2010 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab TRX4 4x4

I have an idea. I will start buying used cars.

Then I will remove the trunk lid and the carpet in the bottom of the trunk.

Then I will call it a pickup and sell for a profit.

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My father bought a used Dakota, a 4X4 club cab, with 4WD. He loved the truck but hated the fuel mileage, so he sold it and bought a smaller Ford Ranger, with the V6.

The Dakota started out as a good idea, that is, a truck as capable as a full-sized pickup, but in a more maneuverable package, for less money. The truck tested shows how wrong car (and truck) manufacturer's are able to get a "concept" when they revert to BIGGER is better.

Ive been driving and loving a 96 Dakota for a decade now.

Back in the early 87-96 years, the dakota was appreciably differentiated in size from the compacts of the era (s10, ranger, tacoma, nissan pickup, etc), but it was more than its RELATIVE size that gave it purpose.

I, personally, think that that generation of truck stumbled upon an almost PERFECT size. It was WAY smaller and more efficient than the Ram of the same era, but could easily be had with more power than it needed and could haul and tow quite a bit. Today, that size spot is inhabited by the swollen compacts of yesteryear.. The Tacoma and Frontier come to mind..

While i think that those trucks are well served by inhabiting that size niche, the Dakota has awkwardly grown of that perfect spot into a truck that is almost full-size on the outside, no roomier than before on the inside, and can NOT be had with the MPG numbers that justified its room/towing compromises in the decade past.

I am sad to see the Dakota name end, but the current Dakota design ideology certainly deserves to die. I would feel better if dodge had rebadged a right-sized truck like Suzuki did with the Equator than i would feel about buying an all-Dodge design flop like the current Dakota

I liked my 99 Dakota "Sport" V6 ok - but love the '01Tacoma SR5 Pre-Runner Xtra-cab 3.4 V6 2WD that replaced it.

Dakota=average-to-poor build quality truck. And it's crazy to work on 'cause it's got metric next to imperial next to Torx all over.

The original Dodge Dakota created something of a new niche for pickup trucks upon its release for 1987. It wasn't a mini pickup, a full-sized truck, or a car-based truck like the El Camino. It was kind of mid-sized in stature yet could still be ordered with a V8 engine.

Was this the answer for which we sought? Well, after two redesigns and nearly 25 years, the Dakota is about to sail off the ranch.

We recently sampled a Crew Cab 4x4 version. Oddly, we can't find a photo of such an optioned truck on the Chrysler media site. Looks like it really is a lame duck. (By the way, the Dakota is technically now sold under the Ram brand, not Dodge.)