Dakota digs in

2009 Dodge Dakota

Back in the days when your vehicle choices were a sedan or a big truck, Dodge introduced the Dakota, the first mid-size truck on the market.

For those who didn’t need a giant gas-guzzling pick-up, the Dakota offered a smaller, gas-guzzling alternative that could still haul and tow.

Today’s Dakota still fills those requirements. It just has more competition.

Up against the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier and the Chevy Silverado, the Dakota stands out as having the best towing capacity and a great V8 option.

This year, a few competitors have wised up and are now offering V8 options.

The Dakota, with the V6 engine, has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. With the proper equipment (including the V8 engine), the maximum the Dakota can haul is 7,100 pounds – the best in class number.

The test model I drove for a week had the 4.7 liter V8 engine and the complete towing package.

I forgot to try to tow a boat or trailer that week, so we’ll take Dodge’s word on the towing capabilities.

Let’s talk gas mileage.

It wasn’t too bad. Granted, I didn’t tow anything all week, so I got about 17 mpg. When I say it wasn’t too bad, I mean in relation to other trucks with poor fuel economy estimates.

If you plan on towing, your mpg will decrease to about 13 mpg.

Driving the Dakota was a pretty enjoyable experience. It was stiff and bouncy, like you’d expect in a truck, but the V8 engine kept things relatively effortless on the highway. The Dakota maintains its balance on rough terrain due to its well-calibrated suspension and stiff hydroformed frame.

Inside the Dakota, things are pretty utilitarian. Front seats were comfortable and easily adjusted.

The backseats are NOT comfortable. I was able to get a carseat in the back, on the passenger side. I had to push the front seat up as far as it would go, to get the baby’s seat to fit in the back, making the front passenger seat useless for a real rider. If you need to put a real person in the back, or a car seat, get the crew cab.

Overall, I like the Dakota. And if you have a need to pull a trailer or tow something on a regular basis, the Dakota should be on your shortlist.

The base price for the Dakota extended cab TRX4 4x4 model I test drove was $29,985. With the V8, towing package and a few other options, the bottom line price was a competitive $35,845.