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2008 Dodge Dakota Safety Review

July 24, 2008

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Four-wheel ABS is a worthwhile investment
ConsumerGuide

Acceptable" for frontal crashes, "Marginal" for side impacts
IIHS

Five stars, frontal impact and side impact protection; four stars, rollover
NHTSA

Good crash-test results and an adequate number of standard and optional safety features make the 2008 Dodge Dakota one of the safer pickups reviewed by TheCarConnection.com--but there's still room for improvement.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awards the 2008 Dodge Dakota five out of five stars for frontal and side-impact crashes. In regard to rollover resistance, the Dakota garners four out of five stars. However, the more stringent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Dodge Dakota 2008 only a score of "acceptable" for frontal crashes and "marginal" for side impacts.

Standard safety features on the Dodge Dakota include "antilock brakes" and "curtain side airbags." Optional features for the Dodge Dakota, according to Cars.com, include "four wheel ABS, side impact air bags upfront and curtains front and rear for $640."

Lastly, J.D. Power notes that since the Dodge Dakota 2008 has "the driver sitting high" in the front seat, there is "good outward visibility."

Conclusion

The 2008 Dodge Dakota picks up good crash-test scores from the feds, but private test scores are lower, and many safety features are optional on some models.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Four-wheel ABS is a worthwhile investmentConsumerGuideAcceptable" for frontal crashes, "Marginal" for side impactsIIHSFive stars, frontal impact and side impact protection; four stars, rolloverNHTSA Good crash-test results and an adequate number of standard and optional safety features make the 2008 Dodge Dakota one of the safer pickups reviewed by TheCarConnection.com--but there's still room for improvement. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awards the 2008 Dodge Dakota five out of five stars for frontal and side-impact crashes. In regard to rollover resistance, the Dakota garners four out of five stars. However, the more stringent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Dodge Dakota 2008 only a score of "acceptable" for frontal crashes and "marginal" for side impacts. Standard safety features on the Dodge Dakota include "antilock brakes" and "curtain side airbags." Optional features for the Dodge Dakota, according to Cars.com, include "four wheel ABS, side impact air bags upfront and curtains front and rear for $640." Lastly, J.D. Power notes that since the Dodge Dakota 2008 has "the driver sitting high" in the front seat, there is "good outward visibility." ConclusionThe 2008 Dodge Dakota picks up good crash-test scores from the feds, but private test scores are lower, and many safety features are optional on some models.  2008 DODGE DAKOTA STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: "The front end is where the dramatic transformation has taken place" ConsumerGuide: "Deserves a look for its refinement" Automobile: "The Dakota's cosmetic changes are mostly limited to the front end" The 2008 Dodge Dakota ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The mid-size pickup market isn't hotly contested, and excluding the HUMMER H3T, the players are all kind of stale. The V-8 in the 2008 Dodge Dakota gives it a distinct advantage in power over the five-cylinder Chevy and GMC mid-size twins, as well as the six-cylinder Tacoma, Frontier, and Ridgeline. However, the imports offer quality and dynamic performance advantages over the Dodge. New for 2009, only the HUMMER H3T Alpha model offers a V-8, and at nearly $40,000, it's much pricier than the Dodge.

Next Steps:

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See the Dodge Dakota in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

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