Introduction

The Dodge Dakota looks big. It looks nearly as big and tough as the full-size Dodge Ram. And, in fact, it is big. It's the biggest pickup in the midsize class. It's also available with a V8. And its 7,050-pound maximum towing capacity is the best in the class. You might say Dakota is the midsize pickup with a full-size attitude with muscle to back it up. It's also an easy truck to live with. Getting in is easy, and the interior is comfortable and convenient, with controls that are easy to reach and operate. The rear doors on Extended Cabs and Crew Cabs open wide, and the Crew Cab can accommodate six people. A new under-seat storage system for Crew Cabs provides useful cargo carrying capacity. The Extended Cab has earned five-star safety ratings in both front and side impact testing by the federal government (NHTSA). Underway, the Dakota is smooth and quiet. The optional 4.7-liter V8 is improved for 2008, with more power and better fuel economy. It burbles subtly in the background when cruising, but really scoots when the throttle is mashed. It is also flex-fuel capable, meaning it can run on gasoline or up to 85 percent ethanol. 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. For 2008, Dakota gets several significant changes: The 4.7-liter V8 is boosted to 302 horsepower (from 230). The former 260-hp high-output version is no longer available (for obvious reasons). On the outside, the hood, grille, front fascia, headlights, fenders and rear spoiler have been modified for 2008, and built-in cargo box utility rails have been added. Inside, the instrument panel and center console are new for 2008, Dodge's MyGIG navigation system/radio is newly available with a 20-gigabyte hard drive, heated bench seats are offered, and the Crew Cab body style's rear seats get an underseat, collapsible storage system. If you want a pickup that's big and brawny, but not as big as a full-size, the Dodge Dakota fits the bill.

Walkaround

Dodge Dakota looks massive and menacing, with a long snout devoted to crush space. Last redesigned for 2005, the Dodge Dakota has been given a facelift for 2008. The Dakota shares its styling themes with the full-size Dodge Ram and Durango SUV. All three share the retro big-rig grille motif and bulging fenders that have become trademarks of the Dodge Truck brand. Still, Dakota boasts sharper, crisper lines and flatter planes than its relatives; and its grille is laid back, not vertical. The front fender lines are deliberately extended halfway along the length of the door. The rear fenders reflect the fronts with bulges that extend all the way to the rear of the truck. The intersection of the front fenders with the multi-element, twin-lens headlamps and raked grille makes the whole design work beautifully. Sport models have a body color grille and side trim, TRX models have black fender flares and body trim, and Laramies have chrome trim. Added for 2008 are built-in utility rails for the cargo box that provide unlimited attachment points for tiedowns. Cargo box top protection is also newly available. Visual changes for 2008 include a grille that is more integrated into the hood, which also has new character lines. The front fenders also now extend over the headlights and are trimmed with bright surrounds. The changes are subtle, but noticeable. A coil-over-shock independent front suspension is used on both 2WD and 4WD models, with conventional leaf springs at the rear. All models come with front and rear tow hooks and tie-downs in the bed.

Interior Features

The driver's seat looks good and feels good with its upper and lower support wings and good padding where it counts. Interior room, even for tall drivers is excellent. Black-on-white gauges are outlined with bright rings, and the central speedometer is about twice as large as the other two gauges. The angular center stack houses the sound system, climate controls and vents. The thick four-spoke steering wheel is home to the cruise control buttons. Brushed metal accents brighten the cockpit, and the whole design works very well in terms of usability, convenience, and reach. The dash and console are dominated by plastic, however, showing the Dakota is built to a price. The materials look good but not great, and interior fit and finish is generally good. The center console, redesigned for 2008, has three integrated cupholders, two of which are modular and can be removed to provide more storage space. The console also has lots of cubby holes to stash small items, and a pull-out bin designed to hold an MP3 player or cell phone. In terms of usefulness, this is one of the best designed center consoles available today. The available MyGIG Infotainment System has an integrated navigation system and 20-gigabytes of hard drive space to hold music, pictures, and navigation map information. It has voice control, and the nav system has real-time traffic. Dodge says the hard drive will hold 1600 songs. All but base ST Extended Cab models have auxiliary rear doors that swing open 170 degrees. The front doors must be open to open the rears. Crew Cabs feature four regular doors; the rear doors open out to nearly 90 degrees, so ingress and egress is quite easy. Crew Cab interiors are roomy, with more than 102 cubic feet of passenger space. The rear seats are deliberately stepped up on their bases so rear-seat occupants can see out more easily, and they are split into 60/40 sections. Rear-seat room is generous for family use, with 37 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seat. New for 2008 is a handy under-seat storage system. It includes two milk crate-type bins that are collapsible and removable. Like the Chrysler minivans' new Swivel 'n Go seating system, this storage system is another example of Chrysler Corp. engineers developing a useful feature unique to the class.