- pickup 100,015
- 12,748 high price
- Spokane, WA
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- autoshopper.com
2007 dodge dakota review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Big v8 performance in a mid-size pickup. introductionthe dodge dakota looks big. The dakota is the biggest pickup in the mid-size class, and the only mid-size truck available with a v8. Dodge claims its 7150-pound maximum towing capacity is by far the best in the class. Dakota looks nearly as big and tough as the full-size dodge ram. The rear doors on club cabs and quad cabs open wide, and the quad cab can accommodate six. The club cab has earned five-star safety ratings in both front and side impact testing by the federal government (nhtsa). underway, the dakota is smooth and quiet. The optional 4. 7-liter v8 burbles subtly in the background when cruising, but really scoots when the throttle is mashed. A high-output version with over 310 pound-feet of torque is available if that's not enough. Dakota's steering is light for easy maneuverability in crowded parking lots and the dakota responds quickly on mountain roads and tracks nice and straight on the highway. for 2007, the v8 is now flex-fuel capable, meaning it can run on gasoline or up to 85 percent ethanol. A dual-position tailgate is now standard on all models, maximizing versatility when hauling long building materials. One-touch lane-change signaling is available for those who like that feature. It comes with a 6 1/2-foot bed. Each can seat five to six passengers, but back-seat riders will be much more comfortable in the quad cab. Both bodies are built on the same 131. 1-inch wheelbase. three trim levels are available: st, slt, and laramie. Regardless of trim, however, club cabs come with a front bench seat split 40/20/40; while quad cabs come with front bucket seats, with the bench seat as an option. Bucket seats are optional on slt and laramie club cabs. the standard engine is a 3. 7-liter v6. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission. A 4. 7-liter v8 engine is available for all models. It comes with a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic on st and slt, and again with the automatic only on laramie. A high-output version of the 4. 7-liter v8 is available for the slt and laramie, exclusively with the five-speed automatic. st club cab 19,135) and quad cab 21,835) come standard with air conditioning, am/fm/cd stereo with audio auxiliary jack, tinted rear windows, front disc/rear drum brakes with rear-wheel anti-lock (abs), and 16-inch steel wheels. An optional hands-free communications system uses bluetooth technology to integrate a compatible cellphone with the truck's audio system. A sunroof 850) is available on slt and laramie quad cabs. A new option for slt and laramie is a remote starter 185). a new-for-'07 sport appearance package adds body color trim and 18-inch painted wheels to slt or laramie, while a new chrome accent package adds tubular side steps and other brightwork. The trx package is available on 2wd st, slt and laramie. Trx4 off-road includes everything in the trx package plus painted shocks; an increased ride height of one inch; heavy-duty service package; skid plates; trx4 off-road cargo box decal; and slush mats. r/t is an slt with the high-output 4. 7-liter engine and: 17-inch five-spoke/five-lug chrome-clad aluminum wheels; hood scoop; sport appearance pa. walkarounddodge dakota looks massive and menacing, with a long snout devoted to crush space. Last redesigned for 2005, the dodge dakota hasn't changed much in appearance since then. the dakota shares its design with the full-size dodge ram and durango suv. All three share the retro big-rig grille motif and bulging fenders that have become trademarks of the dodge truck brand. Still, dakota boasts sharper, crisper lines and flatter planes than its relatives; and its grille is laid back, not vertical. Front fender lines deliberately extended halfway along the length of the door. The current durango looks a bit stubby in comparison. a coil-over-shock independent front suspension is used on both 2wd and 4wd models, with conventional leaf springs at the rear. All models come with front and rear tow hooks and tie-downs in the bed. interiorthe driver's seat looks good and feels good with its upper and lower support wings and good padding where it counts. Interior room, even for tall drivers is excellent. black-on-white gauges are outlined with chrome rings, and the central speedometer is about twice as large as the other two gauges. The angular center stack houses the sound system, climate controls and vents. Brushed metal accents brighten the cockpit, and the whole design works very well in terms of usability, convenience, and reach. The plastic materials look good but not great. Quad cab interiors are roomy, with over 102 cubic feet of passenger space. The rear seats are deliberately stepped up on their bases so that rear-seat occupants can see out more easily, and they are split into 40/20/40 folding sections with two rear cupholders. Rear-seat room is generous for family use, with 37 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seat. A center console and lots of cubbyholes provide space to stash stuff. driving impressionwe found the dodge dakota surprisingly quiet, smooth and civil in its behavior, more like a car than a truck. Thick glass, big mufflers, and generous sound insulation throughout the body and firewall help reduce noise. Still, the dakota drives bigger than it looks, with a hefty, ram-like way about it, a nicely muscular street swagger. the optional v8 is worth every penny. In standard tune, the 4. 7-liter v8 generates 230 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. And with 15/20 mpg in 2wd manual models, and 14/19 with 4wd and an automatic, there's almost no penalty in fuel economy. At highway speeds it settled down to a nice background burble in overdrive fifth gear. Its strong torque means plenty of low-down grunt for pulling payloads of up to 1,660 pounds or towing up to 7,150 pounds. the 4. 7-liter high output v8 is rated 260 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, thanks to higher compression and more aggressive valve timing. Fuel economy drops to 14/18 mpg either 2wd or 4wd. the base v6 feels a bit light on power for this big, heavy pickup, and it doesn't offer a big fuel economy advantage. The 3. 7-liter v6 is rated 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. It's been upgraded for '07 with electronic throttle control and exhaust-gas recirculation. Fuel economy ratings range from 15/19 city/highway with automatic and 4wd to 16/22 with 2wd and the stick-shift. the automatic transmission has perfectly spaced ratios for trucking, and worked without complaint, roughness or harshness, even in high-rpm full-throttle upshifts. With only two occupants and no load, it really scoots from the sto.
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