Dodge Dakota Trims

The Dokota was introduced by Dodge in for the 1987 model year and was designed to fill the gap between the small compact trucks like the Ford Ranger and the Chevy S-10 and full sized trucks like the Dodge Rams. This was the first smaller pickup that was offered with a V8 engine. Another first for a work truck is the Dakotas rack and pinion steering.

Dodge Dakota

The 2011 Dodge Dakota comes in 6 models the SXT 4x2 extended cab, the SXT 4x2 crew cab, the SXT 4x4 extended cab, the Ram Dakota SXT 4x4 crew cab, the Ram Dakota SLT 4x2 crew cab and the Ram Dakota SLT 4x4 crew cab all with a 131.3 inch wheel base. All come standard with a 3.7 liter SOHC V6 engine.

Past Dodge Dakota Models

Although the Dakota was introduced in 1987 for this review we will be starting with the 1995 model year.

For the years 1995 and 1996 the Dakota was offered with a 4 cyl engine and a 6 cyl engine with the option to upgrade to a V8. The Standard 4 cyl Dakota came as a WS short bed, WS long bed, sport short bed, short be and long bed with an option of 4 wheel drive, a 3.9 liter V6 engine or a 5.2 liter V8 engine. The Standard V6 equipped Dakota came as a Sport Club cab and a Club Cab with optional 4 wheel drive and a 5.2 liter V8 engine.

For 1997 the short bed and long bed Dakotas came with a standard 4 cyl engine and the option of 4 wheel drive a 3.9 liter V6 or a 5.2 liter V8 engine. The Club Cab came standard with a V6 engine and the option of 4 wheel drive and the optional 5.2 liter V8 engine.

For 1998 and 1999 another engine was offered for all models. The short bed, long bed and new R/T short bed came with a standard 4 cyl engine and the option of 4 wheel drive, a 3.9 liter V6, 5.2 liter V8 or a 5.9 liter V8. The Club Cab and R/T club came with a standard V6 engine and optional 4 wheel drive, 4 cyl 2.5 liter, 5.2 liter V8 or 5.9 liter V8 engine.

There was no long bed Dakota offered for the 2000 model year and a new Quad Cab was added a standard V6 and optional 4 wheel drive, 4 cyl 2.5 liter, the new 4.7 liter V8 or the 5.9 liter V8 engine this lineup continued through 2002.

For 2003 Dodge expanded on its three main Dakota configurations the regular cab, club cab and quad cab. All three came standard with a V6 engine and offered the option of 4 wheel drive, and the engine upgrades of either a 4.7 liter V8 or a 5.9 liter V8. The Regular Cab came as a 2 door 6 ½ and a SXT 2 door 6 ½, the sport 2 door 6 ½, SLT 2 door 6 ½ and R/T 6 ½. The Club Cab came as a 2 door, SXT 2 door, Sport 2 door, SLT 2 door and R/T 2 door all 6 ½. Finally the Quad Cab came as a sport 4 door, SXT 4 door and a SLT 4 door all 5'.

For 2004 the R/T was not offered and the only optional engine upgrade offered for all three cab types was the 4.7 liter V8.

Dakota Regular Cab

One of the more notable changes for the 2005 model year was that a regular cab was no longer offered for the Dakota Pickup. Dodge also offered a Laramie model for both the Quad and Club cab versions. A HO version of the 4.7 liter V8 engine was also offered as an option for both the quad and club cabs. These configurations continued through the 2007 Model year.

Dodge Extended and Crew Cabs

For 2008 Dodge replaced the Club and Quad cabs with the new Extended and Crew cabs both came as 4 door trucks with a standard V6 engine and had a ST, SXT, SLT, TRX, Sport and Laramie trims and optional 4 wheel drive and the new 4.7 liter Flex Fuel V8 engine.

2009 saw another change in the optional V8 engine offered for the Dakota the 4.7 liter FFV V8. Both the Crew and the Extended cab trucks came as a ST, the new Big Horn, Laramie and the TRX models.