Topic: Test Drive: 2016 Dodge Dart Blacktop

[Autos_Editor]

It's good-looking and fun, but the honeymoon is over.
Read More...

[ChaosphereIX]

shame, I liked the Dart I drove with the manual and the turbo...

...but it is a Dodge. That brand had lost all credibility for anything other than muscle cars or trucks since the late 90s.

Replace it with an Abarth or a bottom-rung Alfa Romeo, and watch the sales climb again. Focus on driving dynamics, aim to beat the Mazda3, and you have a winner in the entusiast mind, and make it stylish and slick, and you have a good WAF as well.

Come on Sergio, make a good call here.

[Thinking Out Loud]

The Dart could wind up a zombie product like the Patriot and Compass - 'cancelled' until the price point makes it a decent deal for a passable automobile.  I know twoscoops said that about the Patriot based on the cash on the hood (not the MSRP).

If you compare it to the pricing for the 200, as I recall overlapped and the 200 was often the better 'deal' on the floor.  Kinda self defeating from a product placement. 

One engine, auto tranny, AC, Uconnect, choice of white/grey/black for $16,999 and they will all find a home.

[Weels]

Agree with the article that the Dart deserved better. When it first came out, and to this day I think it is the best looking compact out there, and I really like the laser blue on this one.
Nothing has been done with the Dart since it debuted in 2013... I recall the manual version I drove a couple years ago with its ridiculously high clutch engagement and touchy throttle... it was not much fun to drive.  Obviously the lousy clutch & shifter are still present.

[SKYMTL]

The Dart could wind up a zombie product like the Patriot and Compass - 'cancelled' until the price point makes it a decent deal for a passable automobile.  I know twoscoops said that about the Patriot based on the cash on the hood (not the MSRP).

If you compare it to the pricing for the 200, as I recall overlapped and the 200 was often the better 'deal' on the floor.  Kinda self defeating from a product placement. 

One engine, auto tranny, AC, Uconnect, choice of white/grey/black for $16,999 and they will all find a home.

Its already a zombie product along with the Chrysler 200 since the discontinuation notice has already gone out.   Dodge / Chrysler is repeating their pre-meltdown / bailout idiocy by once again hedging their bets on lower gas prices fueling sales of larger vehicles.  We all know how that will turn out over the long run....

[Threader]

"Sirius Radio $2,855"  At that price it better have a lifetime membership. shesh 

[aquadorhj]

i think it's kinda ..non-descript looking, inoffensive.. ultimately forgettable.

The Dart could wind up a zombie product like the Patriot and Compass - 'cancelled' until the price point makes it a decent deal for a passable automobile.  I know twoscoops said that about the Patriot based on the cash on the hood (not the MSRP).

If you compare it to the pricing for the 200, as I recall overlapped and the 200 was often the better 'deal' on the floor.  Kinda self defeating from a product placement. 

One engine, auto tranny, AC, Uconnect, choice of white/grey/black for $16,999 and they will all find a home.

Its already a zombie product along with the Chrysler 200 since the discontinuation notice has already gone out.   Dodge / Chrysler is repeating their pre-meltdown / bailout idiocy by once again hedging their bets on lower gas prices fueling sales of larger vehicles.  We all know how that will turn out over the long run....

i agree, there's a dodge/ram/chrysler dealer  few blocks from my place.  everytime i drive by, i shake my head, looking at million Ram trucks on the parking lot, but barely anything else worth looking at.

yeah, they do pretty good trucks, but seriously?  nothing else on the lot?   apparently there's a back lot where other stuffs are, but front is all trucks and ...not everyone wants trucks.

[SKYMTL]

i think it's kinda ..non-descript looking, inoffensive.. ultimately forgettable.

The Dart could wind up a zombie product like the Patriot and Compass - 'cancelled' until the price point makes it a decent deal for a passable automobile.  I know twoscoops said that about the Patriot based on the cash on the hood (not the MSRP).

If you compare it to the pricing for the 200, as I recall overlapped and the 200 was often the better 'deal' on the floor.  Kinda self defeating from a product placement. 

One engine, auto tranny, AC, Uconnect, choice of white/grey/black for $16,999 and they will all find a home.

Its already a zombie product along with the Chrysler 200 since the discontinuation notice has already gone out.   Dodge / Chrysler is repeating their pre-meltdown / bailout idiocy by once again hedging their bets on lower gas prices fueling sales of larger vehicles.  We all know how that will turn out over the long run....

i agree, there's a dodge/ram/chrysler dealer  few blocks from my place.  everytime i drive by, i shake my head, looking at million Ram trucks on the parking lot, but barely anything else worth looking at.

yeah, they do pretty good trucks, but seriously?  nothing else on the lot?   apparently there's a back lot where other stuffs are, but front is all trucks and ...not everyone wants trucks.

With the Dart and 200 (which I still think is a great car) on their way out the door, they're left with a bare three offerings on the Chrysler front (Pacifica, T&C and 300) and a bunch of chest-thumping Americana on the Dodge side. 

I personally think they're segmenting themselves too much.  Honestly, would  you buy a base Charger ($36K) over a fully equipped Mazda 6 GT or Accord Touring V6?  I'd love to see that comparo.... 

It seems like on the car side, this company is focusing on limited production halo cars rather than the mass market. 

[mixmanmash]

i think it's kinda ..non-descript looking, inoffensive.. ultimately forgettable.

The Dart could wind up a zombie product like the Patriot and Compass - 'cancelled' until the price point makes it a decent deal for a passable automobile.  I know twoscoops said that about the Patriot based on the cash on the hood (not the MSRP).

If you compare it to the pricing for the 200, as I recall overlapped and the 200 was often the better 'deal' on the floor.  Kinda self defeating from a product placement. 

One engine, auto tranny, AC, Uconnect, choice of white/grey/black for $16,999 and they will all find a home.

Its already a zombie product along with the Chrysler 200 since the discontinuation notice has already gone out.   Dodge / Chrysler is repeating their pre-meltdown / bailout idiocy by once again hedging their bets on lower gas prices fueling sales of larger vehicles.  We all know how that will turn out over the long run....

i agree, there's a dodge/ram/chrysler dealer  few blocks from my place.  everytime i drive by, i shake my head, looking at million Ram trucks on the parking lot, but barely anything else worth looking at.

yeah, they do pretty good trucks, but seriously?  nothing else on the lot?   apparently there's a back lot where other stuffs are, but front is all trucks and ...not everyone wants trucks.

But in Alberta, a majority do...

[SKYMTL]

i think it's kinda ..non-descript looking, inoffensive.. ultimately forgettable.

The Dart could wind up a zombie product like the Patriot and Compass - 'cancelled' until the price point makes it a decent deal for a passable automobile.  I know twoscoops said that about the Patriot based on the cash on the hood (not the MSRP).

If you compare it to the pricing for the 200, as I recall overlapped and the 200 was often the better 'deal' on the floor.  Kinda self defeating from a product placement. 

One engine, auto tranny, AC, Uconnect, choice of white/grey/black for $16,999 and they will all find a home.

Its already a zombie product along with the Chrysler 200 since the discontinuation notice has already gone out.   Dodge / Chrysler is repeating their pre-meltdown / bailout idiocy by once again hedging their bets on lower gas prices fueling sales of larger vehicles.  We all know how that will turn out over the long run....

i agree, there's a dodge/ram/chrysler dealer  few blocks from my place.  everytime i drive by, i shake my head, looking at million Ram trucks on the parking lot, but barely anything else worth looking at.

yeah, they do pretty good trucks, but seriously?  nothing else on the lot?   apparently there's a back lot where other stuffs are, but front is all trucks and ...not everyone wants trucks.

But in Alberta, a majority do...

Check out Auto Trader for Alberta.  Seems they all WANT those $60K trucks but they sure has heck can't afford them anymore. 

[Noto]

The Blacktop Package is actually marketed as a distinct model on Dodge’s Canadian web site, but essentially it’s based on the SXT and adds most of the features of the Ralleye Appearance Group (which includes fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, blackout grille, dual exhaust and the previously-mentioned rear stabilizer bar and touring suspension), plus gloss-black mirrors and gloss-black 18-inch alloy wheels. Adding to these exterior goodies, my test car had the $835 Mopar Dual Exhaust Package which includes a rear air diffuser, front chin spoiler and black side sills.

...umm, the top is blue, like the rest of the car.  I fail to see any black on top. 

Back to strengths, the Dart also has absolutely the most rip-roaringly snorty engine note of any compact sedan. Tromp on the accelerator and the 184 hp, 175 lb-ft Tigershark 2.4L four-cylinder engine fitted to most models pulls plenty hard through the revs with a raspy exhaust note full of Italian gioia e fiuto, dispatching the 0-100 km/h run in a quick 8.5 seconds.

Mazda 3 2.0L does it in 7.5s  (all times according to C&D; to be fair, C&D tested the 2.4L Dart at 8.2s)
Civic 1.5T does it in 6.8s
Focus 2.0L does it in 7.9s
Jetta 1.4T does it in 8.4s
Forte 1.6T does it in 6.4s (didn't realize it was that quick ) - the 2.0L does it in 7.4s
Cruze does it in 8.0s
Impreza 2.slow does it in 8.6s

For the gas guzzling of 11.5L/100km, the 'performance' fails to impress me.  While I'm sure it snorts, I quite like the Jetta's 1.4T as an incredible base engine in terms of power, refinement, and fuel economy (I've yet to drive the Civic's 1.5T).

[Ontariodriver]

It's curtains for this Dart anyways......No cares for these cars.....Fiat is pulling the plug.......

[JRM]

My first new car was a '68 Dart in a blue color similar to this test car.  It was inexpensive with a 50,0000 mile warranty, the 1st in the day, and they sold piles of them.  This one, however, is sooo much better in every respect.  Yet it's not selling.  There are many factors that contribute to this, one being poor marketing, another, price.  And it's a fiercely competitive and saturated compact market, where good is simply not good enough.

[SKYMTL]

The Blacktop Package is actually marketed as a distinct model on Dodge’s Canadian web site, but essentially it’s based on the SXT and adds most of the features of the Ralleye Appearance Group (which includes fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, blackout grille, dual exhaust and the previously-mentioned rear stabilizer bar and touring suspension), plus gloss-black mirrors and gloss-black 18-inch alloy wheels. Adding to these exterior goodies, my test car had the $835 Mopar Dual Exhaust Package which includes a rear air diffuser, front chin spoiler and black side sills.

...umm, the top is blue, like the rest of the car.  I fail to see any black on top. 

Back to strengths, the Dart also has absolutely the most rip-roaringly snorty engine note of any compact sedan. Tromp on the accelerator and the 184 hp, 175 lb-ft Tigershark 2.4L four-cylinder engine fitted to most models pulls plenty hard through the revs with a raspy exhaust note full of Italian gioia e fiuto, dispatching the 0-100 km/h run in a quick 8.5 seconds.

Mazda 3 2.0L does it in 7.5s  (all times according to C&D; to be fair, C&D tested the 2.4L Dart at 8.2s)
Civic 1.5T does it in 6.8s
Focus 2.0L does it in 7.9s
Jetta 1.4T does it in 8.4s
Forte 1.6T does it in 6.4s (didn't realize it was that quick ) - the 2.0L does it in 7.4s
Cruze does it in 8.0s
Impreza 2.slow does it in 8.6s

For the gas guzzling of 11.5L/100km, the 'performance' fails to impress me.  While I'm sure it snorts, I quite like the Jetta's 1.4T as an incredible base engine in terms of power, refinement, and fuel economy (I've yet to drive the Civic's 1.5T).

One more to add:  Mazda 3 2.3L = 6.6s. 

[SailFastSimon]

"Sirius Radio $2,855"  At that price it better have a lifetime membership. shesh 

Not sure what happened there - it was supposed to read "$350". $2,855 is the total cost of the options! I'll get that fixed.

[theonlydt]

Given all of the well documented sales woes with the Dart and 200 I went on their website to try and find a "deal". Both cars have sweetspots in the range, especially the 200.

The first problem as noted by the reviewer is the confused and frankly awful website.

The second problem is that $2500 on the hood of a $35k 200 is not enough to shift 9 months worth of inventory. (AWD with the V6 in that awesome blue with the black wheels).

They need to be giving $5000-$6500 on the hood to get those to sell.

Same with the Dart.

[Noto]

Given all of the well documented sales woes with the Dart and 200 I went on their website to try and find a "deal". Both cars have sweetspots in the range, especially the 200.

The first problem as noted by the reviewer is the confused and frankly awful website.

The second problem is that $2500 on the hood of a $35k 200 is not enough to shift 9 months worth of inventory. (AWD with the V6 in that awesome blue with the black wheels).

They need to be giving $15,000-$16,500 on the hood to get those to sell.

Same with the Dart.

^^fixed

[ArticSteve]

The Dart was DOA the day it was released.  A manufacturing clusterF.

[OliverD]

Dodge / Chrysler is repeating their pre-meltdown / bailout idiocy by once again hedging their bets on lower gas prices fueling sales of larger vehicles.  We all know how that will turn out over the long run....

That's not really true. They're concentrating on smaller crossovers like the Renegade, 500X, Compass/Patriot replacement...

[tooscoops]

yeah... fca sells a lot of different cars from one dealer body... i feel that it would be best to keep some cars so we can at least offer things for most people, but now we have nothing for compacts, midsized, hatches or wagons.... missing out on some great positioning there.

but as others have noted, fca is strongly focusing on jeep and ram. dodge has a few things keeping the love in 'merica strong, but chrysler really hasn't won people over with their offerings.

shame that the dart has failed as it has, because i agree it can be a great little rig when properly equipped. pricing is not great, but the biggest issue was optioning. just impossible to figure out. while customers say they like choices, they don't really... the buying public need to have their choices limited to the key things and leave it at that... stop the goofy add-on packages and a la carte options.