2015 Dodge Dart: Car Seat Check

We last tested Dodge's compact sedan for the 2013 model year, and the Dart performed fairly well in our Car Seat Check thanks to easy-to-access Latch anchors and adequate legroom. For this check, we tested a model-year 2015 Dart in Rallye trim and the outcome was not as rosy. The sedan's backseat had recessed bottom cushions, causing fit issues. Latch anchors that lacked good clearance also made installation a bit tricky.

More Car Seat Checks

How many car seats fit in the second row? Two

What We Like

• The three tether anchors on the rear shelf are easy to find and use.
• We did not have to move the front passenger seat forward to accommodate the rear-facing convertible.
• Although we had to move the front passenger seat forward a bit to accommodate the infant car seat, the tester still had enough legroom to sit comfortably. In terms of installation, this seat's thin, hooklike connectors were easier to use with the Dart's Latch anchors.

What We Don't

• The two sets of Latch anchors in the outboard seats are buried deeply in the seat bight. Coupled with the sedan's firm seat cushions, it was somewhat difficult to connect to the lower Latch anchors; we had to use a lot of force to connect. The seat cushions sit nearly flush with the anchors, which doesn't allow enough room for maneuvering.
• It was difficult to install the convertible in both rear- and forward-facing modes because of the poor Latch anchor access and the convertible seat's thick, rigid connectors. We also had to raise the head restraint to install the convertible seat in forward mode, which was a difficult maneuver.
• We had to raise the head restraint to install the booster, and again had difficulty. Also, the Dart's seat bottom cushion is recessed, causing the booster to sit at an angle. Lastly, the buckles are on recessed bases, making them tough for kids to grasp independently.

Grading Scale

A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn't impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.

B: Plenty of room. One fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing third row when available.

C: Marginal room. Two fit or connection issues. Difficult to access third row when available.

D: Insufficient room. Two or more fit or connection issues.

F: Does not fit or is unsafe.

About Cars.com's Car Seat Checks

Editors Jennifer Geiger and Jennifer Newman are certified child safety seat installation technicians.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a 5-foot-6 passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver's seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.

We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row's middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there's a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. To learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks, go here.

Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.