The introduction of the Dakota pickup truck nearly a decade ago marked
Dodge's first serious incursion into the light-truck market in years. Once a major force with entries such as its highly valued Power Wagon models,
Dodge's truck efforts languished through the '70s as
Ford and
Chevrolet fought for sales leadership. When Lee Iacocca took over
Chrysler, a priority was to examine the company's position in the light-truck arena.
The full-size Dodge Ram badly needed new life. However, it w4s felt that a better immediate opportunity lay in the midsize-truck market, where Ford and Chevrolet were just beginning to establish themselves. Enter the Dodge Dakota. Midsize, all right, but just a little bigger in payload and interior. The timing was right as pickup truck sales began to surge: Dakota was a solid sales hit. And Chrysler kept fine-tuning it with a new V6 engine, trim packages, an extended cab and 4WD versions. Then the 318 CID 5.2-liter 220-hp Magnum V8 was added to the mix. Another hit.
Our test model was the 1994 Dodge Dakota Club Cab with the Sport SLT trim package and the optional 220-h V8. The standard engine was the very respectable 3.9-liter 175-hp V6. Our truck had a base price of $14,042 and a delivered MSRP price, plus taxes, of $17,846-this after a $2,722 Dodge factory discount. While this may seem pricey, it is competitive with the other midsize pickup truck offerings.
Your first impression is that this 2 looks more like a full-size truck, It is big. The cab is extended, with a back seat. And behind the extended cab is a 6.5-foot pickup truck box. All of this is mounted on a chassis with a 130.9-inch wheelbase. While it lacks the pizzazz of the all new
Chevrolet S-Series and
Ford Ranger pickups, the Dakota possesses a certain solid, serious dignity.
A heavy-duty black composite bodyside molding runs along the flanks between the similarly clad wheel openings. This is serious parking lot protection and adds to the overall "big truck" look. The look is brightened by stylish wraparound headlights and taillights and a bold, chrome grille. A chrome front bumper and rear step bumper also add cheer. Fit-and-finish is quite good-much better than any earlier model pickups famous for their orange-peel paint and ill-fitting body panels. Our truck was finished in Emerald Green Metallic with a Quartz interior and styled steel chrome wheels.
The pickup truck bed is of the now-standard double-wall construction. Notches in the bed sides provide support for wood spacers in two-tier loading. The tailgate, with a new center-mounted stoplight, is removable.
