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The Dodge Dakota is a mid-size pickup with a full-size attitude. Dakota is the largest pickup in its class and the only mid-size truck available with a V8. Dodge claims its 7150-pound maximum towing capacity is by far the best in class.
The Dakota looks big. With sales of basic small trucks in steady decline, the market is headed toward bigger, more powerful, better-equipped pickups. The current Dakota is substantially longer than the previous-generation (pre-2005) version, with styling that mirrors the recently redesigned Durango SUV. The Club Cab version of the Dakota achieved a five-star safety rating in frontal and side-impact crash tests conducted by the federal government.
For 2006, the rear doors on Club Cabs have been redesigned to open wider. Sirius Satellite Radio now comes standard on 2006 Laramie models. Special-edition packages have been added to personalize your 2006 Dakota.
If you want a pickup that's big and brawny, but not as big as a full-size, you should visit your local Dodge dealer. Dakota is available with a choice of V6 and V8 engines. Underway, the Dakota is smooth and quiet. The steering is light for easy maneuverability in crowded parking lots and the Dakota responds quickly on mountain roads and tracks nice and straight on the highway.
Dodge Dakota comes in two body styles: The Club Cab is an extended-cab version with small, reverse-opening rear doors to access the rear compartment and a 6 1/2-foot bed. The Quad Cab is a crew-cab style with four full-size doors and a 5-foot, 4-inch bed. The standard engine is a 3.7-liter V6. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission. A 4.7-liter V8 engine is available for all models ($785-$860). A high-output version of the 4.7-liter V8 is available for the SLT and Laramie. With either V8, a six-speed manual transmission is standard; a five-speed automatic is optional.
ST Club Cab ($19,785) and Quad Cab ($21,185) come standard with air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo with audio auxiliary jack, tinted rear windows, front disc/rear drum brakes with rear-wheel anti-lock (ABS), and 16-inch steel wheels.
SLT Club Cab ($21,540) and Quad Cab ($22,940) are upgraded with cloth bucket seats with a full-floor console, chrome bumpers, fog lamps, power mirrors, windows, and locks with keyless entry, 16-inch cast-aluminum wheels.
Laramie Club Cab ($24,750) and Quad Cab ($26,240) add leather bucket seats with six-way power driver's seat; Alpine AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio with six-disc changer, 288-watt amplifier, and Sirius satellite capability; leather-wrapped steering wheel with remote audio controls; auto-dimming day/night rearview mirror; UConnect Hands-Free Communications System with Bluetooth wireless technology; security alarm; Sentry Key engine immobilizer; an overhead console; and automatic headlamps.
Four-wheel drive is available for all models, traditional part-time 4WD (which adds about $2,850) or full-time 4WD with an electronically controlled locking center differential ($395) for SLT and Laramie models with V8 and automatic transmission.
Options include Sirius Satellite Radio ($195), the premium 276-watt, 288-watt, and new 508-watt sound systems, heated seats, four-wheel ABS ($495), towing packages ($455-$525), and 17-inch chrome wheels ($820). A sunroof is available for the Quad Cab. An optional hands-free communications system that uses Bluetooth technology integrates a compatible cellphone with the truck's audio system.
Option packages for 2006 include TRX, TRX4 Off-Road, R/T, and Night Runner. Each is available in the Club Cab or Quad Cab configuration.
TRX includes unique five-spoke/five-lug 16-inch aluminum wheels and Goodyear Wrangler off-road tires; tow hooks; a limited-slip differential; and TRX decal on the cargo box. The TRX package is available on 2WD ST, SLT and Laramie. TRX4 Off-Road includes everything in the TRX package plus painted shocks; an increased ride height of one inch; heavy-duty service package; skid plates; TRX4 Off-Road cargo box decal; and slush mats. R/T is an SLT with the high-output 4.7-liter engine and: 17-inch five-spoke/five-lug chrome-clad aluminum wheels; hood scoop; sport appearance package (in Red Flame or Black only); body color grille surround; chrome exhaust tip; cargo box decals; R/T identification on headrests and instrument cluster; and Satin Silver accents for the center stack and door remotes.
The Dodge Dakota looks massive and menacing. The redesign for 2005 stretched the Dakota nearly four inches, with almost all that extra length devoted to front crush space and deeper bumpers to meet future crash standards.
The intersection of the front fenders with the multi-element, twin-lens headlamps and raked chrome grille makes the whole design work beautifully. Dakota's frame is shared in part with the Durango SUV. All models come with front and rear tow hooks and tie-downs in the bed.
The angular center stack houses the sound system, climate controls and vents. The thick four-spoke steering wheel features audio and cruise controls. Interior room, even for tall drivers is excellent. Club Cabs have auxiliary rear doors that swing open nearly 180 degrees.
Quad Cabs feature four huge doors; the rear doors open out to nearly 90 degrees, so ingress and egress are very good. Quad Cab interiors are roomy. By making the Dakota larger, Dodge expanded the Quad Cab interior to nearly 56 cubic feet. The rear seats are deliberately stepped up on their bases so that rear-seat occupants can see out more easily, and they are split into 40/20/40 folding sections with two rear cupholders. Rear-seat room is generous for family use, with 33 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seat.
Thick glass, big mufflers, and generous sound insulation throughout the body and firewall help reduce noise. The V6 feels a bit light on power for this big, heavy pickup and it doesn't offer a big fuel economy advantage.
The 3.7-liter V6 is rated 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. The 4.7-liter V8 generates 230 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. The 4.7-liter High Output V8 is rated 260 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, thanks to higher compression and more aggressive valve timing. A V6 4WD automatic is rated 15/19 mpg City/Highway by the EPA; a V8 4WD automatic rates 14/19. Our Quad Cab with the standard 4.7-liter accelerated with uncommon vigor and a wonderful exhaust note. The transmission has perfectly spaced ratios for trucking, and worked without complaint, roughness or harshness, even in high-rpm full-throttle upshifts. For towing, there's a Tow/Haul setting that alters the shift pattern of the automatic transmission.
The Dakota comes with rear-wheel anti-lock brakes as standard safety equipment, but four-wheel ABS disc/drum brakes are optional. We deliberately tried the rear ABS on a straight, flat, dry road for several maximum-g stops with no load and no passengers, and it worked well, keeping the unladen, light-in-the-rear pickup straight and coming to crisp stops four times in a row without locking the rear wheels.
The Dodge Dakota remains one of the best candidates for daily commuter duty among the current crop of compact and midsize pickups. Engine choices include a 210-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 and a 302-hp 4.7-liter V8. "The Dakota is for buyers who want a little more size, power, and roominess. It's ideal if you want to trade down from a full-size pickup but are reluctant to go with a genuine compact." says BusinessWeek. The base V6 will suffice if cost is your main consideration, but it won't impress anyone with its towing capabilities. It's also barely more fuel-efficient than the V8, which offers considerably more power and torque.