Dodge Dakota

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Dodge Dakota Models

The Dodge Dakota is available in three cab configurations: Regular Cab, Club Cab, and Quad Cab. Club Cabs are only available with two doors.

Choose from three trim levels: base, Sport and SLT. Sport trim adds better seats and interior trim and upgrades to the exterior. SLT offers more luxuries, bright bumpers and grille, and more options.

Four engines are available: a 120-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-4, a 175-horsepower 3.9-liter V6, a 230-horsepower 4.7-liter V8, and a 250-horsepower 5.9-liter V8. The 4.7-liter was new to the Dakota line last year. Manual and automatic transmissions are available, with the 4.7-liter offering a sophisticated five-ratio four-speed automatic as an option.

Two types of four-wheel drive are available: One is a part-time system with shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive that works well for off-road use. The other is a fulltime four-wheel-drive system designed to provide all-weather traction capability.

Limited-production R/T models come with a high-performance version of the 5.9-liter V8. Less restrictive exhaust increases horsepower and torque and offers a more aggressive exhaust note. Available on 2WD Regular or Club Cabs, the Dakota R/T Sport Group includes aggressive (255/55R17) tires mounted on 17-inch aluminum wheels, heavy-duty stabilizer bars, and a limited-slip rear differential. The R/T is lowered 1 inch. The package adds bucket seats, fog lights, special trim and a long list of convenience items. 

Driving the Dodge Dakota

The Dodge Dakota Sport 4X4 Quad Cab is smooth and comfortable. Wind noise is a companion at higher speeds.

The rotary dial for transfer case is easy to reach and operate. We hit one particularly sandy section and switched easily into 4WD without dropping speed. Later, on a steep hill, we switched into 4WD-low and easily walked up a hill that had a good 15-degree grade.

On washboard sections of hard-packed dirt roads in 2WD, the back end has a tendency to lose grip at speed - common in unloaded pickups. We were impressed with the Quad Cab's turning radius. For a truck its length, it makes relatively tight turns.

The brakes deliver straight and true stopping power. Our Quad Cab had the optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes.

Dodge claims its 4.7-liter V8, designed from a clean sheet of paper, is the most refined V8 ever offered on a Dodge truck. It's a powerful little devil, rated at 235 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. It offers all the power and torque you'd expect from a V8. The 4.7-liter engine can be paired with a five-speed manual or Dodge's new "multi-speed" automatic transmission. It's a fully electronic four-speed automatic with a dual-ratio second gear. This transmission was designed in tandem with the 4.7-liter engine and they are precisely calibrated to each other. Its onboard computer continuously adjusts the shift pattern to match the way the truck is driven. A tall first gear ratio gives the driver better initial acceleration. It selects one of two second-gear ratios based on load and driver input. Its reverse gear uses a ratio equal to the first gear, beneficial when backing up with a heavy trailer.