A few months ago, my life partner and I decided that we were going to have a baby, and that the truck I had at the time (a Chevy S10 extended cab) was too small for our newest edition. Sure, we had yet to even visit the sperm bank, but I was getting a bit tired of the lack of room in the S10, so getting a bigger truck was fine by me.

A bigger, roomier cab was the big requirement, one that could safely fit a carseat, as well as other items. So, when I saw a Dodge Quad Cab, I figured that I could have the best of both worlds: the roominess of a car, as well as the bed and hauling capacity of a truck. Granted, the bed was only five feet long, but that would be enough for the weekend trips to the big hardware store with the orange signs. And with the seating capacity for up to six people, I figured it was a sure thing.

Until I actually drove one.

The model I test drove was a 2000 Dodge Quad Cab, four wheel drive SLT with a 3.9 liter engine. Now, I’m not a genius when it comes to engine size, but just looking at the size of the truck, (and it was quite big for a “smaller” truck), I was a bit puzzled as to how this would drive. So, after looking the truck over, it was time for the big drive.

Handling - The Quad Cab handles surprisingly well, but there is still the feeling of it being a smaller truck. Steering is quite responsive, but the truck itself does have a wide turning radius, and I found myself just doing a three point turn around, rather than try to make a U-turn in this. The model I drove was an automatic, and I found it shifted appropriately.

Power - Here was my biggest complaint about this truck, the power, or lack thereof. The V6, 3.9 liter engine simply didn’t have enough power to move the truck around efficiently. Sure, it was okay just “driving around”, but I had quite a few problems trying to pass, even in mild traffic.

That evening, I mentioned the truck to my brother in law, and he mentioned that his best friend has this same model and frequently two his jet ski’s, and every time, it’s a frustrating experience due to, you guessed it, lack of power.

Comfort - Power issues aside, the Quad Cab is quite comfortable, and the model I drove sat two passengers in the front and three in the back, comfortably. The thing that impressed me the most was that the back seat of the cab (which is a full backseat, that features two back doors), was very roomy. More roomier than many cars in fact. The seats were made of that velour fabric, and were coated to resist stains (a common “feature” nowadays). Driving the Quad Cab is also quite comfortable, as the seats are completely adjustable, and feature a lumbar support for the driver. All instruments were laid out well, and easily accessible.

Other details - The 2000 Dodge Quad Cab gets an estimated highway mileage of 19 mpg, and a city average of 15 mpg. I should note that there is an optional 4.7 or 5.9 V8 engine available for this make of truck, which I would highly recommend getting if you are interested in this truck. The 3.9 engine is just too small and under powered, especially if you are towing something.

I really wanted to like this truck, but I just couldn’t convince myself to actually buy it. Why? Well, the power issue was a big factor, but the other factor was that, despite the fact that the truck looks big on the outside, it gives you a definite feeling of being small on the inside. And while it is very comfortable and roomy (as it fits five people), the width of the cab is where I really had the problem, which is why I just couldn’t buy this truck.

Overall thoughts - The concept of having the “best of both worlds” seating for five or six, and a bed is wonderful, and this would be an ideal truck for a small family, who needs to do occasional hauling. I predict that this truck will be quite a good seller in the future (if not already), as it really is quite versatile. If you are looking into getting one of these, I would advise you to get the V8, as the V6 engine really lacks the power to move this around efficiently.

As always, thanks for reading!

Amount Paid (US$): N/A
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: SLT Automatic 4x4