driving was a well-equipped Limited model with an as-tested price of $23,275. It sported the optional 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo four, producing 160 horsepower but spinning off 184-pound-feet of torque, mated to the six-speed manual. (This is essentially the same engine found in the Fiat 500 Abarth, with 14 more pound-feet of torque available on the Dart.)

The six-speed dual dry-clutch automated manual transmission is promised in the third quarter. This transmission will offer the advantage of automatic gear selection (no clutch pedal) with the efficiency of a manual transmission, as it lacks the torque converter found in a conventional automatic transmission.

On the winding roads of the hill country outside Austin, the Turbo/six-speed manual combination was simply a joy to drive. The linkage of the shifter for the six-speed manual was almost Honda-like, the quality benchmark for manual transmission applications.

What impressed me most was the quiet in the cabin. With its liberal use of sound deadening materials, a front exhaust system, tight sealing around the windows, and the application of acoustic glass for the deeply raked windshield, the Dart gave me the impression I was behind the wheel of a far more expensive car.

(Chrysler had no competitive vehicles available for our wave of journalists, but the next day I drove the more expensive Buick Verano. I can say that the Dart was as quiet as the Buick, which is acknowledged as one of the quietest cars in the compact car class. It is a completely re-engineered version of the Chevy Cruze, which itself is one of the quietest, best-built cars in its class.)

Thanks to the Giulietta DNA, handling on the 2013 Dart is at the top of the class: firm and sporty without being harsh, an almost perfect compromise. Accomplishing this is often easier said than done. Dodge engineers have apparently found the ideal combination for U.S. drivers, especially for a car so small and aimed at so broad an audience. (The R/T model, expected in the third quarter and not available for me to sample, will likely be biased a bit stiffer, for more sporting expectations.)

When using the passing lane on a few occasions, especially when kicking down to fourth and third gears, the Dart's responsiveness surprised me considering it had only 160 horses on tap. (Dodge representatives told us that in the six prior rounds of

Sidebar: 2013 Dodge Dart Engine Choices

No car in its class features as many engine and transmission combinations as the 2013 Dodge Dart. The combinations offered are:

• 1.4-liter inline-four, 160-horsepower, 184 lb.-ft., turbocharged and intercooled SOHC 16-valve, available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual dry-clutch automated manual transmission. (This engine is optional on all models except the R/T model.)
• 2.0-liter inline-four, 160-horsepower, 145 lb.-ft., normally aspirated DOHC 16-valve, available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. (With the six-speed manual, this engine is standard for the SE, SXT, Rallye, and Limited trim lines.)
• 2.4-liter inline-four, 184-horsepower, 171 lb.-ft., normally aspirated DOHC 16-valve, available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. (This engine is standard on the R/T model with the six-speed manual.)