This truck is fantastic. Perfect size between useless compacts and hard to drive full sizes. Most power I've ever had in a vehicle. The 4.7L V8 is strong and can get 20mpg on the highway. Handling is also a big plus with this truck, very stable in turns. There are so many configurations (Q-cab, CC, regular cab, I-4, V6, and two V8's, 2wd, 4wd...) a Dakota can be found for anyone.

Dealer experience sucked. Chrysler needs to check up on their 5-star dealers more often. Talk to people about the different dealers in the area, be sure not to get a crooked one.

The Dakota is a great truck for anyone who needs the out door bed space or towing capacity. Now with the QuadCab, it can even be considered a family vehicle. The available power is there for those who need it or just like to go fast. Many luxury options to satisfy the masses. 4 wheel drive for dirt lovers, 2 wheel drive for road jockeys. Although this is the best ride comfort and gas mileage I've ever gotten from a truck, it still is a work truck. So not necessarily for squeamish car drivers.

An additional note: My truck would never roll like a SUV or full size, trust me I've tried.

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'91 Nissan pick-up, not enough power/towing capacity/or payload rating
'88 GMC Sierra, too big to park, horrible gas mileage, still not enough power.

I have the 5.2L v8 and am very impressed with the pulling power. For me a single young man this was the perfect comprimise between the too small compact truck and the over sized full size truck. The styling, and assories help make this one of the best trucks I have ever owned. My favorit was an 88 dakota

The only thing I do not like is the fact that the club cab does not have the third (forth) door to allow access to the rear of the cab.

I would recomend this truck to any one. It is the best of both worlds, small and nimble like the compacts, yet powerfull eneough to keep up with a full size. Not to mention if you want to turn heads the dakota hase never let me down.

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Personaly I have had an s10(94), mazda 2000(84), chevy full size(79), dakota(88). My dakota has much more power than my other trucks, but also has slightly worse fuel economy (but the power is worth it)

Everything. The size, the power, the handling, the interior space, the style, manufacturer's attention to detail (even the spark plug wires are numbered).

It doesn't have a power tailgate, but what truck at this time does? Horn is wimpy. I added a Ram high note and now it's fine. Stock tires (Goodyear Invictas) are not good in the rain.

It is a great sized truck that combines function with practicality. It will do anything a larger truck will do except take up more space and do it faster and more efficiently. For a V8 truck mileage is exceptional. I have owned this truck since the day it arrived at the dealership and have not had one problem with it whatsoever.

Not recommended for people who want a "car-like" ride. While the ride is very smooth, it is not a car. The suspension is designed for a woking truck, not a "foo-foo" truck.

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Dodge Ram, various other pick-ups including 4duh F-150. This truck is much faster and more nimble. Full size bed holds just as much as any full sized truck and the V8 is more responsive. Had a '93 Dakota and loved it, too.

Everything is great with this truck. The interior is very roomy. My gas mileage is 18 to 20 in the city and 22 to 26 on the highway. I bought the truck with 61678 miles and I now have over 146,000 miles on it. Doesn't use oil and I have the original clutch. Handles very good, almost like a luxury sedan. I have hauled 20 80lb. bags of premix concrete in it at one time and it acted like it wasn't even loaded down. This is the best vehicle that I have ever owned!

Haven't found any as of yet!

I would diffinately recommend this year or any Dakota for that matter. Since, I have mainly done all the work on this truck, other than the brakes, steering and exhaust; I can't tell what a dealer experience has been in the service department. But, I do know that the dealer in my area will bend over backwards to help you with what you need.

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Dodge Ram D-50 ('85, '88 & '91), '87 Mazda B-2200 Cab Plus, '78 Ford F150 Super Cab

Looks, Stock Stereo pounds(compared to S-10), MOPAR, solid, did I say looks? Many, many after-market perf-parts available

Gas mileage, not much room for after-market stereo

Buy this truck. The only thing I have found wrong with it so far is the gas mileage..I have never heard of a 3.9l getting 10mpg but oh well. Power is great for a V-6, I would have liked more, but who wouldn't. I went the cheap route and got a standard cab, 2-wheel drive model but still came w/a decent factory suspention height..Try finding a stock S-10 that rides that high. Locking spare was a plus and this truck is overall great! I'd recomend for everybody to buy it except for high-school students like me that can't afford the $$ for gas.

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S-10, No comparison to that tin can!!

I am very pleased with my dakota 1st owned. I like my s10 also, but the dakota kicks but and I am very please with looks over all I love it. Would buy a new one but i like the one I got for now

as all others gas mileage but some things are just worth it

So far I have had no problems with this truck and do not anticipate any in the future

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Chevy s10 hold no comparesion to this ride

Great design, fun to drive.

Could have more power 25 hp more would be fine 200 hp instead of 175 hp v6, bad gas milleage v6.

I bought this truck brand new in 1998, and i do no regret it,
i think that customer service from Chrysler need improvement (here
in Canada).Not at bad truck at all, yes i would buy a new one in the future.

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GMC ck

looks, ride height

bad gas mileage, bad handling, bad brakes, worst reliability.

After my 47,000 miles of careful, responsible driving, my Dakota has needed a new transmission, transfer case and steering column. Dodge covered some of the repairs even though it was over the waranty, but no vehicle should have these kind of problems with only 47,000 miles. TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN A DAKOTA; RUN SCREAMING FOR THE HILLS TOWARDS A BLUE OVAL OR RED BOWTIE.

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Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10

This Truck Looks great, Handles better than a Wide Track Grand Prix, and Rules the Road in adverse weather conditions. I've dropped this truck from 5 feet in the air, and it still wants more. It will take a lot of driving punishment. this winter it pulled several unfortunate vehicles out of snow ditches.

The stock Goodyear Tires age poorly, start to squeak prematurely. after they wear I've had luck with BF Goodrish A/T KOs. Seems to be tough for service centers to align properly, so always pulls one way a little bit. Gas mileage is pretty bad, but is better after fresh air filters, it fluctuates between 13-15mpg average. Some strange chassis squeaks from day 1, nothing that affects performance.

I have owned more than one of these vehicles, and it has never failed me. I have had very few service visits due to broken parts that I didn't personally break. I am EXTREMELY hard on my trucks, and this one has taken everything I've thrown at it.

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S10: compares not really at all to the Dakota. The S10 Had many engine problems, frequent service. lost the front skirt from a 2 foot drop. Not really a serious truck.

I have a Dakota with a V8 and it has a lot of get-up-and-go out of the gate.

This truck has been a nightmare. Replaced the rear end at 36,000 miles. Replaced the ball joints at 44,000 miles. The truck suspension sucks. And, probably the worst part about it is that the Dodge dealer and Dodge corp. refuse to do anything about it. They say you should have taken advantage of an extended warranty.....that's how much they think of their product. Any rational person that knows anything about vehicles knows that you should not be replacing ball joints and rear ends with less than 50,000 miles on them. They are 99.9% highway miles too. As soon as I can dump this piece of crap it's out of here! American dealers wonder why people buy foreign....it just doesn't make sense, they have a better warranty because they are made better, they're more reliable, they cost approximately the same.........dah! DON'T BUY A DODGE!!!!!!!

SAME AS ABOVE!

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