2013 Dodge Dart long-term update: A small car for the rest of us

As a larger guy—6’2” and comfortably north of 200 lbs.—the notion of small cars yet comfortable cars felt forever out of reach. I wedge into Japanese subcompact cars, reflexively slamming the driver’s seat all the way back and keeping my elbows tight. So thank you, Dodge, for the Dart’s generous interior dimensions and the plush, and wide front seats. Hips and shoulders fit with ease and I don’t fight my passenger for elbow space on the armrest. No need to worry about small car safety either; the Dart scored top marks in the IIHS crash tests, only eight out of 37 small cars tested can claim this, and the ever popular Corolla and Golf are not among them.

As my daily driver for the past month I’ve found the Dart’s mid-sized deception goes beyond interior space. There is something reassuringly solid about this car. The door shuts with a resounding thud matching my last BMW, sound insulation is superb at highway speed, and the huge 8.4-inch navigation screen is the same size found in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Other subcompacts have shrunken steering wheels (*cough* Corolla), but I love the Dart’s thick and sporty grip.