By now, you’ve seen the 2013 Dodge Dart in its entirety, and heard most the backstory of its Alfa Romeo/Fiat roots. It’s also likely apparent the car blows its predecessor — the Caliber — away in terms of design and interior appointments. But how exactly does the Dart stack up against the Caliber in terms of dimensions? We have the answer for you below.
| SPEC | 2012 Dart | 2011 Caliber |
|---|---|---|
| WB (in) | 106.4 | 103.7 |
| Length (in) | 183.9 | 173.8 |
| Width (in) | 72 | 68.8 |
| Height (in) | 57.7 | 60.4 |
| Track, FR | 61.7 | 59.8 |
| Track, RR | 61.6 | 59.8 |
| Curb Weight(lbs) | 3173-3297 | 2940-3012 |
| EPA pass vol. (cu ft) | 97.2 | |
| Headroom, Front (in) | 38.6 | 39.8 |
| Legroom, Front (in) | 42.2 | 41.8 |
| Shoulder room, Front (in) | 58.2 | 55.4 |
| Hiproom, Front (in) | 54.8 | 52.2 |
| Headroom, Rear (in) | 37 | 38.9 |
| Legroom, Rear (in) | 35.3 | 35.7 |
| Shoulder room, Rear (in) | 56.1 | 53.4 |
| Hiproom, Rear (in) | 52.6 | 49.6 |
| Trunk volume (cu. ft) | 13.1 | 18.4 (hatch) |
Barring the taller stature and additional cargo volume — both gleaned by nature of the Caliber’s hatchback form — the 2013 Dart is bigger than its forebears. The longer wheelbase and wider track pay dividends inside, where passengers will benefit from a sizable increase in legroom, shoulder room, and hip room. Rear seat passengers will see the biggest increase, and also gain a whole inch of knee clearance — enough so that even a 6-foot-tall frame should have no problem fitting in the rear seat.
How about the remainder of the C-segment class? Here’s a quick rundown.
| SPEC | 2012 Dart | 2012 Focus | 2012 Cruze | 2012 Jetta | 2012 Elantra | 2012 Forte | 2012 Civic | 2012 Corolla | 2012 Mazda3 | 2012 Impreza |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase (in) | 106.4 | 104.3 | 105.7 | 104.4 | 106.3 | 104.3 | 105.1 | 102.4 | 103.9 | 104.1 |
| Length (in) | 183.9 | 178.5 | 181 | 182.2 | 178.3 | 178.3 | 177.3 | 180 | 180.9 | 180.3 |
| Width (in) | 72 | 71.8 | 70.7 | 70 | 69.9 | 69.9 | 69 | 69.4 | 69.1 | 68.5 |
| Height (in) | 57.7 | 57.7 | 58.1 | 57.2 | 56.5 | 57.5 | 56.5 | 57.7 | 57.9 | 57.7 |
| Track, FR | 61.7 | 61.2 | 60.7 | 60.7 | 61.5 | 61.3 | 59 | 60.2 | 60.4 | 59.4 |
| Track, RR | 61.6 | 60.4 | 61.3 | 60.6 | 61 | 61.6 | 59.9 | 60.4 | 59.8 | 59.6 |
| Curb Weight(lbs) | 3173-3297 | 2907-2935 | 3093-3102 | 2804-2881 | 2661-2877 | 2729-2898 | 2608-2795 | 2734-2800 | 2896-3104 | 2910-3053 |
| EPA pass vol. (cu ft) | 97.2 | 91 | 95 | 94.1 | 95.6 | 96.8 | 94.6 | 92.1 | 94.1 | 96.9 |
| Headroom, Front (in) | 38.6 | 38.3 | 39.3 | 38.2 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 38.8 | 38.9 | 39.8 |
| Legroom, Front (in) | 42.2 | 43.7 | 42.3 | 41.2 | 43.6 | 43.3 | 42 | 41.7 | 42 | 43.5 |
| Shoulder room, Front (in) | 58.2 | 55.6 | 54.7 | 55.2 | 55.9 | 55.7 | 56.6 | 54.8 | 54.9 | 55.6 |
| Hiproom, Front (in) | 54.8 | 53.9 | 53 | n/a | 53.5 | 53 | 50.5 | 53 | 53.7 | 52.2 |
| Headroom, Rear (in) | 37 | 38 | 37.9 | 37.1 | 37.1 | 37.6 | 37.1 | 37.2 | 37.5 | 37.1 |
| Legroom, Rear (in) | 35.3 | 33.2 | 35.4 | 38.1 | 33.1 | 35 | 36.2 | 36.3 | 36.2 | 35.4 |
| Shoulder room, Rear (in) | 56.1 | 53.7 | 53.9 | 53.6 | 54.8 | 54.7 | 53.3 | 54.8 | 54 | 54.2 |
| Hiproom, Rear (in) | 52.6 | 52.7 | 52.4 | n/a | 52.7 | 53 | 51.4 | 43.9 | 52.2 | 53.1 |
| Trunk volume (cu. ft) | 13.1 | 13.2 | 15.4 | 15.5 | 14.8 | 14.7 | 12.5 | 12.3 | 11.8 | 12 |
Other important numbers we picked up during the conference:
-$15,995: base MSRP for an entry-level Dart SE, likely with the 2.0-liter Tigershark I-4 and a six-speed manual transmission.
-41 mpg: officials are saying early tests show the car is capable of returning nearly 41 mpg combined, although those figures are unadjusted per the EPA standard. Expect this figure to drop slightly, although we wouldn’t be surprised if the Dart can manage to muster close to 40 mpg on the highway.
-14,12,6,5: no, these aren’t the numbers from Lost, but the ways buyers can potentially modify their Dart. Dodge is offering 14 different interior color and trim combinations, 12 exterior colors, 6 wheel designs, and five different models. Predictably, the Rallye and R/T look the sportiest.
For more on the 2013 Dodge Dart, check out our First Look story here. For more on the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, including videos, the latest photos, and more information, click here to visit our Detroit Show homepage.
