Overview:

The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab is a cut above the competition in features and performance. Its great looks also contribute to the appeal of this mid size pickup. It is great for an active family, or ready to stand up to the rigors of use for business as well.

First Impression:
The Dakota with the optional (and recommended) Magnum V8 gives the driver a sense of power with enough acceleration to push you back into the seats. The reasonable overall height also gives the truck a stable feel in the corners. The ride is firm as would be expected in a pickup but still it handles like a large car with a tight suspension. One cannot deny the Quad Cab Dakota is a blast to drive. The V6 is also a great performer and will save you gas at the pump. For Towing I suggest staying with the V8. The Dakota is also easy to enter and exit with wide swing doors and reasonable height. This truck has the most room and power in its class.

Market discussion:
The midsize pickup market is very competitive due to rising gas prices. Dodge has been producing Dakotas for over a decade and continues to be a key player in this segment. The Dakota has 3 engine choices to fit power/economy needs of most buyers. The Dakota blows away the Chevrolet Colorado offered with only a 4 and 5 Cylinder engine. Ford Ranger also offers only a 4 and a 6 cylinder motor. Nissan and Toyota also offer only 4 or 6 cylinders in this category of pickup and they will claim similar performance to the Dakota v-8 but when I had a trailer going up a hill in a Toyota it was no where near at home as the Dodge. If saving gas is your 100% priority you could look at these under powered competitors. The Dakota Quad cab is unique in its class also because of excellent rear seat comfort also far more room than the Chevrolet Colorado. Most trucks in this class still make you feel cramped in the rear seat but the Dakota has plenty of leg and head room.

The “cool” factor…
Since I have an active family I wanted my teenage kids to have a say in the decision. My son liked the overall appearance and sound of the motor. He also liked the roomy back seat. My daughter liked the reasonable size and Atlantic Blue Pearlcoat color. She also liked the powerful stereo. My wife liked the overall appearance and the great looking emblems which were not cheesy. The nice powerful rumble of a V-8 that roars when you stomp on the gas is great.

Detail description and features:

Engines and Drive Train:
I test drove all three engine offerings. All were excellent performers. I selected the Magnum V8 since I do some towing. Keep in mind that for pure payload and towing the 2WD versions can haul/tow more than a 4x4. The decision is based on your specific needs. As with any pickup 4WD, is a very good idea if you get snow or plan on any off road operation. If you need a large bed and carry a heavy load consider the 2WD club cab with its larger box 6ֹ” and payload capacity of over 1,700 pounds

V6 - 210hp 235 ft-lb torque: Proven economical motor with sufficient power for most applications including light towing.
V8 – 230HP 290 ft-lb torque (15-20mpg): This was my choice. Uses a little more gas than the V6 but the difference is nominal. There is plenty of power for all applications including towing. I was able to get up to 22mpg on the highway staying under 60mph but so far the overall average is around 14-18mpg with a 50-50 mix local/highway. If you have a heavy foot, expect 12-13mpg around town. I base these calculations using the fill the tank and drive then take the miles between filling the tank to insure accurate calculations (3 tanks). The optional meter in the overhead console seems accurate as well.
V8 HO – 260 HP 310 ft-lb torque:This motor can use 87 Octane but Dodge claims to enjoy the additional performance to its fullest use 91 Octane. I drove both and for 99% of driving there is no need for the HO motor. Stay with the far more popular Magnum V8 or the economical V6. Keep in mind that you can get a K&N filter and run Hi test in the regular Magnum V-8 if you are bent on getting extra power. If you really want to go fast get an after market power chip (at your own risk) and you will be zooming all over town.

Cab /Cargo box Configurations:
Although this review is for the quad cab, I felt it worth the time to discuss all cab cargo box options on the Dakota as it is a major decision factor for most buyers. This will be a choice you and your passengers will have to live with so read on…
Regular cab seats 2 and little behind seat storage.
Extended Cab Only kids or very small people can sit in the back.
Quad Cab - Both front and back seats have plenty of room for a large adult. My father in-law fits in the back seat at 6ֶ” 290lbs no problem). You can get 6 People in the Quad Cab but the middle person better be small and if you have the optional console in the front subtract 1 person as there is no room for their legs. Trade off is the 5ֹ” bed but for general use it is adequate. Still I would like to see a longer bed offering on the Quad Cab. Apparently most of the competition has the same issue.

Exterior:
Sleek modern appearance, pronounced grill Lexan covered headlights.
Sharper/sleek lines than the 2004 Dakota and RAM. The design has fits well with Chrysler’s leading edge styling yet not radical. It is an attractive truck. Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan designs are still boring and outdated.
Low overall height is good for low clearance situations and parking in a garage. The low center of gravity is probably good for rollover ratings as well.
Nice bumpers… color matched on SLT.
Mirrors-get the heated mirror option. It would be nice if Dodge offered color match mirrors.
All wheel and tire options look great and fit well with the truck with a variety of 16” wheels and a 17” wheel option.

Interior:
Great instrument panel with pearl white background looks very sporty and are amazingly easy to read.
Optional overhead console features Compass, Temperature, MPG, Distance to Empty(not including reserve), trip-time, and Homelink. The MPG feature is a great idea and is an incentive to improve driving habits (for such a fun to drive truck this is a great incentive to keep from hammering the gas pedal).
Power outlets (12v) with floor console you get 2 but, with bench seating you get one. I with Dodge had more. It just seems that in a truck folks would be more likely to plug stuff in. The annoying part of the bench seat is that they still have a smaller console with cup holders and some space but it is the way of the middle seat person’s legs. Simply not an intelligent design here but I guess they could not figure out where to put the drink-holders.
Nice dash with wood trim on the SLT adds just a touch of elegance. I was surprised that the Laramie (top level trim) does not have the wood dash.
Lots of head and leg room in back seat of quad cab.
Headrests are in both front and back seats. Great for safety but the rear headrests do obscure visibility.
Visibility. Overall excellent except over the rear seats. If you drive a car or SUV the added length of the quad cab will take some getting used to for parking.

Handling:
All motors have sufficient power but as I noted above get the V8 if you plan on any towing. Lots of torque and enough power to press you back into the seats on hard acceleration. Braking feels solid and firm even when I had a trailer and full load in the box. The truck corners very well for this type of vehicle.
The Dakota has a very solid and smooth firm ride. Not quite as smooth as a car but still very comfortable. Quiet ride so you can hear the wonderful rumble of the V8. This truck has a much quieter ride than my 2004 Ford Explorer. The cabin presented very low wind noise and I could not hear any tire noise despite the large deep tread Goodyear tires. This was a pleasant surprise for a pickup.

Dodge clearly states that the Dakota is not designed to do plowing. If you are bent on making money clearing snow you can carry a couple of snowblowers in the back and do your thing.

When equipped with towing package you also have a switch that allows changes the shifting pattern on the automatic which prevents excess strain on the transmission. The package does also include transmission cooler. This is a great feature and will certainly help with transmission reliability. The trailer package has 2 plugs a 4 pin and 7 pin pre-wired and they did a great job on this with mounted connectors so you have no dangling wires. When I got my Ford Explorer I had to wire it myself so it has a pigtail dangling despite having the factory installed hitch. I have done quite a bit of towing with the Dakota and it handles the load well.

Workmanship and finish:
No defects spotted so far on the exterior. The paint is smooth and well applied. I do recommend a bed liner. Dodge offers many colors and appearance options. The finish on mine looks great and I am sure with proper care will last many years. Keep in mind that trucks are often exposed to harsh conditions and if used off road or on salted roads make sure you wash the truck well and rinse the undercarriage. Dodge warns that commercial automated car washes can easily damage a finish. This holds true with any vehicle. So if you are picky like me hand wash or at least rinse off the truck when it gets dirty.

I have had this truck for several months and nothing has failed to work properly which is a first time. This was a pleasant surprise. I have owned many new vehicles and they always had to go back for something.

Dealer experience:
Find a sales person who knows their stuff. Anyone can read a window sticker. Ask them about performance and accessories. You will easily find those who know and those who do not. This is critical for you the buyer who is looking for guidance in you decision.

Vehicle and warranties: Some will say that any extended warranty is a waste of money. But if you plan to keep you car for 7 years it may be a good idea. I also found that there is a lot of negotiation room on this and got my full 7/70 coverage for $800 vs. the $1800 originally quoted. To me that is a worthwhile piece of mind as I am a driver not a mechanic. I also know that in 2 or 3 repair visits I could easily exceed what I paid. I also decided to take a maintenance plan. Just easier for me and I know I have the right maintenance being performed. At re-sale time these dealer maintenance records should help.

Delivery – They delivered my vehicle on the same day I picked it out. No waiting and no problems. I was quite impressed as other vehicles in the past usually had to go back for something at least once or twice.
Incentives – Of course the Employee Pricing and other incentives really made a difference. I saved $6500 off sticker and negotiated another $1000 on top of that. Price made a big difference in my decision to go with a new Dakota. The incentives will also impact the used market but when I looked at used vehicles a new truck was very close in price so it made no sense.

Reliability:
I now have about 20k miles and no problems at all. I expect this truck to be trouble free for a long time to come as all the components seem to be sturdy and well made.

Accessories an important part of buying a truck:
Before buying accessories do you homework. There are a lot of great aftermarket accessories with features and construction equal to Dodge OEM and in many cases have better features. Of course some accessories are of poor quality. Do you research and get the right accessory which will enhance the value, utility or performance of your truck. There are a lot of great products and a lot of bad products. I have decided to include discussion on accessories and how they apply to the Dakota and in general as buyers should consider the overall package. Keep in mind that some accessories add weight and wind resistance which affects performance and in some cases may affect warranty. Also non-factory accessories may not be covered by your insurance so if that is a concern check with your agent. Do lots of research before buying accessories.

Here is my list of key items that most folks will consider for a pickup:
Bedliners – This is a very important and valuable item that will protect your truck
Tonneau covers - Looks great but can limit how much stuff you can carry
Cap/Topper – Provides more protected storage
Step bars – May protect lower body panels
Window visors (in channel and stick on)
Rear window slider
Bumpers and push bars – Do your shopping carefully
Roof Rack (note: you cannot install a roof rack if you get side airbags)
K&N filter or K&N Filtercharger. The stock replacement filter offers better filtration than stock and will last longer. I recommend this filter over the stock filter and it will not void your warranty.
I do not recommend performance accessories like chips or exhaust/intake systems that change the design or configuration of the motor. These will probably shorten the life of your truck and/or void the warranty. This truck has enough power. Do not waste your money or risk ruining a great truck.


Amount Paid (US$): 28,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: Quad Cab 4x4 SLT