Not that long ago Dodge updated their Dart in an effort to make the car sell well again. However, the US market is definitely moving to larger SUVs and crossovers which is also the main reason why the sales of the Dart slumped. Rumors say that the car is going to be discontinued but not all hope is lost. In fact, the 2018 Dodge Dart has been announced to be a car built in cooperation with a large manufacturer. The unfortunate part is that Dodge hasn’t said a word about this partner and at this point, it still is unclear if the car will ever be released.
Despite that, we still think that there is a market for the upcoming Dart and even though it might not sell as many cars as a crossover, it would still be good. Our best bet would go on a European manufacturer for the new Dart but at this point, it still is unclear which manufacturer is going to build it. Our bet would go on Renault mainly because the FCA group builds cars in Turkey at the same factory. This would make a good start for the upcoming Dart but at this point, there aren’t all that many details, if any.
2018 DODGE DART PRICE
We do know for sure that Dodge is likely going to do their best in order to create a cheaper model. Some even suggested that the future 2018 Dodge Dart was going to cost less than $14,000 for a base model which would make it one of the cheapest cars in America. On top of that, it would easily be able to become one of the better selling models thanks to its very low price.
DESIGN: EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR
The size, as well as the design of the upcoming car, are certainly going to change. Unlike the current trend of making everything bigger, the new Dodge Dart 2018 might actually be smaller or of a similar size. This would still allow for up to five passengers and a good amount of luggage and it would allow them to make it lighter and cheaper as well. A target weight of around 2.300 pounds could be set, basically giving it the possibility of having really low power engines.
At this price the interior quality would usually have to suffer but considering it will be built by another manufacturer, this might not be true. Instead, Dodge could focus on developing a great interior with better materials than before. They would still have to make pretty much everything an option but the low price would make the Dart not only a great fleet car but also a great commuter.
ENGINE
To make things more interesting, the 2018 Dodge Dart would have to be very efficient in order to make any sense. To do that, it will likely get small engines designed specifically for it or even borrowed from other manufacturers. Our best bet would go on a small 1.2 liter turbocharged inline 4 petrol engine. This Renault-built mill would be able to provide 120 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque which is certainly less than before. However, the small engine coupled with the low weight would make it similar in terms of power to weight, so it should be just as capable as before. A manual is expected to be offered as standard while a six-speed automatic could be an option.
There is no word about a hot SRT model but considering it has been missing from the market for a really long time, it would make perfect sense to release one. This would likely feature a 2 liter turbocharged mill with over 200 horsepower. The engine would allow the featherweight Dart to feel faster than pretty much any other car in its class without hurting fuel efficiency.
2014 Dodge Dart – Review and Road Test