There's one number that jumps out immediately when reviewing the 2010 Dakota Laramie Crew Cab 4X2.
And that number is: $34,085
That's a mighty big M.S.R.P for a mid-sized pick-up that only packs two-wheel drive.
Sure, you get a lot of nice stuff for your 34K like one of the best and most straightforward navigation systems in the business and even such butt-warming niceties as heated front seats, but you can also get all of that in a Nissan Frontier and 4WD and a V6 with about 50 more HP for several thousand less.
We're just saying what most potential buyers probably already know…the Dakota is not exactly mid-sized pick-up bargain especially when loaded with options.
On the other hand the Dakota is workhorse through and through.
The 2010 Dakota Laramie Crew Cab comes with two engine choices.
Ours had the smaller 3.7-lite V6 that's rated at 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque with an EPA-estimated 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined for the rear wheel-drive model.
The V6 tows a maximum of 4,950 pounds…so if you plan on doing some heavy duty towing like horse trailers of boats we'd suggest you opt for the V8 (which gets very similar EPA numbers) but is rated at a maximum of 7,200 pounds when it comes to towing capacity.
Here's a question that's always bothered us.
Why do many mid-sized pick-ups come with an interior design and standard options list best described as those available in a vintage 1982 Honda Accord?
Just because some customers use pick-ups for work doesn't mean that they don't value the creature comforts and the modern curvy design language of some new cars.
So what if a pick-up is still built on a proper heavy-duty chassis, that doesn't mean that the ride ride needs to buck and jump around like a leaping lizard when the bed is empty.
We've driven full-sized pick-ups from Dodge, Ford and Toyota and these could easily replace any modern car in terms of standard features and modern design, but not so with the Dakota. This is an old school truck that feels big, tall and heavy when used to run daily household errands.
When the Dakota was introduced in 1897 it bridged the gab between the smallish compacts like the old Toyotas, and of course the full-size traditional American pickups.
Today the full sized pick-ups like the Ford F-150 have become the land yachts of the American highways loaded with the latest safety and creature comforts including both heated and cooled seats.
Today the Dakota feels like it has fallen into the gap it helped bridge. The world has moved on and the Dakota's aim stays true to the initial workhorse design specification.
For many that could mean that when you drive the Dakota you feel like you should be heading to a job site, but instead you are just on the way to the store to pick-up some milk. Inside, cheap plastic switchgear and an abundance of molded plastic parts again scream 1982 Honda Accord.
Luckily some thoughtful touches meet your gaze like the clever iPhone/iPod holder built into the center armrest.
And in our book the standard Chrysler navigation and stereo control unit is one of the best in the business. It's not fancy, but boy is it easy to use once you get the hang of the controls.
From the outside the Dakota exudes rough and ready almost cow-boyish self-confidence. This is certainly a manly truck that's not afraid to get dirty.
We didn't have a chance to get dirty and take the Dakota off-road, but with only two-wheel drive chances are good that in the Colorado back country we'd struggle for traction.
On the local paved roads the Dakota won't fool you into thinking you are in anything other than an "old school" pick-up.
The acceleration is just adequate, the handling is improved over old models, but still in need of finishing school, and the interior will remind you that the Dakota is meant for work and not weekends at the lake.
On our TFLcar recommendation scale of:
– Buy it
– Lease it
– Rent it or
– Forget it
As outfitted at a not unsubstantial $34,085 (without four-wheel-drive) if you plan on getting a Dakota as your everyday ride we say rent it.
If you plan on using it as a work truck we say…
Roman
Mica is a
columnist, journalist, and author, who spent his early
years driving fast on the German autobahn. When he's not reviewing cars
for the active set, you can find him training for triathlons and
writing about endurance sports for, EverymanTri.com.
Mica is also the Endurance
Sports Examiner.
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