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2005 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4X4 Laramie Road Test

Survival of the Fittest

I am not a truck person. Trucks, like the half-mesh hats named after them, manual labor, and hauling around planks of wood or towing trailers, are not things that run in my blood. Should the situation ever arise that I would need to buy a truck, it would most likely be a compact truck - something comfortable, easy to drive, and relatively car-like, should such a product be available. The compact truck, would, by logic, be the most suitable type of truck for me.

But therein lies the problem: in the world of automobiles, bigger doesnt necessarily mean better. Advancements in engineering allow cab-forward design and miniscule overhangs to turn even surprisingly small cars into roomy people-movers. But this kind of logic

To have a better pickup truck is to have more - more payload capability, more towing capacity, more bed volume and of course more power. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

doesnt exactly work for pickup trucks, where the focus is on capability.

To have a better pickup truck is to have more - more payload capability, more towing capacity, more bed volume and of course more power and torque to shift all the extra more. Though trucks arent animals, their humanoid buyers are and as such, Darwins Origin of the Species applies.

The Dodge Dakota is the pioneer of the midsize truck segment, bridging the gap between weedy four-cylinder import pickups and traditional half-ton pickups. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Its truly a market of survival of the fittest.

But for the remaining few compact trucks that havent evolved, my hopes and wishes are now directed towards the latest adaptation, the midsize truck. With a change of heart, I put myself in the shoes of its target market. I find myself thinking that bigger is better, and in a bid (which does not include ego-inflation) I go for the granddaddy of them

Completely redesigned for 2005, the Dakota has built up an enviable reputation and top-selling status in its segment. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

all, the Dodge Dakota.

Having pioneered the midsize truck segment three generations ago in 1987, by bridging the gap between weedy four-cylinder import pickups and traditional half-ton pickups, the Dakota has evolved into a formidable machine. Completely redesigned for 2005, the Dakota has built up an enviable reputation and top-selling status in its segment. Its now a household nameplate for Dodge, alongside the full-size Ram.

For 2005, the midsize truck

Dodge offers the Dakota in two cab styles, five trim levels, and a wide variety of powertrain combinations. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

segment has blossomed with a variety of all-new vehicles. While the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon duo and Ford Ranger appear to be the Dakotas biggest threats, competition arises from the seriousness of the Japanese through the redesigned Toyota Tacoma, and the vastly improved Nissan Frontier. Honda has also entered the scene with its advanced Ridgeline SUT pickup, while Ford is working on the follow up to its crossover pickup-SUV Explorer SportTrac. Intense pressure, surely, but with eighteen years of experience in this market, Dodge is not one to crumble when the going

Its clear to see that Dodges styling department has given the Dakota its own visual identity. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

gets tough.

In order to ideally suit its buyers and their needs, Dodge offers the Dakota in two cab styles, five trim levels, and a wide variety of powertrain combinations. Like the competition, the Detroit-based automaker has abandoned the regular cab/long bed layout, leaving a choice between the Club Cab (extended cab, with rear-hinged access doors), and the Quad Cab (even bigger cab, with four proper doors).

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