The 2013 Dodge Dart Limited - Off The Mark

This Dart needs a bit more bite

We’d be lying if we said the 2013 Dodge Dart Limited was anything other than highly anticipated. It wasn’t just the feeling that the Dart was an important car for Dodge – a replacement for the Neon that also needed to erase bad memories of the Caliber. No, we also expected the compact sedan to live up to the potential of its taut Alfa Romeo Giulietta underpinnings.

The 2013 Dodge Dart Limited front

Three months and 4,290 miles into ownership, we’re comfortable enough with the car to pass early judgment. The most common sentiment shared by the editors is that Dodge played the Dart too conservatively. Styling is pleasant, if decidedly non-revolutionary, and the car’s chassis – a place where that Alfa heritage should really shine – has been disappointingly detuned for America’s roads.

The leather interior, LED tail lamps, giant center console-mounted touchscreen and more

Once one masters the pedals (one editor called poor clutch positioning “infuriating”; another found the brake-gas combo hindered any attempt at heel-and-toe action). It’s possible to wring some spirit out of the Dart’s 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Tiger Shark engine – that is, provided you’re not afraid to keep it revved, stick to lower gears and put up with significant turbo lag.

Still, rowing through the six-speed manual transmission to keep the Dart’s engine in its sweet spot can be a rewarding experience, though it takes some time in the driver’s seat to get the hang of it. A quick spin at the dealership will sell this car short.

The 2013 Dodge Dart Limited side

Fortunately for the Dart, its EPA-estimated combined 32-mpg fuel economy and relatively low coast of entry seem to be enough to pique the interest of potential buyers.

That’s not to say that drivers will actually see that fuel economy. We pulled just 24.9mpg in the first quarter, but we certainly didn’t treat the gas pedal gingerly. Still, the leather interior, LED tail lamps, giant center console-mounted touchscreen and more, all for less than $25,000, make the car feel like an acceptable value.

Rowing through the six-speed manual transmission to keep the Dart’s engine in its sweet spot can be a rewarding experience

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 performance winter tires ($770.40 installed) were the only nonfuel costs we’ve incurred so far, thanks to the Dart’s lengthy, 10,000-mile service interval. The tires proved to be a good investment on the messy, snowy roads of metro Detroit.

The Dart faithfully saw us through the gloom of a Michigan winter and a wet spring, neither thrilling us nor giving us too much cause for complaint. As spring finally turns to summer, we’re curious to see what the Cart can do to even further shape our opinion.