In Part 1 of the Dakota road test, I mentioned that this was a perfect work truck. Big enough to be effective, yet small enough to park in a normal spot. I must admit that in traditional short cab pick ups, the close proximity of the rear glass has always felt a tad confining for me. The extended cab Dakota eliminates this issue as the extra length in the back of the cab makes it feel much roomier for the driver and front seat passenger.

The back seat, obviously is just for little ones or small cargo. Our boys loved the small, forward facing jump seats. Our 7 year old had a bit of a tough time finding a handhold on the way up, but thought the seating position was fun. Likewise, our 9 year old couldn’t wait to show off the cool red truck to his buddies. Our 13 year old didn’t even try.
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What good is a pick up if it won’t do any work for you? Not much really, but the Dakota SXT extended cab that we’ve had for the past week in The Garage was more than happy to do what little work we asked it to when we made a trip to the local Home Depot.
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It’s always nice when a road test can be done in nice sunny weather. Not only do you get the best pictures, but you can explore a vehicle’s performance. When the vehicle being tested is more about real world utility though, perhaps a bit of inclement weather is just what’s needed to show the real world character of the vehicle. We’re driving a 2008 Dodge Dakota SXT this week and as luck would have it, old man winter decided to deal an early dose of the white stuff.

Our extended cab tester model comes with utility and cargo packages, which means it has all the goodies needed to make this a solid work truck, with extra seating in the back for the kiddies. Even with flex fuel capability, the 4.7 L V8 puts a whopping 302 horsepower through a 5 speed automatic transmission. That 5 speed is a good thing, as this truck is tow ready with a 3.92 rear end with limited slip. I shudder to think what fuel economy would be like with an old school 3 speed! As it sits, the Dakota is rated to tow 7,100 pounds, making it a perfect choice for the club racer or contractor who doesn’t want a full size truck.
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That’s right, we’ve got a big red truck in The Garage this week. The weather in Tdot today would have Noah scrambling to load up the animals, so you’ll just have to wait for our usual bevy of images.

The truck we’re driving is an extended cab, 4×4, 302 horsepower flex fuel model that looks tough as nails. So far, the ride is truckish enough to remind the driver that it is a work truck, but comfy enough to stay relaxed in the rainy day Toronto traffic.

The boys love the jump seats in the back and Dad loves the fact that Dodge used their head and included an Aux jack for my mp3 player. Oh yes, the V8 sounds killer, just don’t press the loud pedal too aggressively in the rain!

Later in the week, we’ll have a proper review of the Dakota.