The mid-size Dodge Dakota first arrived in 1987, and was an immediate hit with buyers seeking more cargo capability than a compact pickup, but less bulk than full-size. Now 18 years on, the truck that invented the mid-size pickup segment is still very popular, and to keep it that way, Dodge engineers have created an all-new 2005 Dakota. But will the latest Dakota be as big a hit as the original?

Bigger, brawnier, better. Three b-words that sum up the goal of the all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota mid-size pickup. So where to begin? Well for starters, confirming its personal use status, this year the Regular Cab is out. The extended Club Cab, with twin rear-hinged access doors, is in as the starter body. The Dakota 4-door Quad Cab also continues, and both cabs are available in SL, SLT and Laramie trim.

As the new Dakota is ‘‘bigger,’’ 3.7 inches have been added to overall length. At 218.8-inches and with a 131.3-inch wheelbase, this is one big mid-size truck. Standard bed length for the Club Cab is 6-foot-6-inches, while the Quad Cab gets a 5-foot-4-inch bed. But where you really separate the big boys from the middle-weights is in box depth and width. At 17.6 inches it is only 2 inches shallower than big brother Ram. But 4 by 8 building materials only fit above the wheel wells.

Styling is certainly ‘‘brawnier,’’ more chiseled, with a taller grille and sporty overlapping headlight lenses, blending the best of the Ram and Durango. The protruding front looks like the result of a bar room brawl. But the dullie-look rear fenders and dual barrel tail-lights balance the swelling up front.

Now for the meat and potatoes. The carryover 3.7 liter 210-horsepower Magnum V-6, mated to a new Getrag 6-speed manual, or optional 4 speed automatic, is the standard power. But now Dodge offers not one but two 4.7-liter V8s, our test truck’s standard output V8 with 230 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, and available in SLT or Laramie trim, a high-output version from the Jeep Grand Cherokee with over 250 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque.

Power comes on quickly at launch. Our 230 horse SLT Quad Cab bullied its way to 60 in a fine 9.3 seconds, and raked in the quarter mile in 17.2 seconds at 80 miles per hour. There is plenty of low-end grunt off the line. Hitch on a maximum tow rating of 7,150 pounds, or a maximum payload of 1,720 pounds, and this mammoth mid-sizer digs deep into any weekend job. While a 6-speed manual is standard, our SLT V-8 had a 5-speed heavy duty automatic with Tow/Haul mode, the only smaller truck with that feature, as well as our truck’s available full-time hi-lo four-wheel drive transfer case.

The 2005 Dakota rides on a stiffer frame with a new, smoother riding coil-over-shock front, and leaf-spring live-axle rear. Wheels are standard 16- or optional 17-inch. Turn ins are quick and greeted by moderate understeer. The suspension is soft by 4X4 standards, producing a fair amount of body roll. But good grip is always maintained.

To stop the Dakota is a new front disc, rear drum braking system. While rear ABS is standard, our SLT lacked the optional four-wheel ABS. So panic stops from 60 to 0 produced a fair amount of lock-up and hop. They were also long at 146 feet. Still the pedal feedback was fine, and straight stops were the norm.

The new Dakota’s interior is very people pleasing. It’s roomy, the class largest, with a well-tailored, upscale look. Seats are covered in either cloth or leather, and heat is available for both. Gauges wear sporty white-faces, while the prominent center stack dons big vents and more substantial knobs for both climate and audio. Rear access to our Quad Cab is by way of full-size doors with adequate room for three adults. The rear seats fold up for 37.1 cubic feet of storage, 20% more than before.

But can you afford to make room for a Dakota? No need to mortgage the kids. For just $19,210 you can load up a base ST Club Cab V6 4X2. Go 4x4 and the Dakota starts at $22,869. Shell out $26,809 and you can take home our SLT Quad Cab 4x4 with the Magnum V8 and 5-speed automatic.

So, the 2005 Dodge Dakota is bigger, brawnier, and yes, better. Further blurring the lines between what is a compact and a full-size truck, the mid-size Dakota delivers what personal use buyers need in a big pickup, but with less big than they might expect, plus the solid and nearly twenty-year-old reputation that is the Dodge Dakota.

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.7-Liter V8
  • Horsepower: 230
  • Torque: 295 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 9.3 Seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 17.2 Seconds @ 80 MPH
  • 60-0 MPH: 146 Feet