The Chrysler Group has announced the official EPA fuel
economy figures for some versions of the 2013 Dodge Dart and with those models
arriving this summer, Dodge has a new compact sedan that offers some of the
best fuel economy figures in the class. The 2013 Dodge Dart when powered by the 1.4L turbocharged MultiAir Fiat
engine and a 6-speed manual transmission offers an incredible 39 miles per
gallon on the highway.This figure makes
the new Dart more fuel efficient than the Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla and the
Chevrolet Cruze with a manual transmission.
The 2013 Dodge Dart will hit showrooms this summer with the
SE, SXT, Rallye and Limited trimlines. Those four trimlines are all powered by
the standard 2.0L Tigershark engine which offers 160 horsepower and 148lb-ft of
torque.This engine offers 25mpg around
town, 36mpg on the highway and a combined average of 29 miles per gallon.These are good figures for the C segment
sedan class but those 2013 Dart buyers who want more power and better fuel
economy can opt for the 1.4L MultiAir turbo engine.
The 1.4L MultiAir engine is available in the 2013 Dodge Dart
SXT, Rallye and Limited with 160 horsepower and a class-leading 184lb-ft of
torque.More importantly, this diminutive
engine offers 27mpg in the city and 29mpg combined but the big news is that
this engine – when mated to the 6-speed manual transmission – yields 39 miles
per gallon.This is more efficient than
almost every C segment compact with a manual transmission shy of the Hyundai
Elantra.The good news is that Chrysler
has promised an Aero trimline in the 3rd quarter of 2012 that will
offer better than 41 miles per gallon.
That would make the 2013 Dodge Dart the most efficient
non-hybrid car in the class while also being the most powerful.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
The Chrysler Group has announced the official EPA fuel