This is not good :( more ddct criticism

[jgeis]

I would agree with what they say about waiting for the transmission to catch up when you jam the throttle while in drive. It takes forever for the transmission to catch up with the throttle input. And it is slow to respond to sudden braking and then accelerating. Those are the two biggest complaints I have with the DDCT.

I don't agree with manual mode not fixing some of these issues. I use manual mode whenever I want to have fun or accelerate quickly, such as getting on the highway. I just leave the transmission in 3rd when taking an on ramp and jam the throttle that way. There's no lag there, since it's already in gear. I guess that they use the manual mode differently? But I definitely think it fixes half or more of the issues with the automatic mode.

Also, I feel like I read somewhere on these forums that there was a potential (perhaps optional?) retune of the transmission that would allow for sportier driving (holding gear longer, faster but harsher shifts)? I would be down for that.

[cereal killer]

I'll reserve judgement until I actually get some seat time on it. If I never bought a car because of negative reviews of a vehicle, I'd still be riding around on a bike. When I'm purchasing a vehicle I scan the web for mechanical problems and or recalls that may plaque the vehicle. Negative review(s) on a site have never deterred me from purchasing a car or anything for that matter. Tell me there is an issue with head gaskets blowing on a certain motor and I will listen intently, tell me a motor is underpowered and I'll disregard it immediately

[Retlaw]

My all time favorite review of the dart is the one done by Motortrend. They took a "compact" high milage car to the track and were suprised it didnt do well. Really? Im still waiting for the off road testing to come back. sheesh

[johnda]

That's a good point, dby, the 2.0 has been slammed by a number of reviewers as being too slow, but I think it really depends on where it would be used. I am retired and living in the country where the driving is on country roads through small towns. I think the 2.0 probably would be just fine for me. If I were to use the expressway, about 25 miles from here, to travel, the 2.0 could be a problem when using on ramps to enter where the traffic is rumbling by at 60-70 mph. I think the 1.4 Turbo does need an attentive driver to keep the rpms in the proper range for best performance and the upcoming 2.4 may be the best option for some folks, it really depends on what you want to do with the car. I drove a 2.0 Limited a few weeks ago and it felt fine to me, but I wasn't trying to push it. The price point for the new GT sounds fantastic, so I want to see how that works out. I personally feel that too many reviewers are used to winding out a high powered car on a test track and have become jaded. I do not need a Shelby Mustang to cruise down a country road!

[DartManCometh]

That's a good point, dby, the 2.0 has been slammed by a number of reviewers as being too slow, but I think it really depends on where it would be used. I am retired and living in the country where the driving is on country roads through small towns. I think the 2.0 probably would be just fine for me. If I were to use the expressway, about 25 miles from here, to travel, the 2.0 could be a problem when using on ramps to enter where the traffic is rumbling by at 60-70 mph. I think the 1.4 Turbo does need an attentive driver to keep the rpms in the proper range for best performance and the upcoming 2.4 may be the best option for some folks, it really depends on what you want to do with the car. I drove a 2.0 Limited a few weeks ago and it felt fine to me, but I wasn't trying to push it. The price point for the new GT sounds fantastic, so I want to see how that works out. I personally feel that too many reviewers are used to winding out a high powered car on a test track and have become jaded. I do not need a Shelby Mustang to cruise down a country road!

Being one of the people that admittedly has said that I wasn't impressed by the 2.0, I still say had I not test driven the 1.4t first, I would have probably saved the $1,100 and gone with that engine. The TQ difference is what won me over though. The Tigershark 2.0 I think will prove to be a solid and reliable engine. You hit the nail on the head johnda, too many people are used to high powered cars. This is a compact car built for fuel economy. People need to stop expecting it to match up with a SRT8 Charger or G8.

[Jacone]

I've had mine for a few months now and have no complaints at all. Yes there is some lag if you floor it but you can switch to the manual mode if you feel like revving it. Other than that in regular city/hwy driving it responds just fine and never feels underpowered at highway speeds. I believe the DDC is meant to take advantage of the 1.4 turbo's (2010 Best new Engine of the year) combination of economy and power. I agree with some of the other comments in the reviewers are comparing this car to a Porshe or something. It's a sporty, large compact sedan (or small midsized sedan) not a sports car - if I wanted to go 0-60 in 5 seconds I would have saved up for a car capable of that! Overall I think it looks and feels way better compared to every other boring, Honda, Hyundai and Mazda both inside and out. I get a lot of compliments on it (the colour helps) and am proud to talk about the engine and the transmission!

[mikemast]

I had the 13-002 recall done last week and it helped allot with my DDC shifting and pedal hesitation.. Recommend getting it. there is a thread about it under the Thread: [Technical Service Bulletin] Upcoming TSB's

Mike

[redlinedart83]

I will say my ddct acts different now that it has some miles on it then it did when it was brand new it seems to be smoother

[Ryan9]

These same auto experts panned the Ford Focus Dual clutch without mercy, even post software upgrade. Flash forward 1 year and now all of a sudden its a class leader with no faults to speak of....

In the end these journalist' opinions are bought and paid for with advertising dollars. You have to pay to play. This is why Car and Driver never says anything bad about Honda, but if you look closer, every other page has a honda ad.

[cereal killer]

My all time favorite review of the dart is the one done by Motortrend. They took a "compact" high milage car to the track and were suprised it didnt do well. Really? Im still waiting for the off road testing to come back. sheesh

Wait until 4x4 gets a hold of it. They are REALLY going to pan it.