Dodge Dart Shines Light on Future Chrysler-Fiat Vehicles

The 2013 Dodge Dart is the first compact sedan from Chrysler in nearly seven years. That in itself is a milestone, but the car also looks competitive against the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Chevrolet Cruze.

Chrysler's compact car plans are thanks to its new partner, Fiat. In the Dart we get the first real-world example of what to expect from upcoming replacement vehicles for the Jeep Liberty, Chrysler 200 and others in the future.

Chrysler has stated that the Dart's underpinnings are based off a new basic platform originally used to design and produce the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in Europe. Chrysler says the Dart platform — called Compact U.S. Wide — will also underpin most of its upcoming midsize and large sedans, crossovers, SUVs and minivans. The exceptions are the Jeep Wrangler, which will remain body-on-frame, Ram's trucks and the 2013 SRT Viper.

Chrysler 700c: Photo Gallery

Could the 700c concept foreshadow Chrysler's next Town & Country?

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According to Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, the concept hints at the future design-direction of its minivans.

Chrysler Mocks Up Possible Town and Country Replacement

In a group interview yesterday at the Detroit auto show, Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said that a Chrysler 700c on the show floor represents a design study of what the next-generation Chrysler Town & Country minivan might look like.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

A year ago, Marchionne said there was no point in having two minivans that were essentially the same — the Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan — competing against each other. From the looks of the 700c, Chrysler's "van" would be slightly smaller on the inside, but with big improvements to the interior quality.

Year-End Deal Reality Check: Chrysler Group

Chrysler's had a very successful year overall, with sales up 25% through November. Part of that has to do with the automaker's redesigned and refreshed vehicles, and part of it has to do with Chrysler's seemingly eternal and robust incentive spending. The end of the year is no different. Under Chrysler's cross-branded “Big Finish 2011” sales event, there are plenty of attractive financing and cash-back deals to be had.

Starting with the Chrysler brand — which has the most aggressive incentive offers – there are 0% financing deals on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country and 2012 Chrysler 200 sedan for 60 months and for 60 to 72 months on all 2011 Chrysler brand models. The Town & Country ($1,250), 200 ($2,500), 300 ($1,500) and 200 convertible ($1,000) also have generous cash-back offers.

Which Cars Fit Three Car Seats?

Parents are often searching for the automotive holy grail: a car that's not a minivan and can fit three child-safety seats across the backseat. It's a short list. In the nearly two years that Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays, Cars.com photographer Ian Merritt and I have been installing car seats into test vehicles, we've come across only a handful of cars that can hold three car seats across a backseat.

We recently tested the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class and it fit three car seats in it. To be considered a fit, there must be enough room between the booster seat and infant-safety seat for a child's hand to reach the seat belt buckle.

2012 Toyota Camry Earns Five-Star NHTSA Rating

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its first batch of 2012 model year ratings this month. Under the stricter guidelines, only three 2012 models — the Chevrolet Camaro, Cadillac CTS and Toyota Camry — have earned five-star composite scores from the safety agency. In fact, as we previously reported, the Camaro is the only vehicle to earn a perfect rating across the board since the new guidelines took effect for the 2011 model year.

NHTSA’s composite scores are composed of five-star ratings for frontal, rollover and a combined side pole and barrier tests. The side pole test, which is new, simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

The redesigned 2012 Camry earned a five-star overall rating, getting four stars in the frontal test, five stars in the side-crash test and four stars in the rollover test.

2011 Chrysler Town and Country and 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan: Car Seat Check

This Car Seat Check was first published in March 2011 on MotherProof.com.

The Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan received upgrades to both the exteriors and interiors for the 2011 model year. The minivan siblings each have their strong points. The Town & Country focuses on luxurious touches, and the Grand Caravan goes for a more aggressive, sporty look.

We installed child-safety seats in the Town & Country, but the results can be applied to the Grand Caravan, too. Both minivans have the same seating configuration, with two captain's chairs in the second row and a three-seat bench in the third row.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

Chrysler, Dodge, VW Minivans Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick

Chrysler’s pair of near-identical minivans — the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan — as well as the Chrysler-built but Volkswagen-branded 2012 Routan have been named Top Safety Picks in the minivan category by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The trio join the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.

To earn the award, a vehicle must earn the top rating of Good in front, side, rear and rollover crash tests. The vehicle also must be equipped with electronic stability control, which is standard on all 2012 vehicles.

The vehicle also must pass the institute’s roof-strength test. To pass, the roof must withstand a force equal to four times the vehicle's weight before it caves in five inches. Ratings for the Town & Country, Grand Caravan and Routan are based on a roof-strength test conducted for the Town & Country alone. The Town & Country can withstand 4.51 times its own weight.

Exported From Detroit: Chryslers Headed to Italy

A resurgent Chrysler is seeing robust sales and mostly positive reviews, diluting most negative undertones its recent ownership change to Fiat might have conjured. What might not be so well known is that the cross-Atlantic partnership isn't just bringing Italian cars like the Fiat 500 to the U.S.

The company is repackaging Chrysler and Dodge cars, SUVs and minivans for sale in Europe under the Lancia nameplate.

While Chrysler wants to be seen as a more upscale choice over Dodge in the U.S., that's exactly the position Lancia has in Italy over the Fiat brand, with Alfa Romeo being the top-tier nameplate.

While all this insider talk is interesting, the biggest impact for U.S. consumers is the fact that these cars are being exported to Europe from the U.S. (and Canada), and we caught sight of that process on a recent weekend trip to the East Coast.

A car carrier filled with Chrysler 300 sedans rebadged as Lancia Themas and Chrysler Town & Country minivans rebadged as Voyagers was spied heading east along Interstate 80/90 just east of Fremont, Ohio, by Editor-in-Chief Patrick Olsen.

He said they were plastered with stickers featuring the Canadian Maple Leaf, which makes sense since both vehicles are built at Chrysler plants in Ontario, Canada.

Chrysler told us that these two Lancia models aren't on sale yet and that the European press hasn't even driven them. So we truly caught an early batch headed to sea.

Recall Alert: 2012 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Vehicles

Chrysler is recalling about 667 2012-model-year vehicles equipped with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 over an engine issue that can lead to power loss, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2012 models included in the recall are the Chrysler 200, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Charger, Dodge Durango, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Journey and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

In the affected vehicles, which were built between Aug. 25 and Sept. 5, the engine blocks weren’t cleaned properly. The result is hard debris can damage the connecting rod, main bearings and crankshaft, leading to engine failure. If the engine seizes up while driving, the risk of a crash can increase.

The recall is expected to begin in early October. Chrysler dealerships will replace the engine, free of charge. If owners already have repaired the problem, Chrysler will reimburse the expense if it wasn’t covered by the warranty.  Owners can call Chrysler at 800-853-1403 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.