2014 Dodge Dart, Test Drive, Specs, Rating, Price

2014 Dodge Dart Overview

It’s quite an astonishing feat to transform a car concept from paper to production within just 18 months, but the Dodge Dart did exactly that.  And they certainly didn’t take short cuts either.  Supervised by their partnered Fiat crew, the Italian trained eyes ensured the styling of the Dodge Dart would emerge as an entity of design intellect.  The end result is a  compact sedan inheriting exotic looks with a tease of inner aggression.

In terms of eye candy and ergonomics, it’s evident that the Dodge Dart survived its first iteration as the 2014 second year model remains relatively unchanged.  Rather, the pricing scheme has been revised to offer more standard features in its model lineup with added flexibility on engine upgrades.

Driving Impressions

Drivability in the Dodge Dart touches both spectrum of like and dislike. Our test drive with the Dodge Dart GT was installed with a 6 speed manual transmission coupled to Chrysler’s TigerShark 2.4 liter four cylinder engine. Pulling out of the lot quickly reveals its sensitive clutch engagement, but with a long throw. Although the engine is naturally aspirated, the Dodge Dart doesn’t offer an organic driving experience. Acceleration is certainly there, but the non-linear spring resistance and long clutch pedal through makes it difficult to predict the perfect engagement point. Shift lever throw is also at an awkward angle with second gear requiring a small workout to pull down.

Driving the Dodge Dart requires a little more attention (at least with the manual gearbox), but it’s not a lost cause. Part of the design features of the Dodge Dart is its rigid chassis with minimal body roll and a pretty sweet engine exhaust tone.  Suspensions could be a little stiffer and better tuned to support better handling; but overall achieves satisfactory cornering response.

Interior Design and Features

Either stubborn to conform with the Italians, or a reason to keep costs down, the Dodge Dart interior falls a bit behind with a dated interior cabin space. Overall interior employment is homogeneous black with the occasional red emblems. But in the end, it’s simple and functional. We especially liked the massive digital speedometer and the choice of mechanical knobs for climate controls.

Every automotive manufacturer has their best selling point. When it comes to the Dodge Dart, we fully back the extra purchase option of the 8.4 infotainment touch screen. We can’t say it’s the best system out there with its finicky navigational search features, but overall, the UI is clean, simple and fast – an actual luxury when it comes to infotainment screens.

The Dodge Dart UConnect infotainment system offers a one-year free subscription to in-vehicle WiFi hot spot. We’re still not too sure about the full details of how much data this service offers and how much it costs after its first year. but if you’re a frequent traveler across borders, or want to connect to the internet from your laptop within 100 feet, this service might be of an interest to you.

Final Thoughts

The Dodge Dart is a reincarnation of the Neon predecessor. Its primary market mission of the Dodge Neon back in the early 2000’s was to offer an affordable car that people liked with minimal fuss. Minus the extra sensitive driving behavior and dated interior, the 2014 Dodge Dart really lives up to more than the standard expectation of a compact sedan.

It was a good decision to pull resources directly from the Chrysler engine department as the 2.4 L four cylinder engine achieves 22/35 MPG on the city and highway respectively. The Dodge Dart GT can be had for as low as 20,995$. Our particular test drive model came equipped with a rear-view camera, blind spot detector, sun-roof option, 9-alpine speaker with subwoofer sound system with upgraded 506 Watt amp, HID headlamps, intrusion alarm, and finally, the upgraded 8.4″ UConnect infotaiment system. With all said and done, the final price adds up to $27,305. This price point doesn’t exactly conform to a number that would entice the compact sedan buyer as there are quite a few alternate choices out there such as the Mazda 3, or Hyunda Sonata.  All in all, the Dodge Dart has something its competitors don’t have, and that’s blend of bold styling w and an aggressive attitude.