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Archives for January 8, 2013

Detroit Reveal: 2013 Dodge Dart GT

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2013 Dodge Dart GT
New: 2013 Dodge Dart GT

A new model is being added to the 2013 Dodge Dart line, the GT. Set for introduction at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, the Dart GT will slot in at the top of this compact sedans trim line followed by Limited, Aero, Rallye, SXT and SE editions. The Dodge Dart GT is priced from $20,995.

50th Anniversary Edition

The new model gets a Tigershark MultiAir2 2.4-liter in-line four cylinder engine. This engine makes 184 horsepower and 174 foot-pounds of torque, providing what Chrysler says is the right balance of power and fuel efficiency. Standard is a six-speed manual transmission, while a six-speed automatic transmission with autostick is available. The new Dodge Dart GT hits the market 50 years after the original Dart GT was introduced. This model erases the Dodge Dart R/T introduced earlier in the model year.

The Dart GT offers attributes not found in other trim levels or at least not offered as standard equipment. This vehicle sits on 18-inch aluminum wheels and provides a sport suspension with frequency sensing damping shocks. Body touches include black accents across the grille, around the headlamp bezels and on the door handles, racetrack LED tail lamps and a dual integrated exhaust system with bright exhaust tips. Fog lamps and power heated side mirrors are standard.

Extensive Cabin Amenities

Inside, the Dodge Dart GT is outfitted with Nappa perforated black leather trim and red stitching, heated front seats, a special steering wheel, dual zone climate control, remote start with the automatic transmission and a universal garage door opener. The Dart GT also features a reconfigurable instrument panel, a UConnect touchscreen telematics system, a rear backup camera, 10-way power driverss seats, a leather trimmed steering wheel with speed and audio controls, and power windows and power door locks.

Dodge is offering no less than 12 exterior colors for the Dart GT. Those colors include Winter Chill, Redline Red, Blue Streak and Maximum Steel, no extra cost color options for this five-passenger front-wheel drive sedan. Also available is a technology group, hyper-black aluminum wheels, a power sunroof, Garmin navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, high intensity discharge headlamps and an engine block heater. Buyers can also opt to upgrade to a 10-speaker, 506-watt Alpine Premium Sound System.

2013 Dodge Dart

Although the Dodge Dart GT does not offer a performance upgrade, it does signal that further expansion of the Dodge Dart model line is possible. Rumored to follow is an SRT edition, a model hearkening to the popular Dodge Neon SRT-4, a performance edition that raced from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. Clearly, there is room for such a model one of several performance auto trends that we’ve been seeing for the Dodge brand.

See Also — Fiat Chrysler Not Giving Up On the Dodge Brand

Photo courtesy of the Chrysler Group LLC.

List of Best Midsize Sedans for 2012

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Auto trends has reviewed 2012 sales data and surprising absolutely no one, the Toyota Camry remains the best-selling midsize sedan in America. It is also the best selling passenger car trailing only the Ford F-Series as the top selling model for 2012.

2013 Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is all-new for 2013.

Midsize Sedans

Vehicles in this segment typically are price from the low 20s, seat five, are front-wheel-drive, are powered by in-line four cylinder engines and offer six-speed automatic or continuously variable transmissions. A few models still offer V-6 engines, but those sales are generally under 10 percent of the model total.

Besides the Toyota Camry, several other midsize sedans were brisk sellers in 2012. Well take a look at the top five models here and examine a number of also rans for the calendar year.

1. Toyota Camry. Toyota Motors has recovered from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that slammed its Japanese distribution network. Sales in 2011 fell sharply although the Toyota Camry did manage to stay on top that year. For 2012, Camry and Camry Hybrid sales totaled 404,886 units for its best year since 2008. Thats a 31.2 percent increase over the previous year for this recently updated midsize sedan.

2. Honda Accord. American Honda also got slammed in 2011, feeling similar effects from the earthquake and tsunami. Its Honda Accord sales fell, but then rebounded by 40.8 percent in 2012 on 331,872 units sold. Credit a new design for doing its part to help move the Honda Accord. This midsize sedan may not be as stylish as the Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion or the Nissan Altima, but it offers similar reliability and long-term value as found in the Toyota Camry.

See Also — Highlights of the 2019 New York International Auto Show

3. Nissan Altima. If any midsize sedan eventually supplants the Toyota Camry, the Nissan Altima may do it. For 2012, sales were up by 12.6 percent as 302,934 units were sold. For 2013, the Nissan Altima is all-new, delivering a more pleasing style and a segment-leading 38 mpg on the highway. Like the Honda Accord, the Altima is available as a coupe too.

4. Ford Fusion. Sales of the Ford Fusion fell by 2.7 percent on 241,263 vehicles sold. That drop comes even though the 2013 Ford Fusion is an all-new model. Expect Ford to see Fusion sales increase this year as it ramps up production at a newly expanded manufacturing plant.

5. Hyundai Sonata. While Fusion sales dipped slightly, Hyundai Sonata sales increased by two percent, narrowing the gap between these midsize sedans to just over 10,000 units. Hyundai sold 230,605 copies of a vehicle that was radically redesigned for the 2011 model year. Like the Fusion and Camry, a Sonata Hybrid model is also available.

Also Rans

Missing from this list is the Chevrolet Malibu, a midsize sedan that has struggled to find its place in a crowded and highly competitive segment. Over the past two years, Chevrolet has managed to sell just over 200,000 copies annually, but that number is below the combined sales of the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200, midsize models that are essentially the same under the skin.

Other worthy and strong contenders in this segment include the Volkswagen Passat, Kia Optima and later this year the 2014 Mazda Mazda6. Midsize sedans that do not sell quite as well, but are still important players include the Subaru Legacy and the Buick Regal.

See Also — List of Best Minivans for 2012