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Dodge Dart Mopar '13 special edition recalled over airbag woes

Dodge is only building 500 examples of the black-and-blue Mopar '13 Dart, but the majority of them are now being recalled. Part of the Mopar upgrade included replacing the stock seat skins in the Dart with black and blue Katzkin leather, but the seat-mounted side airbags were reinstalled improperly during the upfitting process, which could affect the performance of the front seat side airbags.
According to the official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration bulletin, a total of 374 Mopar '13 cars are being recalled due to side airbags that might not deploy in a side-impact collision. There have been no reports of the airbags not going off, but Chrysler will still need to reinstall the bags to ensure proper deployment. The recall notice is posted below, which gives information for Mopar '13 owners to contact Chrysler and NHTSA.

Dodge unveils Special Service Durango for government fleets

Straight off its refresh, the Dodge Durango is slipping back into its dress blues and getting back to work. The 2014 Dodge Durango Special Service Vehicle boasts all the refinements and improvements that the refreshed, civilian-spec model received, most notably a 15-percent improvement in fuel economy.
Designed for police and fire departments, and as Chrysler's answer to the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and Chevrolet Tahoe PPV in the growing service SUV market, the Durango boasts a 600-mile range, thanks to the addition of an eight-speed automatic, available on both the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Equipped with the 360-horsepower Hemi, the Durango SSV can tow up to 7,400 pounds (the V6 is limited to 6,200 pounds).
Police and fire department Durangos get a few special features over the civilian models. The electric systems are ruggedized, with a heavy duty battery and a 220-amp alternator in place, while the engine's water pump and oil cooler are both stronger. The brakes are tougher, and a load-leveling suspension has been fitted, too.

Dodge Dart falls short of Consumer Reports Recommended, Caddy XTS and Lincoln MKS, too

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.