[Bodyguard]

About 4 months ago my wife and I test drove a Dart SXT 2.0, Focus SE 2.0 and a Cruze LT Eco. I liked all of them actually. The Dart felt the slowest but not really by much at all, it was just the sound of the engine that was so weird. The 2.0 has kind of a honking intake noise at first then gets thrashy. The Chevy was softer riding than either but the Focus just felt better to drive. Its hard to explain but the steering was sharper and the car just felt athletic. It also had one thing that I think is important on a compact car; a hatchback. Coming from a PT with its incredible hauling capacity, we just cant go to a small sedan. The Dart is a nice car but it is merely competent whereas the Caliber was embarassing. (even thought the gen 2s were much better). The Focus would have been the one I would have bought out of the the three IF it was an SE with out MyFord Touch. I HATE touchscreens after having a Prius.

If a model is a "GT" it competes in a class that includes the GTI, 3, Focus ST etc. Even though it really does not have the chops too. Again, Dodge is let down by its TERRIBLE marketing department. With a record like the Dart, I have ZERO confidence that the 200 launch will go well. Chrylser has nobody with enough brains and strength of will in its marketing department to fix these flubs. They desperately need an Alan Mulally.

 

[Guest]

Some seem to forget that when the focus first debuted it was kinda like the Dart. Ford has had a long time to make it the car it is now. I'm sure the same thing will happen to the Dart. I personally wished they would've never wasted their time on the so called wge. The prior engines IMHO are better. If they would've kept on improving those, I don't think we'd be having this discussion.

 

[JohnRogers]

When you name a car Dart and attach a GT label, give it an aggressive exterior look, market it as sporting drivers car, it needs some fun acceleration to match up with the handling and breaking. Does the Dart GT not have that?

 

[Int]

When you name a car Dart and attach a GT label, give it an aggressive exterior look, market it as sporting drivers car, it needs some fun acceleration to match up with the handling and breaking. Does the Dart GT not have that?

I haven't seen anyone rate the git-up-and-go as being more than adequate.

 

[bumonbox]

When you name a car Dart and attach a GT label, give it an aggressive exterior look, market it as sporting drivers car, it needs some fun acceleration to match up with the handling and breaking. Does the Dart GT not have that?

My feeling is the GT would have been forgiven if there were a more powerful Dart above it.
I haven't heard an official word one way or another. But at this stage in the game, saving it all for a refresh would be best. Adding the 9 speed will get a lot more needed attention in the Dart if the overall vehicle is updated. If they can offer a higher performance version, whether a lightly turbo'd version for an extra kick, or a full on SRT type vehicle, that should get the dart more attention. Since at it's core, the Dart is a fine vehicle, I think a good refresh and rework will seriously increase it's sales potential

 

[valiant67]

By the time the Dart is reworked and refreshed and gets a 9 speed, will the Dart name be so tarnished that they will drop it like they did Sebring? I don't hate the Dart but the fact there have been so many enhancements yet there are are still so many mixed ad messages and "good but not great" reviews sure points to troubles. The 200 looks better placed at the outset than the Dart does 2 years into production.

 

[dmcdonald]

It is not a performance vehicle. It does not belong in the Dodge lineup, it was advertised as sporty and suffers from its larger size and weight when compared to others in the C segment.

I'm not sure how it doesn't fit the Dodge lineup. Dodge, as it has existed over the last number of years, is far from an exclusive performance vehicle brand. The Avenger, Grand Caravan, Journey and Durango are not performance vehicles yet they make up the bulk of Dodge's sales. I'll agree that marketing of the Dart was not in line with reality and could have been better focused but that doesn't make it unsuitable to be a Dodge.

 

[floridaman2013]

If you all remember back when Dart and Valiant came out in the 60's, they were economy cars, not high performance, which came way later. They should of marketed the dart for what it is intended to be, a great mid size economy car with some nice touch up options. later with a better engine design they can sell a HP version.

 

[Dave Z]

I don't remember Dart ever having a reputation for performance in the 1970s or 1980s. The Dart GT was overwhelmed by all those slant sixes. Admittedly I didn't grow up in Detroit, but the buzz in the 1980s was still Road Runner and 'Cuda and Charger and Challenger and Duster 340 — not Dart.

I think we all agree Dart should have been marketed for what it was. However, the handling is still quite good for the class, and I think that's what they were focused on, not the powertrains.

The GT has aggressive gearing wtih the same engine as the others. It should be considerably faster.

 

[PCRMike]

Also keep in mind the consistent reliability ratings that the Dart does well in and safety ratings. There is hope...

 

[JohnRogers]

The original Dart four-door sedan can probably be argued as misnamed while even a slant six Scamp could be fun. We’re people expecting the Dart to be American bargain version of the BMW 3 series?

 

[EVOL]

Would that be an affordable engine? Maybe the engine block would be if mass produced.

I am sure the price of any Alfa engine can come down when it becomes common is every 4cyl Chrysler group vehicle. They did it with the 1.4T....

Heck, even a larger version of that would be great, a 2.2-2.5 turbo.

 

[Int]

Heck, even a larger version of that would be great, a 2.2-2.5 turbo.

That would be nice but they have to keep the MPG high.

 

[MarineViper]

I think if i was in the market for a dart I would go the GT route, than the ralleye 1.6l, than the 2.0 slush. That 2.0 sounds weird and when driving at and around the 35mph mark the transmission can't seem to find what gear it wants to be in, it wouldn't be so bad if you couldn't hear the rpm difference.

 

[Max Wedge]

That would be nice but they have to keep the MPG high.

What about mass production of the 1.8 liter AKA 1.75 that is in the 4C its peppy its small it would probably a great engine in the Dart especially if they added the manual or nine speed. It appears to do quite well with The DDC trans that its attached to in the 4C.

 

[Bodyguard]

I really dont think that transmission speeds are the problem. Hook any trans up to any 2.0 or 2.4 and it will still be a mediocre driving experience. The Tigersharks (World) are just not in the same class for NVH as almost any other engine in the competition. The engines sound like crap (the newer ones are quieter but they still sound BAD) when revved and that is where they make their power. I think all of the money spent on the Hellcat is an incredible waste of money and time.......a lot of money for a low production engine that could have been better spent on starting on a new 4. Like it or not, its fours that are the most important engines for the future. Hell, the new 3 cyl Ford EB is getting incredible reviews because of how smooth it is without balance shafts. The Fiesta ST with the EB 1.6 has almost 200hp and 202tq (91 octane). The Spark has a turbo engine as well...Everybody has more choices or better 4s (by better I mean NVH) than Chrysler does now.

Yes, yes, I know that the Hellcat is a "halo" engine for the Challenger to compete against the SVT 5.8 but with money so tight and about to get tighter as Fiat drains away money for its self, it was a poor choice.

 

[trumpet1234]

I'm not an insider; but does anyone know the reason Jatco was kicked away in favor of Hyundai's 6 speed? Jatco's is still in the Jeep line for the moment yet they also have added the 6 speed in other models. With the issues being largely software based, wouldn't it have been easier to have a larger team focus on the CVT since they've had years already messing with it? That new CVT8 in the altima can handle 280ftlb of torque; but I don't know how big it is. Generally those CVT boxes are pretty small. Couldn't one have just hedged some bets with the knowledge of the old world engine 2.4 turbo in the mean time until ducks were better in a row? I know the 2.4 was still being made as it still sits in the avenger and 200 and a few others.

Maybe it sounds dumb from an educated perspective, but that always confused me.

 

[Int]

What about mass production of the 1.8 liter AKA 1.75 that is in the 4C its peppy its small it would probably a great engine in the Dart especially if they added the manual or nine speed. It appears to do quite well with The DDC trans that its attached to in the 4C.

Yeah, that was mentioned. I guess the first question is if that can be done and the second question is if they'd want to do it. They want to keep Alfa special so I can't see them putting the same engine in a commodity car. Maybe the same block with more mundane attachments, if that's feasible.

 

[XRT2SRT]

By the time the Dart is reworked and refreshed and gets a 9 speed, will the Dart name be so tarnished that they will drop it like they did Sebring? I don't hate the Dart but the fact there have been so many enhancements yet there are are still so many mixed ad messages and "good but not great" reviews sure points to troubles. The 200 looks better placed at the outset than the Dart does 2 years into production.

I think DART will be fine by the time the refresh gets here. After all, Caliber was battered every corner it turned. At least DART is getting better than average reviews. Keep in mind guys that this is Moore's first compact sedan in almost a decade (since NEON's demise). I'd expect a much more competitive range in offering when refreshed...

 

[AutoTechnician]

I really dont think that transmission speeds are the problem.Hook any trans up to any 2.0 or 2.4 and it will still be a mediocre driving experience.

Not really. The Dart GT would be fine with ~210-220 HP, which is doable out of a 2.4L engine without being too crazy. The 184HP 2.4L Darts are pretty good, much better than the 2.0.

I think all of the money spent on the Hellcat is an incredible waste of money and time.......a lot of money for a low production engine that could have been better spent on starting on a new 4.

The Hellcat is likely to be the next-generation Hemi that's been rumored, especially considering it's going to be aluminum block. While the Hellcat itself will be a halo engine, it will likely lay the foundation for the "Gen IV Hemi" to be used throughout the corporation on Rams, Jeeps, Dodges and Chryslers. Much like GM's "Gen V LT1 6.2L" engine introduced with the C7 Corvette. The General followed up with 4.3L and 5.3L truck variants.

Efficient, modern V8s are probably just as, if not more important to Chrysler than 4-cylinder engines at the moment.