Filed under:
Budget,
Sedan,
Cadillac,
Dodge,
Lincoln,
Luxury
The
Dodge Dart,
Cadillac XTS and
Lincoln MKS all failed to earn a "Recommended" rating from
Consumer Reports. When it came to the compact Dart, the organization's testers thought the vehicle offered a quiet cabin, solid-feeling chassis and nimble suspension, but the new model ultimately fell short of the coveted rating due to powertrain issues. The institute's reviewers found the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to be underpowered and noted "drivability issues" when the available turbocharged 1.4-liter four was paired with the optional dual-clutch transmission (some of our editors disliked it paired with the six-speed manual). CR also dinged the latter powerplant for sounding "raspy." For what it's worth, we think the forced-induction engine offers an excellent and playful exhaust note, but that's just us.
As for the XTS, CR lauded the car for its luxurious cabin, but the vehicle's experience was dulled by its
finicky CUE infotainment interface. Overall, the big
Cadillac scored much higher than its cross-town rival from
Lincoln. While testers found the American luxury sedan to offer a quiet ride and quality fit and finish, they felt the MKS delivered a "cramped driving position, ungainly handling, uncomposed ride, and limited visibility." Ouch. At the end of the day, both cars fell short of rivals from Japan, Germany and Korea. Check out the full press release
below with more details, along with CR's musings on the
Chevrolet Spark and
Lexus ES.
Continue reading Dodge Dart falls short of Consumer Reports Recommended, Caddy XTS and Lincoln MKS, too
Dodge Dart falls short of Consumer Reports Recommended, Caddy XTS and Lincoln MKS, too originally appeared on
Autoblog on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 18:28:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
More...