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)
I would have picked the Caravan.
https://twitter.com/mgoss123/status/416600205669040128
I would love to test drive the Durango and I am going to a dealer near me after the New Year.
pick me pick me
I would go with the caravan.
I would choose the Caravan
I would try a Dodge Dart.
Would love the Dart as a new vehicle... if I could afford a new vehicle... not likely tho since i just lost my job.
The caravan. Gotta have plenty of room!
I'd choose the Durango definitely.
I'd test drive the durango.
https://twitter.com/boydbr/status/416653037864632320
The dart !(;
The Dodge Dart would be my pick!
Caravan. I'm desperate for a minivan!
I'd love to test drive the Dart.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/416674226603425792
If I had to choose between the three, the Caravan would be my pick, although I think the Dodge Journey would be more practical for my household.
I would enjoy the Dart. I love the sport look.
I would go for the Dart
A Durango! I have a Dodge Journey and I love it!
https://twitter.com/TrinketLove/status/416701720534601728
Definitely the Dodge Dart - I am really bad at piloting bigger cars, but I'd have no problem test driving the Dart.
I'm loving the Dart!
https://twitter.com/mbm218/status/416710032630112256
The Durango.
austma7@aol.com
I would love to drive the Dodge Dart!
https://twitter.com/ken88k/status/416727473234014208
Definitely the DART! There's just 2 of us now since the kids are grown and it looks like it has plenty of room for us!
After reading your review, I would like to drive the Dart
I would like to test drive the dart.
https://twitter.com/greenhome1/status/416742317186224129
a durango
Caravan - would love to compare it to the odyssey!!
tvollowitz at aol dot com
I would pick the Durango
I would love to test drive the Dodge Durango. We need a bit more room than the Dart. Looks like a great car though.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/PaminCamarillo/status/416766067466194944
Dodge dart.
I would love to own a Durango.. been saving some money for a new car..
The Dodge Dart is a nice car with some handy storage space.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
https://twitter.com/chestnutyouth/status/416866662923505665
I think I would choose the Dart because of the gas mileage.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/416889583872135168
I didn't know that Dodge still made the Dart. I drive a Honda Accord and storage space is definitely inferior to the Dart.
https://twitter.com/LyndiM/status/416904496615133184
i would test drive the dart
https://twitter.com/raggammuffin/status/416928713188446208
I'm real keen on the Journey. I've already driven my friend's Journey and like the way it feels to drive and the way it looks. it makes my day.
The Dodge Dart. I want to thank you for this awesome and Happy New Year :)
I would test drive the dodge dart.
dodge charger