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2009 Dodge Dakota Quality Review

February 22, 2009

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Interior materials look and feel budget grade
ConsumerGuide

Lots of hard plastic inside the cabin
Car and Driver

Plenty of passenger room, and grab handles on the A-pillar assist with entry
MyRide.com

The 2009 Dodge Dakota offers more interior space than nearly all of its competitors, but it falls behind in terms of materials and construction quality.

The two different cab styles of the 2009 Dodge Dakota bring two different seating capacities—according to ConsumerGuide, Extended Cabs "seat up to five," while "three-abreast rear seating" in Crew Cabs helps them "seat up to six." Edmunds reports that the "Dakota's cabin is quite roomy, but even so we strongly recommend moving up to the Quad Cab if you regularly carry four or more adults." ConsumerGuide agrees, noting that "only two adults will fit comfortably" in the back, where "headroom and legroom is adequate for adults under 6 ft, but taller riders will want more legroom."

In terms of utility, the 2009 Dodge Dakota is a true standout. The interior is packed with storage goodies, including Dodge's "under-seat Crate 'N Go storage," according to Cars.com. Edmunds reviewers love the "handy new storage bin over the glovebox," which is perfect for storing electronics, while MyRide.com points out that the Dodge Dakota offers "a plethora of cubbies and nooks." Out back, the utility is diminished somewhat, warns Edmunds, by the fact that the Quad Cab "has a short 5-foot, 4-inch bed and Dodge offers neither a longer bed length nor a factory bed extender."

Aside from inflexible bed length arrangements, another downside to the Dodge Dakota is poor overall quality. ConsumerGuide says that the "interior materials look and feel budget grade," especially the "hard, shiny plastic [that] covers most surfaces." Car and Driver similarly disparages the "hard plastic inside the cabin," while Edmunds reports that "quality remains unimpressive when compared to the segment leaders."

On the positive side, Dodge has managed to craft a surprisingly quiet cabin for the 2009 Dodge Dakota. ConsumerGuide reviewers claim that "road noise is impressively hushed," and Cars.com adds that "the roomy cab is arguably quieter on the road than other compact trucks."

Conclusion

The 2009 Dodge Dakota offers storage aplenty but sacrifices quality on the way.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:Interior materials look and feel budget gradeConsumerGuideLots of hard plastic inside the cabinCar and DriverPlenty of passenger room, and grab handles on the A-pillar assist with entryMyRide.com The 2009 Dodge Dakota offers more interior space than nearly all of its competitors, but it falls behind in terms of materials and construction quality. The two different cab styles of the 2009 Dodge Dakota bring two different seating capacities—according to ConsumerGuide, Extended Cabs "seat up to five," while "three-abreast rear seating" in Crew Cabs helps them "seat up to six." Edmunds reports that the "Dakota's cabin is quite roomy, but even so we strongly recommend moving up to the Quad Cab if you regularly carry four or more adults." ConsumerGuide agrees, noting that "only two adults will fit comfortably" in the back, where "headroom and legroom is adequate for adults under 6 ft, but taller riders will want more legroom." In terms of utility, the 2009 Dodge Dakota is a true standout. The interior is packed with storage goodies, including Dodge's "under-seat Crate 'N Go storage," according to Cars.com. Edmunds reviewers love the "handy new storage bin over the glovebox," which is perfect for storing electronics, while MyRide.com points out that the Dodge Dakota offers "a plethora of cubbies and nooks." Out back, the utility is diminished somewhat, warns Edmunds, by the fact that the Quad Cab "has a short 5-foot, 4-inch bed and Dodge offers neither a longer bed length nor a factory bed extender." Aside from inflexible bed length arrangements, another downside to the Dodge Dakota is poor overall quality. ConsumerGuide says that the "interior materials look and feel budget grade," especially the "hard, shiny plastic [that] covers most surfaces." Car and Driver similarly disparages the "hard plastic inside the cabin," while Edmunds reports that "quality remains unimpressive when compared to the segment leaders." On the positive side, Dodge has managed to craft a surprisingly quiet cabin for the 2009 Dodge Dakota. ConsumerGuide reviewers claim that "road noise is impressively hushed," and Cars.com adds that "the roomy cab is arguably quieter on the road than other compact trucks." ConclusionThe 2009 Dodge Dakota offers storage aplenty but sacrifices quality on the way. 2009 DODGE DAKOTA STYLING | [7 out of 10] ConsumerGuide: "Controls are logically placed and readily accessible" Car and Driver: "One of the tougher entries—in both power and looks—in the compact pickup truck segment" Edmunds: "Limited body style configurations" The bold, aggressive ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

The H3T stands out in this category for its styling and the HUMMER brand’s cachet with a certain crowd, but plenty of people are likely to be scared away from that brand’s eco-unfriendly image; the H3T is considerably more expensive, too. The two vehicles in this class with the freshest look are the H3T and the Ridgeline, which received a modest refresh for 2009. The Colorado is on paper a competitor, but in the real world its powertrains are uncivilized and it feels in a class below the others. 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.

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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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