The Mighty Dodge

The 2001 Dodge Dakota Sport 4x4 Club Cab

Let me start by saying, in my opinion, the new Dodge trucks are by far the best looking pickups on the market today. I have not found too many people who deny that. So last September, when I decided the VW Beetle had to go, I went looking for a Dodge.

The Dodge Dakota is a true “mid sized” pickup. It is bigger than the comparably priced Toyota Tacoma, and has a whole lot more creature features.

The Exterior:

Dodge does a nice job with the paint. The 2001 model comes in a new Silver color that is slightly lighter than the past years silver. The Sport package gets rid of all that silly chrome stuff that comes on the standard models. This is a huge plus in my book.

My truck is also equipped with the off road suspension lift and 16” alloy wheels with over sized tires. This combination adds a sufficient “mean” look to the truck, as well as adding 3” to the standard 9” clearance, giving this truck a full 12”. And as most women will tell you, anything over 12” is a waste.

Other exterior features worth noting are the integrated running lights, the tow hitch (part of the heavy duty tow package), and tinted windows. The running lights are molded nicely into the front apron and provide plenty of extra light on the road when needed. The tinted windows are a nice touch for sure but they only do the rear and rear/side windows (extended cab model). If you really want the truck to look “BAD”, tinting the driver and passenger side windows is a must. One really nice thing about the tow package on these trucks is how hidden they are. The bulk of the tow hitch is tucked neatly out of site exposing nothing but the class 3 receiver and wiring connector from just under the rear bumper. Yet another example of how Dodge is taking the “look” of their new trucks seriously. For some reason it really seems ridiculous to me that anyone would buy a nice new truck or SUV and say to the salesman “Hey by the way, stick a big old ugly tow hitch that hangs down 6 inches on the back of this thing.”.

The Interior:

The 2001 interior is completely redesigned from the 2000 trucks. I think it was a good move. In fact, I could have gotten a new 2000 model for thousands less but once I saw the new 2001 interior, I couldn’t settle for the old one.

The interior is, in a word, comfortable. The switches for power windows and locks are right where they should be. The gauges are all visible through the steering wheel, even with the wheel in a comfortable position. The stereo and temp controls are within reach and easy to operate. I find the armrests (both on the door and the center one) are at the perfect height and more importantly, THE SAME HEIGHT. I can’t stand a vehicle that has one damn armrest way up high and the other down low. That’s just plain stupid.

The seats are quite comfortable despite being relatively hard. Some people like the more cushy seats but I prefer a firm seat that is molded well to keep you in it around those tight corners. The seat operation is another story. If there is one negative thing I can say about this truck’s design is that the seats are a pain in the butt to move. They are very stiff, making it a bit annoying whenever your trying to get something out of the backseat or when the kids are trying to climb in. Of course if this is a real problem for you, you can always buy the Quad Cab version (I wish I had) of the Dakota. It has 4 doors for easy access and entry to the back seat area.

The center console on the floor is a little bit out of reach but not too bad unless you have little tyrannosaurus arms. The two cup holders are FAR superior to the ones I had in my ’95 Dodge RAM (ask Matt about that). They have adjustable arms that will hold just about any size cup in place.

The center armrest is more than just comfortable. It has storage for stuff like cassettes, change, tissues, handguns, etc..

The back seat has ample room for storage but is a little cramped for seating. Although I have had dudes over 6’ tall crammed back there, it didn’t look too comfortable. My kids fit ok. As I said earlier, I wish I had gotten the Quad Cab.

Power train:

The standard 4x4 comes equipped with a 3.9-liter, V6, 175-horsepower engine that consumes 15-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. My truck is equipped with the Next Generation 4.7L V8 230 horsepower engine that supplies an incredible 295 pound-feet of torque at 3,200 rpm. Outstanding features include lightweight composite intake manifold and pistons, rod assemblies and high-flow cylinder heads for extra power. I test drove the same truck with the V6 and was satisfied … until I tried the V8.

Let me tell you, it’s got plenty of power. Off road, it seems no hill is too steep for the Dakota to climb. On the highway, 80-90mph is a comfortable cruising speed as the 4.7L V8 hums along at about 2200–2500 rpm respectively. At “normal” highway speeds though (55-65mph) the 5 speed automatic transmission can be a bit fussy. Shifting in and out of gears as the grade of the road changes, as if trying to find the happy medium. This is not really a big problem for me except for when I am stuck behind some moron going 60mph who refuses to get the hell out of the high speed lane.

2001 is the first year Dodge put the 4 wheel drive shifter on the dash. A flip of a switch and your climbing hills you can barely walk up. It is easy, convenient, and also frees up room for more doodad space in the floor console.

Performance:

The ride is much improved from earlier models. Dodge must have made some improvements to the suspension but lets face it, this is a truck we’re talking about here. Not a sports car. As 4x4’s go, the Dakota has a decent ride, and handles very well considering how high it rides.

At highway speeds (90mph), road noise is apparent. Not annoying, but definitely there. Like I said, this is a truck. Suck it up.