.
