Jump LinksDodge's Hot Hatch's Engine Lets The Side DownThe Vehicle's Automatic Transmission Has Proven ProblematicThe hot hatch has never found as much favor in the United States as it has in Europe, primarily because hatchback-style cars haven't traditionally been as popular with American drivers. Buyers tend to prefer a muscle car, sports sedan, or sporty SUV. However, the Toyota GR Corolla and the Volkswagen Golf GTI show that there's still some interest in this segment.During the 2010s, Dodge made an attempt at a spicy hot hatch, though it actually took the shape of a compact sedan instead. While this may seem like a contradiction, the Dart GT came with a hatch-styled liftback, making it a hot hatch in our book. Poor sales meant the car only lasted a couple of years, but it was surprisingly effective as a pocket rocket.This piece explores the technical specs and used value of the 2014-2016 Dodge Dart GT. We also investigate the rumored SRT4 version of the vehicle, which was ultimately scrapped before production. The Dart GT Had Great Potential DodgeDodge struggled to make its Caliber compact hatchback work in the US because, at least in part, the hatchback body style was not very popular with American buyers. To overcome this setback, the brand needed a new compact car with a flowing sedan body style, and it revived the Dart nameplate. The model retained a hatchback-styled liftback panel to maintain the extra practicality the design offered over a sedan trunk lid. The model went on sale for the 2013 model year.While it was initially available across a range of lower-end trim levels, Dodge unveiled a sporty GT version for the 2014 model year. With the marque able to utilize the same underpinnings as the nicely-balanced Alfa Romeo Giulietta from Europe, which were combined with racier exterior and interior styling, hopes were high.The MacPherson strut front suspension and rear multilink setup, again taken from the Alfa, ensured the car suffered from very little body roll. It also provided great confidence, with the car gamely following the driver's requests, an element further assisted by the reassuringly heavy steering. The ride was harsher than you may like, but the Dart GT's engaging handling largely made the tradeoff worthwhile. The brakes were also effective, making this $21,000 machine a right hoot for the money.Choose the six-speed manual transmission, and this only heightened the level of involvement in the Dart's driving experience. Sadly, the good handling was let down by the engine Dodge chose for the car. Dodge's Hot Hatch's Engine Lets The Side Down Dodge The Dart GT used a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four that sent 184 horsepower to the front wheels. Buyers could select a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. The car took 8.7 seconds to reach 60 mph, which wasn't particularly hot, even at the time. If the powerplant had offered efficiency alongside its rather average power figures, buyers might have forgiven it. However, the engine couldn't even do that. You were lucky to achieve 27 miles per gallon on average, which was pretty poor given the muted outright pace it was capable of. Alfa's Excellent TBi Powerplant Could Have Saved The Day Alfa RomeoSince the Dart was based on the same platform as the Giulietta, it could have used the same engine lineup. Indeed, the Aero trim used the same zippy 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir engine as in lower-end Giulietta models overseas, so it was far from unheard of at the time. That's why it's all the more disappointing that Dodge didn't make use of the 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found in range-topping variants of Alfa's compact hatchback.Despite being considerably smaller than the 2.4-liter unit found in the Dart GT, it produced a commanding 237 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque, which were numbers a galaxy away from what the Dart's powertrain could achieve. Plus, it produced these impressive figures while also being more fuel efficient than the 2.4-liter engine, which only rubs salt in the wound.The now-deceased Giulietta featuring the powerplant could rush to 60 mph in under 7.0 seconds, a performance the Dart GT could easily have matched had it been offered with the unit. Ultimately, it was likely that the high cost was the main reason the TBi wasn't used, which is one of the drawbacks of cars like the Dart GT being aimed at the lower end of the market. The Dart GT Is At Least Cheap In 2026 Dodge If the Dart GT's underwhelming engine doesn't bother you too much, or you're more interested in its handling, then you'd be glad to learn that they can be picked up for a bargain on the used market. The CarBuzz Marketplace (graph below) reports that used examples are available for less than $10,000 these days, which is pretty tempting given the kind of driving experience they offer. Plus, they come as standard with handy extras such as automatic climate control, heated leather seats, and even a heated leather steering wheel. The Vehicle's Automatic Transmission Has Proven Problematic Dodge We Nearly Got A Dart SRT4 Before Dodge Got Cold Feet Dodge Another possible reason Dodge never offered the TBi engine with the Dart GT was that, at one point, they were considering introducing an SRT4 version of the model. It would have featured more aggressive styling than the GT ultimately got, and was aimed at the likes of the Ford Focus ST. The model reportedly would have used a turbocharged version of the 2.0-liter Tigershark engine from the base Dart SE.Figures of around 285 hp were murmured, which would have put it nearly 40 hp clear of its Ford rival. This was also more than the Neon SRT4, the hot version of the compact Neon sedan released in the early 2000s. Along with an even more aggressive suspension setup, the Dart SRT4 could have been a real budget performance hero. Sadly, any chance of the car arriving was squashed by poor sales figures for the standard Dart, which meant the plans were indefinitely shelved. The Dart was killed off following the 2016 model year as its popularity failed to improve, burying any remaining hope that the SRT4 might arrive someday.Still, at least the GT version managed to slip through the cracks. It may lack the engine needed to set the machine apart as a truly amazing hot hatch, but the balanced and engaging handling and good looks ensure it's an underrated choice that would cost you peanuts. Make sure the thirsty engine has been cared for, and the Dart GT is truly capable of offering plenty of smiles per dollar.Sources: Dodge.