@@mikehall3976regardless, I'm reminded of how gaudy that vibe was, and this is coming from someone who liked spinning wheels 20 years ago from all the hip hop videos.
We didn't know how good we had it, the neon was a shitbox to our eyes but it was a shitbox that could hang, it was a shit box that edged into the performance space held by Si SE-R SVT, but in its entry level base model form. It was a shitbox that could take a hit and keep going, a shitbox that really could serve as your first unfortunate car without leaving you stranded .
The only good economy car to come out of Chrysler… i give the crown gm the cobalt for fun, the Saturn s series for reliability, and probably one of the most simple cars to work on. Ford produced nothing worth.
My wife had a second generation neon when I met her. I loved the car. Fun to drive. Then the engine sucked in the spark plugs and screwed everything up. Helicoil didn’t really work well. Maybe got another 10,000 miles out of it.
Sedans aren't only going away for financial reason. As an employee of one of the Big Three, I can confirm it's CAFE standard laws. Passenger cars (coupes/sedans) have a low emissions requirement but if you make a crossover/suv with AWD available in the model, it doubles the emissions allotment. We have every incentive to build crossovers and SUVs instead of passenger cars: We can charge more for a bigger car and we don't have to get the emissions down as much, it's a win-win. So sorry, but the government's attempt to improve pollution wasn't written tightly enough and the industry found a loophole. So now we all suffer from the loss of sedans, hatches, and coupes (except sports cars and personal limos).
I bought my 2015 brand new because it had the 2.4L and a six speed manual... it sat on the lot for six months because of the manual and I only paid like $13K for it. It paid for itself at 44K miles instead of dailying my truck. It has 88K on it now. I do hope to give it to one of my kids when they are teenagers (the oldest is 11 now).
Got lucky, as there was a hydraulic component shared with the Fiat Freemont (Euro journey) in the manuals that could essentially explode. There was a lawsuit that went away because at one point the plantiff's mechanic "lost the parts". The automatics were hyundai for the 6 speed and Fiat for the DCT. Every 6 speed on the planet was recalled due to a shift linkage/potential roll away risk. Remember 5% of the government's control to give to Fiat meant they needed a new 40mpg car... not that it had to survive.
17:50 "fuses protecting what?" Dawg protecting YOU from CAR FIRES! Main fuses right at the battery are loooooooong overdue in the automotive world. If the large cable from a battery to a starter were to get pinched or otherwise shorted you essentially have a stick welder worth of power ready to make huge sparks and turn that cable into a heating element. Car batteries are fairly benign, until you dead short them, then they can create electrical fires with incredible quickness. That fuse is excellent. This is a good design.
Also that's like every modern car, at least in Europe. My 2016 peugeot partner you couldn't even see the battery under all the fuses and it had a remote post on the wing for you to attach jumper cables to.
@itsmarkwtf protections are different for different technologies. My partial hybrid weighs over 3.5 tons and gets 30 mpg. With the electronics involved and costs associated with it, it would be a shame if something shorted while in the garage. So... things evolve. Not that technology from 40 years ago was wrong... it just evolved.
Nearly every Dart I see on my daily commute is weaving through traffic, double lane changing & generally being driven like the owner is trying to evade capture.
Ahh, the Dodge Dart. It really could have been the new Neon. It is indeed the embodiment of a cool kid that peaked in high school, and thought he's still the hot shot that he was, coming back decades later.
Chrysler lost thousands on every Dart, sold it to meet fleet fuel economy standards. When the US Gov allowed the purchase of fuel economy credits from Tesla (for less than the money lost on the Dart), Dodge cancelled this.
The Dart had way too many trim levels and paint options for one. The compact car market was also highly competitive and the Dart sold less than 90k units in its best year (2015). It didn’t really stand out at all.
@@Jay-zx1sglol. Yeah…forget trying to keep the earth inhabitable for humans if it costs us getting to have a frigging Dodge Darts! 😂. Brilliant logic, Aristotle.
The issue isn't that Americans don't want sedans, they don't want shitty American sedans. The Camry is still selling hundreds of thousands a year. They can sell more in a month, than American sedans sell in entire years. The cream rises to the top as they say, and it only took several decades too long for people to wake up and see that they've been sold cheap garbage by the big 3.
Agreed. Personally, I love sedans. Insurance is cheap, usually decent fuel economy, and none of the unnecessary size of SUVs and trucks. The only American sedans worth considering are the V8 Dodge Chargers (assuming you're into muscle cars). Otherwise, Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus offer the superior sedans, no question.
Yeah, the big 3 have only been kept afloat by government interventions that discourage the sale of the cheap small world cars that the Detroit pensioners can't compete with. I regret not buying a Honda Fit when before it was discontinued. Damn you footprint rule! Also, fuck you chicken tax!
*silly voice* "I'm a RUclipsr who reviews cars, and I'm blurring the instrument cluster for no reason! No, it's not because I'm speeding! THAT would be illegal! I'm a good boy! I just ;like the way the speedometer looks when you can't see it!"
Makes me think of how bikers film themselves running from the police and the comments are full of things like "You filmed yourself committing a felony", But whenever it's a car cutting up in traffic or speeding nobody really cares
back when these just came out i spotted a top trim, bright green dart speeding through traffic, still wearing temp tags; guy gets caught at the light, i line up next to him in the infamous v6 accord - all the joy had drained from his face by the next traffic light
@@LookADistarction I guess it’s a Honda sleeper with 278 HP. Some of them also come in a coupe and manual options. So it’s like a FWD sports car. There might be more to it but I dunno.
I worked @ the plant that made the Dart, same plant that made the Neon. The plants been idled since they axed the Cherokee & in ‘26 will be making the new Dakota
I used to work at the Brampton plant for the chargers, challengers and 300s until end of 2021...its been shut down January 2024 to retool for EV crap...
EDIT (read update at bottom) I remember being at a auto show in the Dodge area. Ended up speaking with an engineer that was there, who apparently worked on the 600hp AWD Dart for Travis Pastrana. I asked him why they don’t release a SRT spec with 300hp, AWD, with a stick to compete with the Evos and STI. He grinned ear to ear and said just wait and see. But sadly nothing ever showed up in the end. Once and a bit I see a dart and think back to that conversation. What could have been. EDIT UPDATE: So apparently dodge kinda did make a nearly 300 HP AWD version of the dart you can buy right now. It was called the Chrysler 200 S. It came with AWD and had the V6 Pentastar with around 300HP. Came with an auto, but this might have been the base for the SRT dart version we never got. They were not that uncommon and can find them used pretty easily.
I remember hearing about a five year plan from FCA that was suppose to include a Dart SRT for 2017, and I heard it could have been basically that spec. However, the Dart died before that could happen. I don't badly miss the Dart but I would have at least wanted to see how the SRT variant would have turned out.
@@GuntanksInSpace I was also confused when Mr. Regular caught up to the airstream from a stop. I was expecting him to shift, but then it was just an automatic.
@@elite943able if it can shift for you, it's an automatic. Also the DCT was only available with the 1.4T, the other engines got a manual or a torque converter automatic.
About 6 years ago when I was living in Illinois I remember riding to a local pizza place where I came across one of the largest Dodge Dart meet I had ever seen. All of them this generation sedan, at least 60 of them in this parking lot with most of their hoods popped with nothing but painted engine covers and some stick on parts/decals.
I loved this video. Under 20 minutes. Concise. Informative. Funny. Contextual. A good mix of everything I like about RCR. Classic. I loved this video even more than I love incomplete sentences! Thank you.
I rented a Dart years ago when traveling for work. For a cheap as hell rental, that sucker was a riot on back country roads. It's light, and handles great.
Put 60k miles on one living in a mountain area in two years around 2014, can confirm is was a surprisingly fun car in the twists! Bought out of desperation and low asking price at the time, but ultimately enjoyed it while I had it because it did handle decently well. Fun little econobox.
I bought my 2015 dodge dart GT 9 years ago as my first car and I love it so much that when it got totaled I bought it back and fixed it! It’s not fast but it’s fun to drive, looks good, is customizable, and you get a lot of features for the affordable price! They’re also reliable if you take care of them I’ve seen plenty with over 300k miles on them and no major issues
There was a turbo, but it was the 1.4L Fiat turbo that made about the same power as the 2.0L, not even the Abarth version of the 1.4. The “performance” engine was the 2.4L, making a whopping 184hp.
It was definitely the Abarth version of the 1.4 multiair. I owned a 2013 Abarth and a 2013 Dart at the same time and the engines were identical to the point that their serial numbers were 37 apart. The Dart makes a bit more power because the less cramped engine bay let them install the intercooler from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, complete with Alfa, Fiat, and Lancia logos without a Dodge or Chrysler badge in sight.
6:34 Nooo nooo nooo. You're looking at GVWR, that's the big number for how much it weighs fully loaded. The dodge dart has a CURB weight between 3000 and 3200 lbs. It is not similar in weight to a Camaro.
I bought my mom a 2015 Mazda 3 hatch when I came back from Afghanistan. It got wrecked a couple years later by a drunk driver and she got a 2016 dart as a replacement. Im guessing it weighed about 3200 whereas the Mazda was just shy of 3000? The dart felt more solid. The Mazda transmission was greatly superior but driving around Los Angeles potholes, the dart felt like a more solid chassis.
[In RCR Baby Boomer voice] I remember when the Dart was a real Mopar. It ain't a Dart unless it came with the Slant Six engine as standard equipment! Why isn't there a brown color paint option? Where's the vinyl roof? I have an entire collection of Van Halen 8-track tapes. Why doesn't this car have an 8-track tape player? I don't see the cigarette lighter! And get off my lawn!
I rented one for a week and put about 1200 miles on it, it was probably the worst rental I've ever had, and the seats were even worse than anything to come from Subaru or Toyota.
My mom and I took a new one out for a test drive in 2013. Terrible, even by economy car standards. No power, wonky transmission, vague steering, the list goes on. I thought the seats were OK, nothing great. Then again, I only drove for about 10 miles or so. I'm so glad I was able to steer her towards a 2013 Toyota Corolla.
Dart started in 1960 as an economy car to the top tier Polara. Was still a barge being on a C-body at the time with just a 4 inch shorter wheel base. Other than cramming big engines in smaller cars from 1962's B-body on they really were nothing cutting egde. It's almost fitting how they resurrected the name for this era's platform.
Actually in the mid 60s they changed down to an A body platform and dropped a ton of weight. They were popular with the 340 and big block options because they had insane power/weight ratio in those trims. The modern dart is nothing like that, just an overweight and underpowered compact that shares a fiat platform
@@knote4958You are correct that the 63 was replaced with the A-body. The 62 was a one year only and pretty much a rebadged 61 Plymouth Valiant. While the power to weight ratio was an advantage it was nothing breakthrough. You could even get a Gremlin with V8 back then.
@@__J_O__ Relatively speaking cars nowadays aren't breakthroughs either, especially in the context of compact cars. VVT, direct injection, turbocharging, etc. The technology in them has been out for years. By comparison, 60s Dodges could be optioned out with AC, power windows, power brakes, & front disc brakes with 4 piston calipers, and then in the 70s with shoulder seatbelts and auto cancelling turn signals. These were "breakthroughs" for the time, but hardly anybody bought these options so they aren't well known.
In Europe Fiat sells Fiat Tipo, which is very similar to the Dart in terms of engine options (we do get diesel option here)/dimensions/price. I'm honestly surprised that they aren't the same car, i had to double check if they're related. In Mexico the Tipo is sold as Dodge Neon (bc Dodge already have a decent dealership network).
@@Vaino_HottiI had a Dart in the US and moved to Italy and can confirm that the Dart is literally a Giulietta sedan. Absolutely everything is the same; lights, dash, shifter, vents, the whole deal. The intercooler on the Dart even has Alfa badging.
I am driving a 2023 Chinese MG ZS as a rental in the UK right now and I can assure you this dodge is objectively fine. I mean at least it has physical HVAC controls.
This car reminds me of when I still subscribed to Car and Driver and how they did a comparison to the Focus of that model year. The Focus ended up winning but CD spoke of how well the Dart actually drove compared to the Focus, which was also a great drive. Of course you BARELY see any of those cars anymore and I'm always amazed when I actually see a Dart still completing internal combustion before its inevitable demise...
I bought my '13 with 20k miles on it in 2015. Still have it to this day and drive 60+ miles daily, just under 180k on the odometer. Never missed an oil change, always change the transmission fluid every 30k miles, and both engine and tranny drive and shift like the day i bought the car. Best vehicle ive ever had by far. Never any major issues. Still nice tight suspension. Just wish the paint looked a little better.
Bought the 2013 Limited. Like the week it came out. 171k miles later, basic maintenance, oil change and only one wheel bearing go go bad. Best and most reliable car i have owned.
While I agree to a degree that sedans are disappearing, I like mine: a 2023 Civic Type R with about 3600 miles on it. We got it for my 47th birthday, and we got it at MSRP. It’s my dream car, especially now that I had to give up on my real dream car, my 2001 Saab Viggen vert. That being said, if I had a Dart that was given to me for free, I’d make it work. It wouldn’t be a dream car, but it’s better than taking the bus.
Great video, as always. Although I do take issue with “no sporty pedigree” of the Dart- the Darts of the mid-60s/early 70s offered performance builds that were very sporty, including those that came with 426 Hemis.
I remember when it was announced that the Dart was coming back. Man, I was disappointed it went from a muscle car to an econobox (not even a good one at that).
@@tenhundredkills It's not like the original Dart was supposed to be a muscle car, it just became one later on, for most people the Dart was a simple inline 6 A to B car. Much how Plymouth Valiants have always been maligned, was the same thing with the Dart.
I prefer Sedans over Crossovers, Trucks and SUVs. The simplicity, easy to learn, and overall affordability of sedans to me make it a better pick over any other style of vehicle.
I like sedans and hatchbacks . I had a Suzuki SX4 AWD it's engine blew up and bought a NA Veloster . I miss my SX4 AWD . I also had a couple of old Subaru base model Impreza sedans .
Today actually marks 3 years that i’ve owned my dart, it’s been a wonderful time so far, I’ve put about 40k miles of smiles on it. Very versatile for a compact car!
Another great critique and analysis. I respected the new "Dart" for what it tried to be and remember it. When the top brass says it was one of their worst mistakes, that tells you something. A little personal anecdote, I was in that generation of drivers, I came of age in the winter of 03, and I didn't think about getting my licence because I had my transportation taken care of and I had my own space since I was 10. I tried in the summer of 08, working with someone who specializes in people with brain damage, but it was too much multitasking and I couldn't react fast enough.
Expected something like the Neons, wasn't ready for a talk about the slow decline of sedans (which I also lament, as a dude who's more into weird hatchback an-cars lol, also having less popularity compared to BIGG SUV TRUKK)
I remember a good 8 or 9 years ago my HS Health/Home skills teacher Ms. Moran drove one of these. She was a late 20s very early 30s blonde who all the sophomore boys loved chatting up. That's been my impression of the Dart since
My dad had a 2013 that I learned to drive in. Non turbo, auto but sounded alright and handled well. He also managed to put nearly 200k miles on it without any major issues
Being an owner to a 2015 Dodge Dart with a 2.4 auto, it's OKAY, I say that as it's quite boring; but the engine is torquey and being a large displacement NA engine it should hold itself better than the turbo model, also get's up to 40mpg if you're driving it moderatly. For some reason I like to think of it like a future pontiac sunfire, not sure why but it seeems appropriate.
Watching this video it reminded me of how strange it was that the Dodge Dart only lasted about 4 model years. It arrived with great fanfare. In the blink of an eye word came that both the Dart and the Chrysler 200 were being discontinued. We were then, and still are, in the midst of the great extinction of sedans in America.
@@Benzinilinguinegood... cause only someone in Pennsylvania would win it...but watch... someone outside of Pa is going to win it now that people are on to it
I'm honestly kinda sick of getting reminded about some amazing free car that some lucky bastard will win that I never will. I just want to watch car reviews.
My girlfriend has the 2.4L Dart and with that engine though its still not fast but it upgrades it to being enjoyable but a huge issue with the automatic version is the shifter has a switch in it that detects when its in park and lets you take the key out of the ignition. When it breaks, you have to essentially either wait for it to let you out or rip open the center console to get at the switch and fiddle with it until it releases. And you can't even buy that switch you have to buy the entire shifter assembly for $600-$900.
I needed a new car when I moved to North Carolina. I had a pretty decent budget and I was willing to take out a loan to build credit. Thing was, I don't trust new vehicle reliability, I don't want all the safety tech, forget the dealerships, and in general there was nothing on the market that I was willing to spend over $10,000 on, let alone take out a loan on. I wound up buying a Hilux Surf in Japan and shipping it over. Best choice I could've made in my opinion. And yes, I will be submitting it to RCR.
Got mine in 2015 and it's been a solid economy family sedan. One of the things I always find funny is that by going from a crossover to the Dart I /upgraded/ my cargo space. SUV cargo volume is always inflated by that volume being vertical. In the trunk of a compact sedan you can actually fit a fold-down stroller AND groceries. I just can't carry home a potted plant. Aw shucks.
Honestly I loved my 2015 Dart. Had the 2.4L and it was pretty loaded, had everything but the leather and sunroof iirc. Got it brand new and put like 95k on it with no issues and it still ran like it did on day one when I sold it. Thought about buying another one as our backup car recently but seems like every one I see for sale has been in a wreck and/or has a poor service history. Unfortunate but also kinda expected considering Dodge/Chrysler was approving these things to anyone with a pulse
I have a 2015 GT that I bought 9 years ago as my first car and it’s been great! It’s fun to drive, I’ve had no major issues and for the price it came with so many features! You should definitely buy another if you get the chance!
A girl I knew in college bought a Neon when she graduated. It was about $12,000. We tried to buy it on Memorial Day and could not get anyone to talk to us at the dealer in Charlotte. There were about 20 people in front of us and everyone was there for the neon. I had just bought a d 21 Nissan. We both wanted a car with a working air conditioner. That was the requirement. Both cars are still on the road, ac’s still working.
Thank you for finally reviewing this car. The "teenager" analogies are pretty accurate with this one. I bought a Dart because it was one of the last sedans offered with a 6-speed manual transmission. The cruze had stopped making them with manuals, and the Focus was overpriced with the ST and RS models, and I kinda liked how the Dart looked. I also heard the automatic had some reliability issues, so there's another reason to get a manual. Like any car, it has it's quirks but it has been reliable for me. Currently at 209k miles and still going.
OK, what makes the slow shot of the car driving down the road from the front ¾ (and I'm sure other shots) that makes the car looks like it's wiggling the whole time? It seems more like a video artifact than actual car movement. See about 13:25+.
6:43 Dodge salesman here, the 1.4 Turbo sucked worse than the standard 2.0L base engine and the DDC transmission made it worse. The GT with a 2.4L was the better option with 175hp.
I test drove a turbo dart back when they were new… I ended up buying a 94 Toyota Celica GT and loved that car so much I got 97 20th anniversary convertible one for my wife.
So the fuse block on the battery is there not only to reduce main fuse block and ECU failure but also (according to the field engineer I talked too) helps increase electronic communication speed between modules at the cost of increased complexity
If I understand correctly, the automatic wasn't initially available, only manuals . I owned a first gen Neon, and loved it, so I was paying attention when these came out. I may buy a Dart yet, as the first gen Neons with 5-speeds are tough to find. They got the looks right with the dart/200 at any rate.
I remember coming from a 2nd gen neon to test drive one of these.. to say I was underwhelmed is an understatement.. It was cramped, slow, and a disappointment in pretty much every way other than perhaps not having manual windows in the back. I know it would have been a niche product, but could you imagine how much fun this thing would have been with a 6 speed and a 3.6 pentastar?
In UK we have a version of this called the Fiat Tipo. Mostly in hatchback form. Fiat did sell a saloon/sedan version of this for a short time but discontinued it sadly. I really like saloon cars but aside from the German marques and the Mazda 3 they just don't sell well unfortunately. It seems that this trend is now prevalent in North America. Shame. 😕
The terminal box on top of the battery at least in my 2017 Silverado isn't for fuses, it's legitimately a convenient way to add accessories to the truck. My aftermarket amplifier is connected to it. It's so much cleaner than splicing junk together on top of the battery.
I've been dailying a 2013 Dart SXT since 2017. I got it for exactly $10k since it was still "new-ish" with 60k miles. I thought I was the coolest person in highschool since it looked like a weird, mishapened Charger. 7 years, thousands of dollars, many gallons of coolant because it's a Dodge, it's gonna leak coolant.. a couple of O2 sensors and even a valve cover gasket.. it's still running alright. It's definitely showing it's age now with 187k miles but, with it being my first car, it's still gotten me where I need to go. So, I'd personally recommend one as a first car, as long as you are pretty mechanically inclined and know how to repair what breaks on these things because I practically learned how to work on cars via my Dart. Lmao
Good on you. Keep your Dart when you get a new car. You're going to be 34 one day and you're going to want your first car back, and they'll be selling for over 10K when that happens. My first car, a 94 Integra, was purchased for 3400 in 2006, and now they're unobtanium.
I stuck with the 2.0L with the 6 speed manual. Granted I worked for the dealer at the time and was one of the last ones we had before discontinuing so I got a stupid deal for it. It's definitely not a sports car like they claimed it to be, but can still be a lot of fun. The auto transmissions are "sad" for response, dodge did a trash job of "tuning" the transmission in the dart. 1.4L definitely has a better low end but as everything is built cheap you REALLY have to respect the turbo warming and cooling as I saw many failures and the 2.4L at least where I live in Canada like to blow up. I've had mine for almost 8 years and been nothing but normal maintenance.
I have a 2013 2.0 with the 6 speed auto, can confirm the transmission tuning is garbage lol. Its almost impossible to get a smooth start from a light because it either slips the torque converter and slurs its way to 3rd gear, or it suddenly drops to 1st and jerks violently. Other than that its an alright car though, got 177k miles on it so far with mostly routine maintenance.
I test drover a manual one of these when they were new. It was impossible to heel toe, the brake and gas pedal were not lined up in any way that my size 11's could bridge.
Circa 2015 I saw one of these darts being offered at $13,000 (about $6000 below MSRP) new at a local dealer and almost went with it. I did a little research on the Tigershark 2.4L engine and decided not to. Tried to get a 200 with a V6 and the dealer refused to go below MSRP. LOL
ive been waiting for years for this review. This was literally my first car as you described and i went full zoomer on it. Including putting Plasti-dip on my rims.
I loved my 2014 dart until about 75,000 miles. It didn’t want to go into park and release the key at times, backup camera randomly didn’t want to work, one rear speaker went out and the front end started to get very loud. OH and the drivers side window would not want to go up/down randomly as well!! The black on black was clean tho! lol
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"I'm going to retcon my love of dodge because it's all I can afford" is relevant no matter how expensive your dodge is
That's a tradition that goes back a ways. :)
"it's all I can afford" is quite the oxymoron for a dodge
@@tomahawkstudios9688 back in the late 60s, not so much, LOL
@@michaelkappes8226 no the point is that they're super expensive to keep on the road. They were much better in the 60s
Kudos to the owner for keeping the late 2010s zoomer vibe for this car.
It may be unintentional lol
I’m pretty sure the owner is in fact a teenager lmfao
@@mikehall3976regardless, I'm reminded of how gaudy that vibe was, and this is coming from someone who liked spinning wheels 20 years ago from all the hip hop videos.
⛪️
@@bobhill3941 hey, as someone who's probably 4 or 5 years this guys senior, putting stickers on your car was sick as fuck in high shcool lmao
It's kinda sad that dart didn't live up to legendary neon
We didn't know how good we had it, the neon was a shitbox to our eyes but it was a shitbox that could hang, it was a shit box that edged into the performance space held by Si SE-R SVT, but in its entry level base model form. It was a shitbox that could take a hit and keep going, a shitbox that really could serve as your first unfortunate car without leaving you stranded .
I don’t agree with you on it being sad but if the Dart had had a wagon in manual I’d have been really tempted.
The only good economy car to come out of Chrysler… i give the crown gm the cobalt for fun, the Saturn s series for reliability, and probably one of the most simple cars to work on. Ford produced nothing worth.
Lots of wasted potential with the dart. It could have been a WRX/EVO competitor
My wife had a second generation neon when I met her. I loved the car. Fun to drive. Then the engine sucked in the spark plugs and screwed everything up. Helicoil didn’t really work well. Maybe got another 10,000 miles out of it.
Sedans aren't only going away for financial reason. As an employee of one of the Big Three, I can confirm it's CAFE standard laws. Passenger cars (coupes/sedans) have a low emissions requirement but if you make a crossover/suv with AWD available in the model, it doubles the emissions allotment. We have every incentive to build crossovers and SUVs instead of passenger cars: We can charge more for a bigger car and we don't have to get the emissions down as much, it's a win-win. So sorry, but the government's attempt to improve pollution wasn't written tightly enough and the industry found a loophole. So now we all suffer from the loss of sedans, hatches, and coupes (except sports cars and personal limos).
The government has been ruining cars since the brief peak in the mid to late 90s.
Thanks Obama
It was by design that it doesn’t work
Don't blame government incompetence, car companies lobbied for those loopholes.
Then why have cars gotten so much better? @@JustACuteFox
I bought my 2015 brand new because it had the 2.4L and a six speed manual... it sat on the lot for six months because of the manual and I only paid like $13K for it. It paid for itself at 44K miles instead of dailying my truck. It has 88K on it now. I do hope to give it to one of my kids when they are teenagers (the oldest is 11 now).
Thank you for telling.
The best way to buy one of these.
Got lucky, as there was a hydraulic component shared with the Fiat Freemont (Euro journey) in the manuals that could essentially explode. There was a lawsuit that went away because at one point the plantiff's mechanic "lost the parts". The automatics were hyundai for the 6 speed and Fiat for the DCT. Every 6 speed on the planet was recalled due to a shift linkage/potential roll away risk. Remember 5% of the government's control to give to Fiat meant they needed a new 40mpg car... not that it had to survive.
Manual 2.4 was an actually good vehicle
Holy shit you won
For a car that came out only a decade ago and disappeared only around 5 years ago I rarely see these rolling around
See more of them than 200's
That's because a wet paper bag is more reliable than this absolute hot garbage pile of a "car".
Lots on marketplace.
@@Snicker60515One is pretty unlucky if they have transmission or engine problems in any car, in the dart you get both!
They've all been sent to tge junkyard.
17:50 "fuses protecting what?" Dawg protecting YOU from CAR FIRES! Main fuses right at the battery are loooooooong overdue in the automotive world. If the large cable from a battery to a starter were to get pinched or otherwise shorted you essentially have a stick welder worth of power ready to make huge sparks and turn that cable into a heating element. Car batteries are fairly benign, until you dead short them, then they can create electrical fires with incredible quickness. That fuse is excellent. This is a good design.
Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.
Also that's like every modern car, at least in Europe. My 2016 peugeot partner you couldn't even see the battery under all the fuses and it had a remote post on the wing for you to attach jumper cables to.
My car has them... dunno why they didn't show up sooner.
If this was a good design and idea, why is the rest of the vehicles on the road from the last 40 years not catching fire?
@itsmarkwtf protections are different for different technologies. My partial hybrid weighs over 3.5 tons and gets 30 mpg. With the electronics involved and costs associated with it, it would be a shame if something shorted while in the garage. So... things evolve. Not that technology from 40 years ago was wrong... it just evolved.
I heard a dealer say "enjoy your new sports car" to a 21 year old buying a Dart 4 years ago and never forgot it or stopped laughing
Bro we’re just tryna make the sale😂
Nearly every Dart I see on my daily commute is weaving through traffic, double lane changing & generally being driven like the owner is trying to evade capture.
*every Dodge
So it really is an american Altima
Made by BMW?
Same!!!!
trying to get where they are going before it breaks down lol
Ahh, the Dodge Dart. It really could have been the new Neon. It is indeed the embodiment of a cool kid that peaked in high school, and thought he's still the hot shot that he was, coming back decades later.
Meanwhile the focus went to college and started making bank, spent it on double-clutch cocaine and lost the wife&kids from the habit
@@Mr00Tedyeah it really is too bad. the manual 2.0L focus was cool tho.
So basically dennis reynolds from always sunny in car form lol
Chrysler lost thousands on every Dart, sold it to meet fleet fuel economy standards.
When the US Gov allowed the purchase of fuel economy credits from Tesla (for less than the money lost on the Dart), Dodge cancelled this.
Goes back to what I say, fuck he feds and epa.
Why did they lose money? They really don't seem to have a decent business model then.
The Dart had way too many trim levels and paint options for one. The compact car market was also highly competitive and the Dart sold less than 90k units in its best year (2015). It didn’t really stand out at all.
Nah it was a dud. It had nothing to do with Tesla.
@@Jay-zx1sglol. Yeah…forget trying to keep the earth inhabitable for humans if it costs us getting to have a frigging Dodge Darts! 😂. Brilliant logic, Aristotle.
The issue isn't that Americans don't want sedans, they don't want shitty American sedans. The Camry is still selling hundreds of thousands a year. They can sell more in a month, than American sedans sell in entire years. The cream rises to the top as they say, and it only took several decades too long for people to wake up and see that they've been sold cheap garbage by the big 3.
Agreed. Personally, I love sedans. Insurance is cheap, usually decent fuel economy, and none of the unnecessary size of SUVs and trucks. The only American sedans worth considering are the V8 Dodge Chargers (assuming you're into muscle cars). Otherwise, Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus offer the superior sedans, no question.
Yeah, the big 3 have only been kept afloat by government interventions that discourage the sale of the cheap small world cars that the Detroit pensioners can't compete with. I regret not buying a Honda Fit when before it was discontinued. Damn you footprint rule! Also, fuck you chicken tax!
@@emptyshirt Fuck both the Chicken Tax and CAFE standards!
@@tenhundredkills And top it off with great resale value. Great cars.
the second car i ever owned was a camry, and ive had it for 3 years with few issues. im probably sticking with japanese cars tbh
*silly voice* "I'm a RUclipsr who reviews cars, and I'm blurring the instrument cluster for no reason! No, it's not because I'm speeding! THAT would be illegal! I'm a good boy! I just ;like the way the speedometer looks when you can't see it!"
super annoying too when they're attempting to measure performance.
I mean, RCR used to do that.
@@qmto 6:01
Makes me think of how bikers film themselves running from the police and the comments are full of things like "You filmed yourself committing a felony", But whenever it's a car cutting up in traffic or speeding nobody really cares
I think it’s a thing with RUclips where the video might get demonetized or algorithm’d if they show illegal speeding
No touchscreens and a sedan? Already a winner in my book.
Mine had a touch screen. I guess it’s just in the lower trims.
One of the reasons I have mine... I call it "90's Loaded".
@@MilsurpMikeChannel perfect description of my 2013 Impreza, 90's loaded
back when these just came out i spotted a top trim, bright green dart speeding through traffic, still wearing temp tags; guy gets caught at the light, i line up next to him in the infamous v6 accord - all the joy had drained from his face by the next traffic light
Noob here.
What’s infamous about the V6 Accord?
@@LookADistarction I guess it’s a Honda sleeper with 278 HP. Some of them also come in a coupe and manual options. So it’s like a FWD sports car. There might be more to it but I dunno.
@rossfuller8025 you should pick on someone your own size lol.
@@LookADistarctionit's a Honda that will outrun a lot of "sporty" cars.
I had a 6-6 I loved that car. Could never get traction off the line.
I worked @ the plant that made the Dart, same plant that made the Neon. The plants been idled since they axed the Cherokee & in ‘26 will be making the new Dakota
Belvidere?
Well then, greetings from WI.
Haven't corporate been swearing that they're so totally going to start EV production there at Belvidere?
I used to work at the Brampton plant for the chargers, challengers and 300s until end of 2021...its been shut down January 2024 to retool for EV crap...
EDIT (read update at bottom) I remember being at a auto show in the Dodge area. Ended up speaking with an engineer that was there, who apparently worked on the 600hp AWD Dart for Travis Pastrana.
I asked him why they don’t release a SRT spec with 300hp, AWD, with a stick to compete with the Evos and STI.
He grinned ear to ear and said just wait and see. But sadly nothing ever showed up in the end. Once and a bit I see a dart and think back to that conversation. What could have been.
EDIT UPDATE: So apparently dodge kinda did make a nearly 300 HP AWD version of the dart you can buy right now. It was called the Chrysler 200 S. It came with AWD and had the V6 Pentastar with around 300HP. Came with an auto, but this might have been the base for the SRT dart version we never got. They were not that uncommon and can find them used pretty easily.
I remember hearing about a five year plan from FCA that was suppose to include a Dart SRT for 2017, and I heard it could have been basically that spec. However, the Dart died before that could happen. I don't badly miss the Dart but I would have at least wanted to see how the SRT variant would have turned out.
15:47 "It wasn't even the pride and joy of it's creators" ouch, that stings.
I love how so many of these intro’s are basically Mr. Regular roasting the person who let him drive their car
Are we going to ignore the automatic’s shifter trying really hard to look like a stick?.
Holy shit, nice catch lol
@@GuntanksInSpace I was also confused when Mr. Regular caught up to the airstream from a stop. I was expecting him to shift, but then it was just an automatic.
It's a dual dry clutch transmission. It has an auto stick option.😊
@@elite943able if it can shift for you, it's an automatic. Also the DCT was only available with the 1.4T, the other engines got a manual or a torque converter automatic.
About 6 years ago when I was living in Illinois I remember riding to a local pizza place where I came across one of the largest Dodge Dart meet I had ever seen. All of them this generation sedan, at least 60 of them in this parking lot with most of their hoods popped with nothing but painted engine covers and some stick on parts/decals.
I wish I would’ve been there 😫
You sound like Skeletor, not Freiza 😂😂
Lmao bro. I was looking for someone to say it
I loved this video. Under 20 minutes. Concise. Informative. Funny. Contextual. A good mix of everything I like about RCR. Classic. I loved this video even more than I love incomplete sentences! Thank you.
I rented a Dart years ago when traveling for work. For a cheap as hell rental, that sucker was a riot on back country roads. It's light, and handles great.
Put 60k miles on one living in a mountain area in two years around 2014, can confirm is was a surprisingly fun car in the twists! Bought out of desperation and low asking price at the time, but ultimately enjoyed it while I had it because it did handle decently well. Fun little econobox.
RCR gardening is the content I never thought I'll want to see more. lol
I, too, am backed by Nature
At what age does a man start to be worried about grass and lawn care?
I bought my 2015 dodge dart GT 9 years ago as my first car and I love it so much that when it got totaled I bought it back and fixed it! It’s not fast but it’s fun to drive, looks good, is customizable, and you get a lot of features for the affordable price! They’re also reliable if you take care of them I’ve seen plenty with over 300k miles on them and no major issues
I feel like the new Dodge Hornet is the crossover version of this car (Dart) which probably isn't going to bode well....
There was a turbo, but it was the 1.4L Fiat turbo that made about the same power as the 2.0L, not even the Abarth version of the 1.4. The “performance” engine was the 2.4L, making a whopping 184hp.
It was definitely the Abarth version of the 1.4 multiair. I owned a 2013 Abarth and a 2013 Dart at the same time and the engines were identical to the point that their serial numbers were 37 apart.
The Dart makes a bit more power because the less cramped engine bay let them install the intercooler from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, complete with Alfa, Fiat, and Lancia logos without a Dodge or Chrysler badge in sight.
@@BuffMyRadius Was it a 124? The engine was put in the Dart before there even was a 124.
@@rightwingsafetysquad9872 it was technically a 500 Turbo, but the engine is mechanically identical and I flashed an Abarth 500 tune on it.
6:34 Nooo nooo nooo. You're looking at GVWR, that's the big number for how much it weighs fully loaded. The dodge dart has a CURB weight between 3000 and 3200 lbs. It is not similar in weight to a Camaro.
Honestly it probably does weigh less than a Camaro
@@rosestrohm7986 Yeah about 1000lbs less, not 200.
I bought my mom a 2015 Mazda 3 hatch when I came back from Afghanistan. It got wrecked a couple years later by a drunk driver and she got a 2016 dart as a replacement. Im guessing it weighed about 3200 whereas the Mazda was just shy of 3000? The dart felt more solid. The Mazda transmission was greatly superior but driving around Los Angeles potholes, the dart felt like a more solid chassis.
[In RCR Baby Boomer voice] I remember when the Dart was a real Mopar. It ain't a Dart unless it came with the Slant Six engine as standard equipment! Why isn't there a brown color paint option? Where's the vinyl roof? I have an entire collection of Van Halen 8-track tapes. Why doesn't this car have an 8-track tape player? I don't see the cigarette lighter! And get off my lawn!
This was the best video in a long while, but I still thought of this as a missed opportunity.
I rented one for a week and put about 1200 miles on it, it was probably the worst rental I've ever had, and the seats were even worse than anything to come from Subaru or Toyota.
My mom and I took a new one out for a test drive in 2013. Terrible, even by economy car standards. No power, wonky transmission, vague steering, the list goes on. I thought the seats were OK, nothing great. Then again, I only drove for about 10 miles or so.
I'm so glad I was able to steer her towards a 2013 Toyota Corolla.
The Dodge Dart. The car designed specifically for Starbucks coffee baristas.
The curb weight is not on the door and every compact car is much lighter than a muscle car lol
I know 😂 this poor kid
I came here to say this but in my heart I knew it had already been said lmfaooo
Sounds like me when I got my first car, like totally just random wrong facts bouncing around my head 😝
Except the V6 Camaro 2024 3LT weighs 3,431-3,695 lbs and the Dodge fart I mean Dart weighs 3,081-3,215 lbs. V6 Camaro is not a muscle car.
@@piccolo398 It's a large fullsize coupe with a heavy v6 on a platform meant to handle muscle cars. What do you not get? of course it's heavier.
I will never understand how this joined the same weeb level status as the 2000s Honda Civic in rural small town Ohio... but it did.
Dart started in 1960 as an economy car to the top tier Polara. Was still a barge being on a C-body at the time with just a 4 inch shorter wheel base. Other than cramming big engines in smaller cars from 1962's B-body on they really were nothing cutting egde. It's almost fitting how they resurrected the name for this era's platform.
Actually in the mid 60s they changed down to an A body platform and dropped a ton of weight. They were popular with the 340 and big block options because they had insane power/weight ratio in those trims. The modern dart is nothing like that, just an overweight and underpowered compact that shares a fiat platform
@@knote4958You are correct that the 63 was replaced with the A-body. The 62 was a one year only and pretty much a rebadged 61 Plymouth Valiant. While the power to weight ratio was an advantage it was nothing breakthrough. You could even get a Gremlin with V8 back then.
@@__J_O__ Relatively speaking cars nowadays aren't breakthroughs either, especially in the context of compact cars. VVT, direct injection, turbocharging, etc. The technology in them has been out for years. By comparison, 60s Dodges could be optioned out with AC, power windows, power brakes, & front disc brakes with 4 piston calipers, and then in the 70s with shoulder seatbelts and auto cancelling turn signals. These were "breakthroughs" for the time, but hardly anybody bought these options so they aren't well known.
Fiat Viaggio with American citizenship.
Other way around lmao, Dart was first.
In Europe Fiat sells Fiat Tipo, which is very similar to the Dart in terms of engine options (we do get diesel option here)/dimensions/price. I'm honestly surprised that they aren't the same car, i had to double check if they're related. In Mexico the Tipo is sold as Dodge Neon (bc Dodge already have a decent dealership network).
Ay yo wtf the Dart shares the platform with (among others) the ALFA GIULIETTA!?
@@Vaino_HottiI had a Dart in the US and moved to Italy and can confirm that the Dart is literally a Giulietta sedan. Absolutely everything is the same; lights, dash, shifter, vents, the whole deal. The intercooler on the Dart even has Alfa badging.
I've been waiting so long for this video! I have a 2013 Ralleye I bought used in my mid 20's, it even came with free racing stripes!
I am driving a 2023 Chinese MG ZS as a rental in the UK right now and I can assure you this dodge is objectively fine. I mean at least it has physical HVAC controls.
Thanks for reviewing my car!!!
I’ve been friends with Nate through high school and saw this car evolve to what it is now. Great video and love the cometary!
I love you Nate
@@ndboring Nate?! You have RUclips?!
@nathanlehman5342 what Nate?!?! What are you doing on an RCR video???
This car reminds me of when I still subscribed to Car and Driver and how they did a comparison to the Focus of that model year. The Focus ended up winning but CD spoke of how well the Dart actually drove compared to the Focus, which was also a great drive. Of course you BARELY see any of those cars anymore and I'm always amazed when I actually see a Dart still completing internal combustion before its inevitable demise...
Automotive ransomware, that's genius
Dude went into the AutoZone accessories aisle and said, "yes".
I bought my '13 with 20k miles on it in 2015. Still have it to this day and drive 60+ miles daily, just under 180k on the odometer. Never missed an oil change, always change the transmission fluid every 30k miles, and both engine and tranny drive and shift like the day i bought the car. Best vehicle ive ever had by far. Never any major issues. Still nice tight suspension. Just wish the paint looked a little better.
Bought the 2013 Limited. Like the week it came out. 171k miles later, basic maintenance, oil change and only one wheel bearing go go bad. Best and most reliable car i have owned.
Actually it’s an Alfa, hey guys you cant be a real car guy unless you’ve owned an Alfa, hey guys, haha my Alfa Dart broke down that’s so Alfa.
While I agree to a degree that sedans are disappearing, I like mine: a 2023 Civic Type R with about 3600 miles on it. We got it for my 47th birthday, and we got it at MSRP. It’s my dream car, especially now that I had to give up on my real dream car, my 2001 Saab Viggen vert. That being said, if I had a Dart that was given to me for free, I’d make it work. It wouldn’t be a dream car, but it’s better than taking the bus.
Great video, as always. Although I do take issue with “no sporty pedigree” of the Dart- the Darts of the mid-60s/early 70s offered performance builds that were very sporty, including those that came with 426 Hemis.
I remember when it was announced that the Dart was coming back. Man, I was disappointed it went from a muscle car to an econobox (not even a good one at that).
@@tenhundredkills It's not like the original Dart was supposed to be a muscle car, it just became one later on, for most people the Dart was a simple inline 6 A to B car. Much how Plymouth Valiants have always been maligned, was the same thing with the Dart.
My moms dart battery lasted 8 years. Im not sure if its the fuse configuration thing or the battery cover, but something kept it going.
I prefer Sedans over Crossovers, Trucks and SUVs. The simplicity, easy to learn, and overall affordability of sedans to me make it a better pick over any other style of vehicle.
I like sedans and hatchbacks . I had a Suzuki SX4 AWD it's engine blew up and bought a NA Veloster . I miss my SX4 AWD . I also had a couple of old Subaru base model Impreza sedans .
I always wanted to see an SRT-4 version but it never happened.
Man...where was this talent of joke writing and voice acting during Team Four Stars DBZ Abridged run?
Today actually marks 3 years that i’ve owned my dart, it’s been a wonderful time so far, I’ve put about 40k miles of smiles on it. Very versatile for a compact car!
Another great critique and analysis. I respected the new "Dart" for what it tried to be and remember it. When the top brass says it was one of their worst mistakes, that tells you something.
A little personal anecdote, I was in that generation of drivers, I came of age in the winter of 03, and I didn't think about getting my licence because I had my transportation taken care of and I had my own space since I was 10. I tried in the summer of 08, working with someone who specializes in people with brain damage, but it was too much multitasking and I couldn't react fast enough.
Okay but... Why the hell was this THING in asphalt 8??
Same reason the Cadillac XTS was. Money.
It was also in Forza Horizon 3
@@WitchyWhale W H Y ? LMAO
i love the engine sound lol
My third car was a Dodge Dart, but it was a '63, and I put a 360 from a '79 Cordoba in it.
Expected something like the Neons, wasn't ready for a talk about the slow decline of sedans (which I also lament, as a dude who's more into weird hatchback an-cars lol, also having less popularity compared to BIGG SUV TRUKK)
I remember a good 8 or 9 years ago my HS Health/Home skills teacher Ms. Moran drove one of these. She was a late 20s very early 30s blonde who all the sophomore boys loved chatting up. That's been my impression of the Dart since
My dad had a 2013 that I learned to drive in. Non turbo, auto but sounded alright and handled well. He also managed to put nearly 200k miles on it without any major issues
I have a 2013 dart 1.4turbo and I love it. Really fun to drive and gets like 30mpg
I will forever call this the 3rd gen Neon.
It is one of those vehicles you never see in Atlanta. Contrary to Tacoma and Camrys of old.
Atlanta resident with a Dart here.
I feel alone.
I actually liked how these drove. Drove a turbo manual and thought it was fun.
Classic rcr video, one of the few yt channels that’s makes me actually laugh out loud
Being an owner to a 2015 Dodge Dart with a 2.4 auto, it's OKAY, I say that as it's quite boring; but the engine is torquey and being a large displacement NA engine it should hold itself better than the turbo model, also get's up to 40mpg if you're driving it moderatly. For some reason I like to think of it like a future pontiac sunfire, not sure why but it seeems appropriate.
Watching this video it reminded me of how strange it was that the Dodge Dart only lasted about 4 model years. It arrived with great fanfare. In the blink of an eye word came that both the Dart and the Chrysler 200 were being discontinued. We were then, and still are, in the midst of the great extinction of sedans in America.
The Dodge Dart. An echo of the Pontiac LeMans.
Awe man. No giveaway on this one? DRAT!
No, Dart.
That's OK. Dealerships are practically giving them away around here. There's all kinds of examples with under 100k miles with asking prices of $5k-7k.
@@Benzinilinguinegood... cause only someone in Pennsylvania would win it...but watch... someone outside of Pa is going to win it now that people are on to it
I'm honestly kinda sick of getting reminded about some amazing free car that some lucky bastard will win that I never will. I just want to watch car reviews.
Came for the steering wheel cover, was not disappointed.
The Dodge Dart. The official car of I drove a 2nd gen Neon in the 2000s and never grew out of it.
Its missing the "poison dart" sticker across the top of the front windshield.
My girlfriend has the 2.4L Dart and with that engine though its still not fast but it upgrades it to being enjoyable but a huge issue with the automatic version is the shifter has a switch in it that detects when its in park and lets you take the key out of the ignition. When it breaks, you have to essentially either wait for it to let you out or rip open the center console to get at the switch and fiddle with it until it releases. And you can't even buy that switch you have to buy the entire shifter assembly for $600-$900.
I needed a new car when I moved to North Carolina. I had a pretty decent budget and I was willing to take out a loan to build credit. Thing was, I don't trust new vehicle reliability, I don't want all the safety tech, forget the dealerships, and in general there was nothing on the market that I was willing to spend over $10,000 on, let alone take out a loan on.
I wound up buying a Hilux Surf in Japan and shipping it over. Best choice I could've made in my opinion. And yes, I will be submitting it to RCR.
Got mine in 2015 and it's been a solid economy family sedan. One of the things I always find funny is that by going from a crossover to the Dart I /upgraded/ my cargo space. SUV cargo volume is always inflated by that volume being vertical. In the trunk of a compact sedan you can actually fit a fold-down stroller AND groceries. I just can't carry home a potted plant. Aw shucks.
I’ve also had my dart since 2015 and you’re right it has a surprising amount of trunk space!
By far one of the funniest RCR intros I've seen, had me giggling into the ad read!
Honestly I loved my 2015 Dart. Had the 2.4L and it was pretty loaded, had everything but the leather and sunroof iirc. Got it brand new and put like 95k on it with no issues and it still ran like it did on day one when I sold it.
Thought about buying another one as our backup car recently but seems like every one I see for sale has been in a wreck and/or has a poor service history. Unfortunate but also kinda expected considering Dodge/Chrysler was approving these things to anyone with a pulse
I have a 2015 GT that I bought 9 years ago as my first car and it’s been great! It’s fun to drive, I’ve had no major issues and for the price it came with so many features! You should definitely buy another if you get the chance!
A girl I knew in college bought a Neon when she graduated. It was about $12,000. We tried to buy it on Memorial Day and could not get anyone to talk to us at the dealer in Charlotte. There were about 20 people in front of us and everyone was there for the neon. I had just bought a d 21 Nissan. We both wanted a car with a working air conditioner. That was the requirement. Both cars are still on the road, ac’s still working.
Thank you for finally reviewing this car. The "teenager" analogies are pretty accurate with this one. I bought a Dart because it was one of the last sedans offered with a 6-speed manual transmission. The cruze had stopped making them with manuals, and the Focus was overpriced with the ST and RS models, and I kinda liked how the Dart looked. I also heard the automatic had some reliability issues, so there's another reason to get a manual. Like any car, it has it's quirks but it has been reliable for me. Currently at 209k miles and still going.
Are you in any of the dodge dart Facebook groups?
@@AbandonedExplorationSquad No I don't go on facebook much. Why?
Maxi fuses are handy for protecting starters when car won’t stop. Maxifuse will break before burning starter up.
Nearly bought a dart back in 2014. Over an accord coupe. Dodged that one.
This Dodge is as American as Olive Garden is Italian. Greetings from Europe
OK, what makes the slow shot of the car driving down the road from the front ¾ (and I'm sure other shots) that makes the car looks like it's wiggling the whole time? It seems more like a video artifact than actual car movement. See about 13:25+.
6:43 Dodge salesman here, the 1.4 Turbo sucked worse than the standard 2.0L base engine and the DDC transmission made it worse. The GT with a 2.4L was the better option with 175hp.
Ahh yes the inspiration for the 2015 and above dodge charger
I test drove a turbo dart back when they were new… I ended up buying a 94 Toyota Celica GT and loved that car so much I got 97 20th anniversary convertible one for my wife.
Dodge dart was the first car I bought and financed myself so it has a special place in my heart. 2.4 with the 6MT was so much fun
So the fuse block on the battery is there not only to reduce main fuse block and ECU failure but also (according to the field engineer I talked too) helps increase electronic communication speed between modules at the cost of increased complexity
If I understand correctly, the automatic wasn't initially available, only manuals . I owned a first gen Neon, and loved it, so I was paying attention when these came out. I may buy a Dart yet, as the first gen Neons with 5-speeds are tough to find. They got the looks right with the dart/200 at any rate.
I remember coming from a 2nd gen neon to test drive one of these.. to say I was underwhelmed is an understatement.. It was cramped, slow, and a disappointment in pretty much every way other than perhaps not having manual windows in the back.
I know it would have been a niche product, but could you imagine how much fun this thing would have been with a 6 speed and a 3.6 pentastar?
In UK we have a version of this called the Fiat Tipo. Mostly in hatchback form.
Fiat did sell a saloon/sedan version of this for a short time but discontinued it sadly. I really like saloon cars but aside from the German marques and the Mazda 3 they just don't sell well unfortunately. It seems that this trend is now prevalent in North America. Shame. 😕
TIL the Mazda 3 comes in a saloon model 😅
The terminal box on top of the battery at least in my 2017 Silverado isn't for fuses, it's legitimately a convenient way to add accessories to the truck. My aftermarket amplifier is connected to it. It's so much cleaner than splicing junk together on top of the battery.
I've been dailying a 2013 Dart SXT since 2017. I got it for exactly $10k since it was still "new-ish" with 60k miles. I thought I was the coolest person in highschool since it looked like a weird, mishapened Charger. 7 years, thousands of dollars, many gallons of coolant because it's a Dodge, it's gonna leak coolant.. a couple of O2 sensors and even a valve cover gasket.. it's still running alright. It's definitely showing it's age now with 187k miles but, with it being my first car, it's still gotten me where I need to go. So, I'd personally recommend one as a first car, as long as you are pretty mechanically inclined and know how to repair what breaks on these things because I practically learned how to work on cars via my Dart. Lmao
Good on you. Keep your Dart when you get a new car. You're going to be 34 one day and you're going to want your first car back, and they'll be selling for over 10K when that happens. My first car, a 94 Integra, was purchased for 3400 in 2006, and now they're unobtanium.
I stuck with the 2.0L with the 6 speed manual. Granted I worked for the dealer at the time and was one of the last ones we had before discontinuing so I got a stupid deal for it. It's definitely not a sports car like they claimed it to be, but can still be a lot of fun. The auto transmissions are "sad" for response, dodge did a trash job of "tuning" the transmission in the dart. 1.4L definitely has a better low end but as everything is built cheap you REALLY have to respect the turbo warming and cooling as I saw many failures and the 2.4L at least where I live in Canada like to blow up. I've had mine for almost 8 years and been nothing but normal maintenance.
I have a 2013 2.0 with the 6 speed auto, can confirm the transmission tuning is garbage lol. Its almost impossible to get a smooth start from a light because it either slips the torque converter and slurs its way to 3rd gear, or it suddenly drops to 1st and jerks violently. Other than that its an alright car though, got 177k miles on it so far with mostly routine maintenance.
I test drover a manual one of these when they were new. It was impossible to heel toe, the brake and gas pedal were not lined up in any way that my size 11's could bridge.
This was in fact the first (and only) brand new car I've ever bought
2014 Aero package
Circa 2015 I saw one of these darts being offered at $13,000 (about $6000 below MSRP) new at a local dealer and almost went with it. I did a little research on the Tigershark 2.4L engine and decided not to. Tried to get a 200 with a V6 and the dealer refused to go below MSRP. LOL
The 2.4L was the biggest and best engine that came in the darts and it’s been very reliable for me!
ive been waiting for years for this review. This was literally my first car as you described and i went full zoomer on it. Including putting Plasti-dip on my rims.
I loved my 2014 dart until about 75,000 miles. It didn’t want to go into park and release the key at times, backup camera randomly didn’t want to work, one rear speaker went out and the front end started to get very loud. OH and the drivers side window would not want to go up/down randomly as well!! The black on black was clean tho! lol
Sunday looks like an amazing product. Way better than Monday.