The Dakota is a solid mid size truck. It is tough, but also comfortable inside. The four wheel drive works very well and is easy to engage. The bed is big enough, but also not too long to keep the truck in the mid-size range. The engine is very smooth, but tends to drink a lot of gas. If you keep the speed below 60, it does okay for a truck, but if you want to go faster, it will burn lots of gas. The transmission works as advertised, smooth but nothing special really. The ride is well composed but does wallow at slow speeds making turns. Fit and finish are pretty good. Doors close properly with a thud. The tailgate is relatively light and easy to operate. There are tie downs scattered around the bed and slots on the wheel wells allow for a second layer of stacking material. The wheel could be bigger. There are large wheel gaps on the 4x4 model that really scream for wheel several inches bigger.

I have owned a 2001 Red Dodge Dakota Sport for the past year and a half now. It was given to me at a great price and with only 65,000 miles on it. It came with a slide-out bed cover and roof racks as well. The truck is only a two door, so space in the cab is limited. There are minor cosmetic issues on the body, but I have not had any further issues with that. The vehicle seems well constructed and has been reliable for the most part. I have had to get the brake pads, power steering and head gasket replaces, but those are minor fixes for such an old car. It has performed well with the 4WD, V6 engine, although gas mileage could be better for a truck of this size. The tank hold 22 gallons, so every time I fill up, it seems as though I am spending more money. The paint on a lot of old Dodge cars can chip easily. Because of this, my truck was repainted upon purchasing it. The interior is where this vehicle shines. It is well constructed, and the hard plastics of the door panel and dashboard are easy to clean. My particular model came with all-weather door mats, which protect the bottom of the cabin from rot and road salt.