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The base V6 version of
the Dakota came in last in this comparison. Fortunately, unlike all but one
competitor, you can add two more cylinders for an improved overall package. At
a price difference of less than $700, acceleration, refinement, towing
capacity, and even gas mileage improve. This improvement is not sufficient to
improve the Dakota into a class leader, but it transforms it from mediocre at
best to a solid competitor for a blend of capability and value. It still has
the same uncomfortable rear seat, lousy interior quality, poor gas mileage,
and sloppy handling of the last-place V6 Dakota, and still doesn’t stand out
in this group for its acceleration or refinement, but it can present itself as
the reasonable choice in this class that the V6 version cannot.
The Dakota has a fairly
smooth, comfortable rides by the standards of its class. It behaves well on
smooth pavement, but loses composure on bumps and can suffer from some
highway-speed floaty motions. The Dakota handles somewhat clumsily, and the
steering is numb and slow. The Dakota offers two 4.7-liter V8s, one with 30
extra horsepower. The model reviewed here is the lesser of the two V8s, but
offers the better blend of performance and price. It is not as quick as some
of the lighter V6 competitors in this group, but provides capable acceleration
and can tow a best-in-group 6,700 lbs. The V8 sounds much better than the V6
but could stand to be heard less often, and wind noise is excessive. While gas
mileage does not impress by the standards of this group, it is a slight
improvement over the V6 Dakota.
Inside, the Dakota’s
front seats are high and roomy, but not especially well-shaped or well-padded,
and do not offer a wide enough range of adjustments. The rear is roomy enough,
but the seatback is too short and the cushion is flat. The asymmetric
center-rear seating position is not as uncomfortable as it might appear, but
the cupholders mounted right at its base are an irritant. The rear seat flips
up easily in two sections for interior cargo-carrying, but several competitors
offer more space. The Dakota has been known for its relatively long beds since
its 1987 introduction, and it remains a few inches longer than most of the
others here, and easy to access.
 The dash uses
principally hard, cheap plastics, and features rather shoddy assembly. The
instruments are at least well laid-out, and the gauges are very clear. Drivers
sit fairly comfortably, but rearward visibility is obstructed by thick
pillars. Entry/exit is easy to the front and rear, thanks to the high seats,
wide door openings, and abundant interior space.
The V8 Dakota reviewed
here came in at a reasonable $25,278, identically equipped to the $24,574 V6
version. Safety features like torso-protecting side airbags and traction and
stability control are unavailable, and a sunroof is unavailable with the
optional side-curtain airbags. It was however the only truck in this group to
offer a convenient hands-free cell phone link.
The V8 Dakota is a
flawed vehicle. The rear seat isn’t comfortable, it doesn’t handle well, it
returns poor gas mileage, key safety features are unavailable, and the
interior is poorly assembled. But it leads the group in its towing capacity,
is reasonably priced, and delivers reasonable ride comfort, refinement,
front-seat comfort, and power. It’s worth a look for its capability for the
money, but some competitors offer a more complete package.
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