What is it?
2008 Dodge Dakota
What's special about it?
It used to be easy for the Dodge Dakota to stand out among midsize trucks. It was the only one.
That considerable advantage is now history as most of the Dakota's competitors have grown to midsize proportions. The only trump card left for the Dakota is the availability of a V8 engine and for 2008, the Dodge Dakota gets an even more powerful version of the 4.7-liter engine along with new skin on the outside.
In order to extract more power from the already strong V8, the engineers at Dodge added another spark plug to each cylinder, raised the compression and smoothed out the airflow of the cylinder head ports. It's all classic hot-rodder stuff, and it yields 25 percent more power and 10 percent more torque. Ratings for the 4.7 now stand at 290 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. Efficiency is up and noise is down thanks to lighter pistons and connecting rods, slower accessory drive speeds and a new valve lash adjuster system.
Nothing changes on the base 3.7-liter V6. It still puts put 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual is standard on both engines. If you want an automatic, the V6 can be equipped with a four-speed, while the V8 offers a more flexible five-speed. You can get two- or four-wheel drive with either engine and the Dakota continues to offer the only full-time four-wheel-drive system in the segment. With the V8, the Dakota's maximum tow rating is 7,050 pounds.
To make it look as if it did more than just tweak the engine, Dodge gave the Dakota a face-lift up front. Rectangular headlights are the most noticeable change, but the hood, bumper and grille are new, too. There are changes to the interior as well, like a new center console, revised gauges and improved finishes. Don't expect to be impressed with the upgrades, however, as we can barely tell the difference.
What's Edmunds' take?
More power never hurts when it comes to trucks and the Dodge has a considerable edge on its competitors. Now if Dodge could just give the interior a real makeover, the Dakota would be competitive. — Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
2008 Dodge Dakota
What's special about it?
It used to be easy for the Dodge Dakota to stand out among midsize trucks. It was the only one.
That considerable advantage is now history as most of the Dakota's competitors have grown to midsize proportions. The only trump card left for the Dakota is the availability of a V8 engine and for 2008, the Dodge Dakota gets an even more powerful version of the 4.7-liter engine along with new skin on the outside.
In order to extract more power from the already strong V8, the engineers at Dodge added another spark plug to each cylinder, raised the compression and smoothed out the airflow of the cylinder head ports. It's all classic hot-rodder stuff, and it yields 25 percent more power and 10 percent more torque. Ratings for the 4.7 now stand at 290 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. Efficiency is up and noise is down thanks to lighter pistons and connecting rods, slower accessory drive speeds and a new valve lash adjuster system.
Nothing changes on the base 3.7-liter V6. It still puts put 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual is standard on both engines. If you want an automatic, the V6 can be equipped with a four-speed, while the V8 offers a more flexible five-speed. You can get two- or four-wheel drive with either engine and the Dakota continues to offer the only full-time four-wheel-drive system in the segment. With the V8, the Dakota's maximum tow rating is 7,050 pounds.
To make it look as if it did more than just tweak the engine, Dodge gave the Dakota a face-lift up front. Rectangular headlights are the most noticeable change, but the hood, bumper and grille are new, too. There are changes to the interior as well, like a new center console, revised gauges and improved finishes. Don't expect to be impressed with the upgrades, however, as we can barely tell the difference.
What's Edmunds' take?
More power never hurts when it comes to trucks and the Dodge has a considerable edge on its competitors. Now if Dodge could just give the interior a real makeover, the Dakota would be competitive. — Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
Add A Comment »