Dodge Dakota Trucks
>> Sunday, November 20, 2011
It wasn't until the late 1980s that Dodge got serious about competing in the compact pickup market. Instead of building another bite-size truck to scrabble for sales against strong-selling imports, the company created the Dodge Dakota, the first-ever midsize pickup truck. Size has long been the Dakota's chief advantage over the competition, as it slots neatly between cramped compacts and hulking full-size trucks. When Dodge introduced the Dakota Quad Cab in 2000, it was the first relatively small crew cab to offer truly comfortable seating for four adults.
From our perspective, the one Hemi that caught our eye was under the hood of a hacked-up Durango called the “Dude.” Conceived and built by the Chrysler Group SkunkWerks team, the Dude looks a little like a regular cab Dakota with an SRT-10 hood; that is if Dodge made a regular cab Dakota. But since they don’t, the team chopped off the back of a Durango, rounded off the roofline a little and fabricated the leftover sheetmetal into a cargo bed. The Dude is also modified with a cat-back exhaust, lowered suspension, custom front and rear fascia, 20-inch Budnik wheels and hot PPG Tangerine paint. Don’t expect any such vehicle to appear in any showroom. To be honest, we’d rather see the SkunkWerks team chop up a Dodge Magnum and make a Rancher/El Camino-type pickup.
In addition to its just-right size, the Dodge Dakota has always had an edge in on-road dynamics. When it first arrived on the market, compact trucks were typically tough and durable enough for off-road use, but most were ill-mannered on pavement. In contrast, the Dakota rode smoothly and handled predictably on the road, yet was still hardy enough for off-highway work. These traits have carried through to the present day. Dodge was also the first manufacturer to put a V8 in a small pickup, and indeed there have been some powerful Dakotas over the years. However, the leading import brands are now getting as much or more performance out of their more fuel-efficient V6s, which has left the current-generation Dakota at a competitive disadvantage. Aside from this shortcoming, though, the Dodge Dakota has much to recommend it to consumers shopping for a spacious and versatile midsize pickup truck.
From our perspective, the one Hemi that caught our eye was under the hood of a hacked-up Durango called the “Dude.” Conceived and built by the Chrysler Group SkunkWerks team, the Dude looks a little like a regular cab Dakota with an SRT-10 hood; that is if Dodge made a regular cab Dakota. But since they don’t, the team chopped off the back of a Durango, rounded off the roofline a little and fabricated the leftover sheetmetal into a cargo bed. The Dude is also modified with a cat-back exhaust, lowered suspension, custom front and rear fascia, 20-inch Budnik wheels and hot PPG Tangerine paint. Don’t expect any such vehicle to appear in any showroom. To be honest, we’d rather see the SkunkWerks team chop up a Dodge Magnum and make a Rancher/El Camino-type pickup.
In addition to its just-right size, the Dodge Dakota has always had an edge in on-road dynamics. When it first arrived on the market, compact trucks were typically tough and durable enough for off-road use, but most were ill-mannered on pavement. In contrast, the Dakota rode smoothly and handled predictably on the road, yet was still hardy enough for off-highway work. These traits have carried through to the present day. Dodge was also the first manufacturer to put a V8 in a small pickup, and indeed there have been some powerful Dakotas over the years. However, the leading import brands are now getting as much or more performance out of their more fuel-efficient V6s, which has left the current-generation Dakota at a competitive disadvantage. Aside from this shortcoming, though, the Dodge Dakota has much to recommend it to consumers shopping for a spacious and versatile midsize pickup truck.
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