2005 Dodge Dakota Review

Specifications

Survival of the Fittest

I am not a truck person. Trucks, like the half-mesh hats named after them, manual labor, and hauling around planks of wood or towing trailers, are not things that run in my blood. Should the situation ever arise that I would need to buy a truck, it would most likely be a compact truck - something comfortable, easy to drive, and relatively car-like, should such a product be available. The compact truck, would, by logic, be the most suitable type of truck for me.

But therein lies the problem: in the world of automobiles, bigger doesnt necessarily mean better. Advancements in engineering allow cab-forward design and miniscule overhangs to turn even surprisingly small cars into roomy people-movers. But this kind of logic doesnt exactly work for pickup trucks, where the focus is on capability.

To have a better pickup truck is to have more - more payload capability, more towing capacity, more bed volume and of course more power and torque to shift all the extra more. Though trucks arent animals, their humanoid buyers are and as such, Darwins Origin of the Species applies. Its truly a market of survival of the fittest.

But for the remaining few compact trucks that havent evolved, my hopes and wishes are now directed towards the latest adaptation, the midsize truck. With a change of heart, I put myself in the shoes of its target market. I find myself thinking that bigger is better, and in a bid (which does not include ego-inflation) I go for the granddaddy of them all, the Dodge Dakota.

Having pioneered the midsize truck segment three generations ago in 1987, by bridging the gap between weedy four-cylinder import pickups and traditional half-ton pickups, the Dakota has evolved into a formidable machine. Completely redesigned for 2005, the Dakota has built up an enviable reputation and top-selling status in its segment. Its now a household nameplate for Dodge, alongside the full-size Ram.

For 2005, the midsize truck segment has blossomed with a variety of all-new vehicles. While the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon duo and Ford Ranger appear to be the Dakotas biggest threats, competition arises from the seriousness of the Japanese through the redesigned Toyota Tacoma, and the vastly improved Nissan Frontier. Honda has also entered the scene with its advanced Ridgeline SUT pickup, while Ford is working on the follow up to its crossover pickup-SUV Explorer SportTrac. Intense pressure, surely, but with eighteen years of experience in this market, Dodge is not one to crumble when the going gets tough.

In order to ideally suit its buyers and their needs, Dodge offers the Dakota in two cab styles, five trim levels, and a wide variety of powertrain combinations. Like the competition, the Detroit-based automaker has abandoned the regular cab/long bed layout, leaving a choice between the Club Cab (extended cab, with rear-hinged access doors), and the Quad Cab (even bigger cab, with four proper doors).

The two variations are identical in length, width and wheelbase at 218.8 inches, 74.3 inches and 131.3 inches respectively, but are dramatically different when it comes to bed length. The Club Cab has a 6-foot, 6-inch long bed, whereas the Quad Cabs bed is 5 feet, 4 inches long. Trim levels range from the most basic work special ST and ST Plus, to the midrange SLT and SLT Plus and the top of the line luxury Laramie.

Face-to-face with my tester, a Mineral Gray Metallic Laramie Quad Cab 4×4 (more on this later), its clear to see that Dodges styling department has given the Dakota its own visual identity. Unlike the previous generation which was essentially the pickup version of the Durango SUV, there are more than just a few degrees of visual separation in its latest incarnation. A handsome truck, the Dakotas new look plays with the big-rig styling theme that Dodge trucks are now known for. Its styling is more toned, with angular fenders that convey the trucks ample muscle, but overall its less in-your-face than the full-size Ram.

Panel for panel, the Dakota is
different from its SUV sister, highlights of which include the flat-bottomed grille, fender flares which trail into the doors and less bulbous tail lamps. Its a good thing that the Dakota was penned as a truck rather than a crossover - it has a good visual balance, even with its extended four-door cab and ultimately short rear bed. While lesser “work truck” models have plastic bumpers and less attractive steel wheels, higher-level models such as the Laramie receive chrome-plated 17-inch wheels, color-keyed bumpers with fog lamps, a factory-fit bedliner and chrome trim, making this a “damn fine truck,” according to one loud-mouthed passerby.

With four, full-size doors, its plenty easy to get in and out of the Dakota - once youve negotiated the big step up. Tall drivers will embrace the Dakotas additional headroom and legroom, as will those who ride in back; while its not quite as roomy as a midsize sedan, five can ride in comfort in the Quad Cab with little fuss. All passengers receive three-point safety belts, while head restraints for rear seat passengers are also included.

As for storage spaces, theres almost no end to them in the Dakota. Theres a flip-up arm-rest cubby that can easily swallow a laptop and bag, a floor console with cellphone holder, adjustable cupholders and deep map pockets. The seat cushions of the rear bench fold up to form a flat surface area and covered storage thats out of sight.

Given that the Dakota is a pickup truck, to criticize Dodge for its lack of soft-touch plastics would surely be crass. The ability to stand up to wear and tear is much more important, and to a great extent, it has influenced the materials and the styling of the interior. In the luxury-injected Laramie model, youll find satin silver appliqué on the centre console, slightly grainy but comfortable electrically-adjustable heated leather seats, power-operated windows and mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with controls for the 278-watt six-disc Infinity MP3 CD stereo system - just to name a few things. The Laramies extras give a little bit of added comfort to the otherwise well- organized Dakota interior.

What you will receive with the Dakota, regardless of trim level, is an interior thats been designed and executed with a workforce
ethic. Chunky knobs and push button switches for the stereo and HVAC can easily be operated with thick gloves, while easy-to-read indiglo gauges add a trendy but modern feel. Standard are driver and front passenger airbags, while a side curtain airbag is an option.

Beneath its chrome-laden grille and vast hood is the only available V8 in its class. While the HEMI V8 isnt part of any option package, unfortunately, the two available 4.7-litre Magnum V8s with their 230- and 260-horsepower ratings certainly do the trick. But just because a V8 is available doesnt make the Dakota the king of power; the gold and silver medals go to the Japanese, namely the Nissan Frontiers 265-horsepower V6 and the Toyota Tacomas 260-horsepower V6.

Where the Dakota really makes up ground is in torque, where the V8s cubes ooze out the twisting force needed to tow heavy loads. Mated to the engine is a choice of either a six-speed manual gearbox (not available with Laramie or H/O V8), or as was tested, a
smooth-shifting column-shift five speed automatic. A tow/haul pushbutton optimizes the Dakota for heavy loads.

The torque figures for the V8s are 290 and 310 lb-ft respectively, enough to allow the Dakota Club Cab 4×2 to lead its class by towing as much as 7,150 lbs and hauling a max payload of 1,740 lbs with special 3.92 rear axle and H/O engine. The Quad Cab 4×4 is capable of towing up to 6,850 lbs and hauling 1,460 lbs - slightly less, but more than high enough to cart around sacks of concrete, loads of wood, or even a three-piece girl-rocker band plus equipment. A 210-horsepower 2.7-liter Magnum V6 with 230 lb-ft of torque is also available, but it pales in comparison to the great eights.

Taking nine seconds and then some to reach 60 mph, its clear that straight-line performance is nothing to write home about, but this isnt the Dakotas strength. Its road manners, on the other hand are a completely different story. The move from a regular car to a pickup truck is literally jumping to opposite ends of the spectrum, a transition which is now relatively painless. Aside from the commanding view of the road, the extremely light (but very accurate) steering, and super-sensitive gas and brake pedals reminded me of a car, but after a few minutes of being at the helm, driving it becomes completely natural.

What helps to make the Dakota such a commendable performer on the road is DaimlerChryslers extensive research and development into its structure and suspension. The super-rigid hydroformed frame provides the truck with strength to suppress squeaks and rattles, while the coil-over-shock independent front suspension provides a firm but comfortable ride with surprisingly little body roll or pitch. Its an unwritten rule that when traveling, a pickup
with a loaded bed will ride better than with an empty bed. From my week with the Dakota, Ive found this to be untrue; empty or loaded, the rear end doesnt jump or jostle over bumps, even with its live axle configuration.

While in motion, the Dakota hides its girth well, but at lower speeds and during parking, its long wheelbase and bed can make it particularly tricky to manoeuvre. With a turning circle of 44 feet, it can make navigating tight corners a little awkward, and u-turns on all but the widest roads will require plenty of wheel turning. Its best to keep an eye over your progress through city streets - its easy to get the Dakotas wheels hung up on curbs.

Other significant options on the Laramie Quad Cab include four-wheel ABS brakes, an upgrade from the standard rear-wheel ABS brakes. Its a worthy investment for a truck of this size, although for the amount of money spent on higher trim levels, this should be standard equipment. Also important was the option of a full-time AWD shift-on-the-fly transfer case which is a step up in traction and grip from the standard RWD. Controlled by a small round knob at the bottom of the centre console, the driver can easily switch to low-range 4WD, and 4LOCK for extreme situations where a locking differential is required. The transition between the steps is seamless, though its best done while at rest. With AWD selected, the Dakota automatically varies the torque split between front and rear axles for ideal traction.

The biggest qualm I had about the Dakota over the week was its fuel efficiency. With about 420 km or so on the clock, most of which was done under mild driving, the Dakota had slurped down the majority of its 87-liter gas tank, even with my laid-back driving style and strict obedience of the speed limit. Thats far less economy than its projected figures of 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. As gas peaked close to $3.00 per gallon, I experienced first-hand the nations newest and most popular pastime - hunting for cheap gas prices. Thankfully my tester was the regular-output V8, which takes basic grade as opposed to the tear-jerkingly expensive premium unleaded.

With a base-price of $28,965, the Dakota Quad Cab Laramie 4×4 lands about near the top of the midsize truck segment, topped only by the likes of the Honda Ridgeline. A trip to the options list can easily see the price soar well into the $40K range - my lavishly-equipped model had an as-tested price of $30,595 excluding the $645 destination.

With the same creature comforts as you might find in a luxury SUV, such as heated front leather seats, a premium audio system, and enough room to comfortably seat five full-size adults, the Dakota Quad Cab also makes a surprisingly good case against an SUV, particularly for those who make the most of their vehicles capabilities on a day-to-day basis.

While Im still not turned on to the idea of pickups, the Dakota shows that the modern truck is quite unlike the beast it has evolved from, ticking the boxes that its target market is looking for. While Ill probably never have a use for this kind of vehicle, I cant hide the fact that Im truly impressed by its ability to approximate full-size capabilities, and by its unexpected levels of refinement. This “urban cowboy” approves.