With a Cheerleader in the Trunk and Some Change in My Pocket
If at first you can't make a decision, ask your kid.
"Alexis, should we test drive a Dodge Durango, a Caravan, or a Dart?" I asked.
She picked the Dart. She's a smart, smart girl.
But here's the problem -- after going to the Dodge dealership to test drive a car, so I could write this post for BlogHer and Dodge, now I want the car. Seriously. I WANT A DART IN OUR DRIVEWAY.
There are lots of reasons. Let's start with this one:
While the Dodge Dart is considered a compact car, it's the biggest compact car I've ever seen. The trunk alone has enough space for AT LEAST eight little cheerleaders. Possibly nine. You can try and tell me that there's no reason to stuff that many cheerleaders in a trunk, but have you seen how much stuff those cheerleaders carry around? There's plenty of space for pom-poms and posters and megaphones and all of the stuff Alexis tries to drag everywhere.
And then there's this:
That's the passenger side front seat. REALLY. It flips up for storage, and there's enough space there for my camera bag in there. Partner that with the glove box that was seriously big enough to hold my laptop, and suddenly the Dodge Dart is a compact car that is big enough to hide all of my favorite things.
As a matter of fact, yes, I am impressed by storage space. Always. I'm not used to seeing it in a car, so it's extra impressive in my head.
So. The test drive. I should probably tell you about that.
Both the husband and I took a turn driving the Dodge Dart. We didn't drive a special model or anything -- we actually drove one that we would consider buying because it gets 39 mpg but costs under $20,000. Yet, even with that gas mileage and price, we found it to be a very suitable car. It's certainly not the zippiest thing ever, but HELLO, GOOD GAS MILEAGE MATTERS MORE.
The dash and controls made sense and were legitimately nice, the cup holders were in the exact right place, and I was able to figure out the radio in no time at all thanks to the large (8.4") touchscreen right in the middle of the dash.
That touchscreen switches to a video display when the car is in reverse, by the way.
I have the same sort of thing in my current SUV, but this one was better. It's bigger and easier to see, with a guide overlay that makes it very easy to figure out if you are OK to back up another four inches or not. If you've never had a backup camera, let me just tell you that they are FANTASTIC in parking garages and when parallel parking.
I will never have a car that doesn't have one again. Ever.
I'm also one of those people who insists on a solid safety rating for a car. The Dodge Dart passes my test. It has ten airbags, blind spot monitoring, and all sorts of other things that helped it to earn a 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
And it's available in orange. Have I ever mentioned how much I love orange cars? Because I really, really do.
Alexis wants gray. She's boring.
The long and the short of it is that we will be looking for a compact car that gets crazy good gas mileage next year. We always have one of those around. We have kicked the Dodge Dart to the top of our list because it has the nicest interior I've ever seen in a car at this price range, because it has storage that goes on for days, and because I'm pretty sure Alexis will never forgive us if we don't buy one.
She was sold at the trunk, for what it's worth. She has talked about how cool that trunk is for days.
To celebrate the release of the Dodge Dart (it was new for 2013!), Dodge and BlogHer have teamed up to give you a chance to win a $100 Shell gas gift card. To win, all you have to do is tell me which car you would have picked if asked to test drive something -- a Caravan, a Dart, or a Durango.
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 12/10/13 - 12/31/13.
Be sure to visit the Dodge Brand Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Reader Comments (300)
-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/411697893561483264
The Dart. I am not sure I had even heard of it before reading this post!
I would most like to test drive the Dodge Dart because it is a compact car perfect for my family that gets up to 41mpg on the highway! It is also very stylish looking.
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/412009373376847872
I would choose the Caravan plenty of room for my family.
I'd test drive a caravan. I'm a minivan mom!
tweeted https://twitter.com/hzeh818/status/412386596667666432
Probably the Durango. I'm a sucker for a sunroof!
Out of the 3 you listed I'd try the Durango, but I really would like to try the Dodge Journey - perfect size for us.
The Dodge Dart
I would love to test drive the Durango
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/412837739478798337
amy [at] utry [dot] it
I think I'd test drive the one you're in. Sounds nice. :)
I definitely would have picked the Dart - that looks like fun to drive!
I would choose the Dodge Caravan.
I tweeted...
https://twitter.com/YamiYali/status/413826433094393856
I would choose the Caravan, I really want a vehicle where the kids can each bring a friend.
I don't care how much you make fun of me - I am a minivan girl.
I'd pick a Dodge Dart.
I would have picked the Durango. Thank you for the chance to win this!
lola_violets_2010{at}yahoo{dot}com
I tweeted:
https://twitter.com/lolaviolets2010/status/414305173758963712
lola_violets_2010{at}yahoo{dot}com
I'd like to take the Dodge Dart out for a test drive. I like the smaller size.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/414591921688817664
The Dodge Avenger
https://twitter.com/myfolly/status/414637165427965952
I would pick the Durango
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/414993784049397761
I would test drive the Dart!
I'd pick the Dart because I love the gas mileage!
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/416004129886990336
Probably the Dart, just because hubby drives our old van (and we already have a big family vehicle aside from that) and I am sure he would like to move into something smaller. Then we could use the old van to teach the teenagers how to drive LOL.
I would LOVE to test drive the Durango! Ever since they have come out restyled I have fallen in love...we've had to downgrade from our jeep grand Cherokee to a Honda Accord and I totally miss our SUV
ive always loved the Durango
I dont know how to copy the URL from my phone but it has been sent in a tweet under the s/n steelcitydiva
I'd love to drive a smaller car (the Dart looks awesome!), but because I tote around 4 kids (and they don't stow away as easily as a camera bag), I'd go with the Caravan.
I would choose the Dart - I don't need anything very big, and 39 mpg is awesome!
https://twitter.com/kj20082006/status/416384756280872962
I am a mini van mom
I would go with the dart!!
Tweet!! https://twitter.com/mya98604/status/416493820990087168
I'd pick the Durango. I have one now but it is almost 16 years old.
https://twitter.com/smilekisses/status/416501341377142784
I would pick a durango because they have alot of storage space.
I would choose the Durango because of the space!!
I would chose the Dodge Dart.
I would like to test drive a Durango. I've always liked the looks of those.
the Dart looks just right
I would pick the Durango.
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/BethRossi5/status/416577085847506945
I would have chosen the Dodge Dart!
Durango!