2015 Dodge Dart SXT Real-World Fuel Economy

The 2015 Dodge Dart's surprisingly powerful 2.4-liter engine is standard in three of the compact sedan's five trim levels: SXT, GT and Limited. The 184-horsepower four-cylinder gives the Dart punchy acceleration and a performance edge over the hamster on a wheel used to power other compact cars, though the Dart's power doesn't come free.

Related: 2015 Dodge Dart expert review

The onboard trip computer of a 2015 Dodge Dart SXT I drove mostly at highway speeds registered 31 mpg during a determined Saturday afternoon road trip to watch some form of racing. What started out as a failed attempt to see at an autocross event in Milwaukee ended successfully at Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, Wis. The round trip from Chicago's north side resulted in a 184.7-mile trip.

EPA fuel economy ratings of the Dart with the six-speed automatic transmission are 23/35/27 mpg city/highway/combined in both SXT and Limited trims, while the GT trim is rated 22/31/26 mpg. My test Dart's average speed of 36.7 mph included a mix of city traffic thrown into the mainly highway cruising. A mindful, light throttle was required to reach the Dart's 35 mpg highway rating out on the open road; some cars like our long-term 2015 Honda Fit don't take as much effort to hit their EPA ratings.

Here's the thing, you don't have a lot of options for a more efficient engine in the Dart, and 27 mpg combined is on the low end of the compact segment. The entry-level 160-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the Dart SE gets the same 27 mpg combined rating with an automatic transmission as the more powerful 2.4-liter, and the most efficient 160-hp, turbocharged 1.4-liter is available only in the Aero trim starting with model-year 2014. Aeros are rated at 28/40/32 mpg with the automatic transmission but require premium fuel for optimum fuel economy and performance.

The 27 mpg combined rating for the 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter engines that make up most of the Dart lineup leaves a lot of room for improvement. The Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Mazda3 and Kia Forte are all in the 31-34 mpg combined range with automatic transmissions and engines that don't cost extra like the Dart's 1.4-liter.

Not all is lost, however. While the 2016 model year won't introduce any significant changes to the Dart lineup, Dodge's five-year plan announced in early 2014 mentions the Dart is scheduled for a midcycle refresh in the middle of calendar year 2016 to "update style and design, enhance driving dynamics, align powertrain to brand DNA and leverage positioning between compact and midsize cars." A Fiat Chrysler Automobiles spokesman was unable to comment if that timeline still stands, but hopefully the Dart's next refresh means more fuel-efficient powertrains with a wider availability.