The Dodge Dakota looks big. It feels almost as tall and rugged as the full-size Dodge Ram. And, indeed, it’s big. It is the largest pickup truck in the midsize class. It is also available with a V8. And its maximum towing capacity of 7,050 pounds is best-in-class. It’s safe to say simply that the Dakota is a midsize pickup truck with a size, attitude, and muscle.
It’s also a simple truck. Access is easy and the interior is convenient and convenient, with easy-to-use and easy-to-operate controls. The rear doors of the long cabs and team cabs open wide and the team cab can accommodate up to six people. A new under-seat garage formula for equipment cabins provides useful shipping capability. The long cab has earned five-star protection ratings in frontal and side effect in tests conducted by the federal government (NHTSA).
On the road, the Dakota is sleek and quiet. The available 4. 7-liter V8 was updated for 2008, with more punch and better fuel economy. It subtly hums in the background when sailing, but moves when the gas pedal is pressed. It’s also flex-fuel compatible, meaning it can run on gasoline or up to 85% ethanol. The guide is smooth for easy handling in crowded parking lots, and the Dakota temporarily responds on mountain roads and nice, straightforward trails on the highway.
For 2008, the Dakota benefits from several vital changes: The 4. 7-liter V8 increases to 302 horsepower (instead of 230). The old high-efficiency 260 hp edition is no longer available (for apparent reasons).
On the exterior, the hood, grille, front fascia, headlights, fenders, and rear spoiler were changed for 2008, and built-in shipping rails were added for the shipping box. Inside, the tool panel and center console are new for 2008, Dodge’s MyGIG navigation/formula radio is newly available with a 20GB hard drive, heated bench seats are offered, and the rear seats in the team cab frame get advantages from the folding garage area under the formula.
If you need a big, muscular truck, but as big as a full-size pickup truck, the Dodge Dakota is ideal.
The Dodge Dakota is available in two frame styles: the long cab has small rear doors that open upside down to access the rear compartment. It comes with a 6 1/2 foot deck. The team cabin has 4 full-size doors and a 5ft 4in bed. Each seats five to six passengers, but rear passengers will be much more comfortable in the team cabin. Both bodies are built on the same 131. 1-inch cab. wheelbase.
Six trim levels are available: ST, SXT, SLT, TRX/TRX4, Sport and Laramie. However, regardless of the equipment, the long cabs come with a 40/20/40 split front bench seat; Double cabs are supplied with single front seats, with bench seats as an option. Individual seats are optional.
All models feature traditional part-time 4WD. It can be configured in 2WD, 4WD Low or 4WD High. The 4WD modes are locked, so the truck cannot be driven on dry pavement in the 4WD mode. A permanent 4WD formula with electronically controlled locking center differential is available on TRX4, Sport and Laramie models. It typically works in 4WD top mode that can be driven on dry pavement and has lockable 4WD Low and 4WD High settings.
The popular engine is a 3. 7-liter V6. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic transmission ($1,135) is available. A 4. 7-liter V8 engine is available in SLT, Sport and TRX/TRX4 models, and it’s popular. Coming with a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic, the Laramie is only available with the automatic version.
ST Extended Cab ($19,435) and 4×4 ($23,685) and Crew Cab ($22,135) and 4×4 ($25,085) come with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo with auxiliary audio jack, tinted rear windows, front/rear dial. drum brakes with rear anti-lock braking formula (ABS) and 16-inch metal wheels. Double cabs feature folding and split rear seats.
SXT Extended Cab ($20,995) and 4×4 ($25,245) and Crew Cab ($23,640) and 4×4 ($26,590) incorporate windows, mirrors and forced locks; remote keyless entry; center console, cruise control; fold-down rear seats (extended cab); rear external shipping lamps; tilt steering; and 16-inch painted aluminum wheels.
The SLT Extended Cab ($23,950) and 4×4 ($26,900) and Crew Cab ($26,170) and 4×4 ($29,120) are upgraded with YES Essentials seat fabric (purportedly stain-resistant, odor-resistant, and anti-static); Sirius Satellite Radio with a one-year subscription; security alarm with Sentry Key immobilizer; six-way power driver’s seat; roof console with compass, temperature indicator and on-board computer; sliding rear window with defrosting; Fully hinged rear doors (extended cockpit) that open 170 degrees; color-coordinated rugs; and fog lights. For 2008, the SLTs have application rails on the sides of the bed and the SLT Crew Cab has a folding garage in the rear seats.
The TRX 4×2 Extended Cab ($24,360) and Crew Cab ($26,550) and 4x4TRX4 Extended Cab ($27,545) and Crew Cab ($29,745) models carry fenders, tow hooks, all-terrain tires, upper axle ratio (3. 55 vs. 3. 21) and other external trim items.
Sport Extended Cab ($25,135) and 4×4 ($28,060) and Crew Cab ($26,565) and 4×4 ($29,475) add to the SLT the four-speed automatic transmission, leather-wrapped steering wheel and individual cloth seats with larger side bolsters, the TRX. 3. 55 axle ratio and 18-inch painted alloy wheels.
Laramie Extended Cab ($26,745) and 4×4 ($29,725) and Crew Cab ($28,150) and 4×4 ($31,100) are added to the SLT leather upholstery, wheel-mounted audio controls, 276-watt Alpine premium audio formula with MP3 capability and 6-CD changer, remote control. starter, automatic headlights, auto-dimming rearview mirror, body-colored front bumper, and chrome side moldings.
Options come with heated seats ($250), all-wheel ABS ($295), tow packages ($455 to $525), a premium audio formula, and 17- and 18-inch diameter chrome wheels. An optional hands-free communication formula uses Bluetooth generation to integrate cell phones with the van’s audio formula. A sunroof ($850) is available.
The Dodge Dakota has a menacing look, with a long muzzle dedicated to tight space. Last redesigned in 2005, the Dodge Dakota received a facelift for 2008.
The Dakota shares its styling themes with the full-size Dodge Ram and Durango SUVs. All three share the old-fashioned trend of the domed grille and fenders that have trademarks of the Dodge Truck brand. Still, the Dakota has sharper, sharper lines and flatter planes than its parents; And its grill is relaxed, not vertical. The front fender lines intentionally extend halfway along the length of the door. The rear fenders mirror the protruding fronts that get bigger all the way to the rear of the truck. The intersection of front fenders with dual-lens phase headlights and sloping grille make for a beautiful overall design.
Sport models have a grille and frame-colored trim, TRX models have black fenders and frame moldings, and Laramies have chrome trim.
Added in 2008, the built-in shipping platform application rails offer an unlimited amount of attachment possibilities for fasteners. The most practical boot cover is also recently available.
Visual tweaks for 2008 come with a grille that’s more incorporated into the hood, which also features new character lines. The front fenders are now also made larger above the headlights and are adorned with illuminated frames. The tweaks are subtle, but noticeable.
An independent front suspension with surprise coil dampers is used on the 2WD and 4WD models, with traditional leaf springs at the rear. All models are supplied with front and rear tow hooks and bed tie-downs.
The driver’s seat is excellent and comfortable with its upper and lower fins and clever padding where it counts. The interior space, even for tall drivers, is excellent.
The black-and-white gauges are surrounded by glowing rings and the middle speedometer is about twice as large as the other two gauges. The angled center console houses the audio system, climate controls, and air vents. The thick four-spoke guide steering wheel houses the cruise buttons. Brushed steel accents illuminate the cabin and the overall design works very well in terms of usability, convenience and range. However, the dashboard and console are clad in plastic, which looks like the Dakota comes at a price. The fabrics are great but not great, and the interior design and finish are sometimes good.
The center console, redesigned for 2008, features 3 built-in cup holders, two of which are modular and detachable to provide more garage space. The console also has plenty of compartments to store small parts and a removable container designed to hold an MP3 player. or cell phone. In terms of utility, this is one of the best-designed mid-consoles out there today.
The available MyGIG infotainment formula has a built-in navigation formula and 20GB of hard drive space to store music, photos, and navigation map information. It has voice and the navigation formula has real-time traffic. Dodge claims that the hard drive will be able to hold 1,600 songs.
All ST Extended Cab models, with the exception of the base, feature auxiliary rear doors that open 170 degrees. The front doors will need to be opened to open the rear doors. Double cabins have 4 normal doors; The rear doors open nearly 90 degrees, making it easy to get in and out.
The crew cabin interiors are spacious, with more than 102 cubic feet of passenger area. The rear seats are intentionally raised at their base so that rear seat occupants can see more easily and are divided into 60/40 sections. The rear seating area is generous for family use, with 37 cubic feet of rear-seat storage space.
New for 2008 is a handy under-the-seat garage formula. Includes two collapsible and detachable milk crate containers. Like the new swivel ‘n Go seat formula on Chrysler minivans, this garage formula is an example from Chrysler Corp. engineers. Useful feature unique to this category.
We found the Dodge Dakota to be strangely quiet, smooth, and civilized in its handling, looking more like a car than a pickup truck. Thick glass, giant mufflers, and generous sound insulation in the frame and firewall reduce noise. Still, the larger Dakota rolls that looks, with a stocky, ram-like gait, a well-muscled street look.
The optional V8 is worth every penny, especially with the 2008 update. Power increased this year to 302 horsepower, up 31% from last year’s base V8, and torque has been building up to 329 pound-feet (a significant increase). of the past 290).
The V8’s fuel economy has improved for 2008. Manual models with two-wheel drive get 16 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. These figures are reduced to 15/21 with 4WD and an automatic. Compared to the popular 3. 7-liter V6, at most it has no consequences in terms of fuel economy. And in the maximum states, it runs on gasoline or 85% ethanol (E85).
The team’s cockpit rushes with unusual vigour and emits a glorious exhaust sound from its V8. At highway speeds, it settles into a large background noise in 5th gear overdrive.
The 4. 7-liter V8’s maximum torque packs plenty of power at low revs to pull payloads of up to 1,520 pounds or tow up to 7,050 pounds.
The V6 feels a bit bland in terms of strength for this big, heavy pickup. The 3. 7-liter V6 develops 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy ratings from 15/19 mpg city/highway with automatic transmission and 4WD to 17/22 mpg with automatic transmission and 2WD.
The automatic transmission has perfectly spaced gears for road transport and runs without complaints, roughness, or roughness, even in flat shifts and at maximum revs. With only two occupants and no cargo, the Dakota runs away from a red light despite the 4,800-pound weight of the Crew Cab 4×4. For towing, there is a Tow/Haul setting that adjusts the shift trend of the automatic transmission.
We liked the ride and handling, although, like all pickup trucks, it can get choppy due to small bumps and high-intensity ruts, and its frame has more angle than most cars. The Dakota’s rack-and-pinion force guide is a bit over-assisted for our liking, but the large idler feels clever in the hands. The Dakota tracks incredibly well, temporarily responding to actions and staying crouched when driving fast on mountain roads. Its 265/70R16 tires grip corners while staying quiet on the road. speeds, adding a confident smoothness to the ride quality we enjoy.
The Dakota comes with antilock brakes on the rear wheels as protective equipment, but ABS disc/drum brakes are available on all 4 wheels. We intentionally tried the rear ABS on a straight, flat, dry road for several stops with g max no load. and no passengers; It worked well, keeping the truck smooth on the right rear and preventing the truck from locking the rear wheels 4 times in a row without locking the rear wheels.
The Dodge Dakota is exclusive among mid-length pickup trucks. Its sheer length and available space in the rear seat space provide plenty of space and applications for an average family, and its powerful V8 engine makes it faster and gives it more towing capacity than most of its competitors. The availability of permanent all-wheel drive and Dodge’s new HDD radio are other benefits worth checking out.
NewCarTestDrive. com correspondent Jim McCraw contributed this from Dearborn, Michigan, with Kirk Bell from Chicago.
Dodge Dakota ST 2WD Extended Cab ($19,435), ($23,685); ST Crew Cab 2WD ($22,135), ($25,085); SXT 2WD Extended Cab ($20,995), ($25,245); SXT Crew Cab 2WD ($23,640), ($26,590); 2WD ($23,950), ($26,900) SLT Extended Cab; SLT Crew Cab 2WD ($26,170), ($29,120); TRX 2WD Extended Cab ($24,360); TRX Crew Cab 2WD ($26,550); TRX4 Extended Cab ($27,545); TRX4 Crew Cab ($29,745); Sport Extended Cab 2WD ($25,135), ($28,060); Sport Crew Cab 2WD ($26,565), ($29,475); Laramie 2WD Extended Cab ($26,745), ($29,725); and Laramie Crew Cab 2WD ($28,150), ($31,100).
Warren, Michigan.
heated seats ($250); Bed liner ($245).