2007 Dodge Dakota Review

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Summary

There's little to change in this pickup that gets rated highly by both experts and owners for its great suspension, cornering, and maneuverability around city streets.  Drivers love its full-size power and towing capacity (up to 7100 pounds with the V8) and the sedan-like feel of the Quad Cab interior, which seats six and has easy-to-use dashboard layout and convenient console storage for family use.  With extremely roomy front seats, it works for long family road trips or in-town hauling. 

Full Review 2007

It may not be as famous as its sibling Dodge Ram, but the Dodge Dakota holds its own place in the pick-up truck market.  The 2007 Dakota is a mid sized truck on the larger side of its category.  At a first glance it may actually appear to be as big as the Ram, but it handles and drives like a smaller truck.  New for 2007 is a remote engine start.  Three trims are offered in 2007: ST, SLT, and Laramie and there are two body styles to choose from. Club Cab extended cabs have a 6.5-ft cargo bed and rear-hinged back doors that do not open independently of the fronts. They seat up to five. Quad Cab crew cabs have a 5.3-ft bed and seat up to six. Dakota's standard engine is a 210-hp V6. Available are V8s of 230 and 260 hp. The 260-hp V8 comes only with automatic transmission. The other engines come with manual or automatic.

Dakota Design

2007 Dodge Dakota is a big truck.  The Club Cab models have a 6.5-foot bed, while the Quad Cab gets a bed that measures 5 feet, 4 inches. Wheels are available in 16-, 17- and 18-inch sizes. Club Cabs have auxiliary rear doors that swing open nearly 180 degrees. Quad Cabs feature four huge doors; the rear doors open out to nearly 90 degrees, so ingress and egress are very good. Quad Cab interiors are roomy, with over 102 cubic feet of passenger space. Last redesigned for 2005, the Dodge Dakota hasn't changed much in appearance since then. The Dakota shares its design with the full-size Dodge Ram and Durango SUV. All three share the retro big-rig grille motif and bulging fenders that have become trademarks of the Dodge Truck brand. Still, Dakota boasts sharper, crisper lines and flatter planes than its relatives; and its grille is laid back, not vertical. Front fender lines deliberately extended halfway along the length of the door. A coil-over-shock independent front suspension is used on both 2WD and 4WD models, with conventional lea f springs at the re ar. All models come with front and rear tow hooks and tie-downs in the bed.

2007 Cabin Features

2007 Dakota Quad Cab models can be configured for six-person seating rather than the usual five-person capacity. With the rear seats folded, Club Cab storage space totals 30 cubic feet, versus 37.1 cubic feet in the Quad Cab. Club Cab models have forward-facing rear seats and rear-hinged access doors. The rear seats are stepped up on their bases so that rear-seat occupants can see out more easily and they are split into 40/20/40 folding sections with two rear cupholders. Getting in is easy, and the interior is comfortable and convenient, with controls that are easy to reach and operate. Rear-seat room is generous. The angular center stack houses the sound system, climate controls and vents. The thick four-spoke steering wheel features audio and cruise controls. Brushed metal accents brighten the cockpit, and the whole design works very well in terms of usability, convenience, and reach.

Driving the Dakota

With the V-6, the Dakota cab feel short on power and sluggish for passing and merging. Furthermore, it doesn't offer a big fuel economy advantage. Four-wheel-drive versions ride with pleasant smoothness on good pavement. The suspension reacts quickly to bumps and recovers promptly. On narrow two-lane roads, the Dakota maneuvers quite handily and with satisfying steering feel. Dakota's rack-and-pinion power steering is a bit over-assisted. The truck tracks extremely well, and responds quickly to inputs. Like all pickup trucks the 2007 Dodge Dakota can get choppy over small, high-intensity bumps and ruts. It's been upgraded for '07 with electronic throttle control and exhaust-gas recirculation. Thick glass, big mufflers, and generous sound insulation throughout the body and firewall help reduce noise.

Dodge Truck Power

A 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 is standard. For more power, the available 4.7-liter V-8 produces 230 hp and 290 pounds-feet of torque. At the top of performance is a high-output 4.7-liter V-8 that makes 260 hp. Transmission choices include a four-speed automatic, five-speed automatic and six-speed manual. The Laramie comes standard with the automatic. Either a part-time or full-time four-wheel-drive transfer case is available.  The 4WD system should not be left engaged on dry pavement, but like the AWD system, includes low-range gearing.

Safety  Features

Rear-wheel antilock braking is standard; four-wheel ABS is optional. The Club Cab has earned five-star safety ratings in both front and side impact testing by the federal government (NHTSA).

The Dodge Dakota is on the large end of the mid-size pickups. The Dakota is the biggest pickup in the mid-size class, and the only mid-size truck available with a V8. Dakota looks nearly as big and tough as the full-size Dodge Ram. A dual-position tailgate is now standard on all models, maximizing versatility when hauling long building materials. Cars.com praised 2007 Dakota for its maneuverability and towing capacity, and really loved the V-8 performance (read more here). "Never mind the new look if you don't care for it. The 2007 Dodge Dakota has a V8. We've been told our entire lives it's what's inside that counts." adds PickupTruck.com If you are looking for a vehicle that is big and brawny, but not as big as a full-size, the Dodge Dakota is a good choice. All models come with front and rear tow hooks and tie-downs in the bed. Fuel economy range for the 2007 Dodge Dakota is estimated at 22 mpg Hwy, and 16 mpg City.