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Dodge Dakota 2005 Review
Dodge remade the Dakota pickup for 2005. For a little guy, it sure thinks big.
story and photography by Rob Reaser
Sharp. Very sharp. That was the guiding influence when designers set out to craft the Dakota's new profile. The bulging fenders and sculpted body side lines provide an aggressive character that hints at the truck's capabilities.
You would think that given the slicing and dicing which has occurred in the truck and SUV market over the last several years, and the competitive nature of the marketplace, that there would be only scant degrees of separation between vehicles in the same class designation. Maybe a few more cubes under the hood here — a couple hundred pounds of GCWR difference there.
Engaging the four wheel drive system in the Dakota doesn't get any simpler. Both transfer cases, the NV233HD and the NV244HD, are electronically shifted.
Well, if you’re talking about mid-size pickup trucks, you’d be dead wrong in making that assumption. Dodge has popped the cork on its all-new Dakota pickup for the 2005 model year, and in doing so has shut down its class rivals in the performance department.
Sure, this is a mid-size pickup, with all the downsized dimensions that go with that classification. It looks mid-sized, and from the driver’s seat you know this is no one-ton rig. Yet its numbers speak of a truck with ambition — a truck with prospects. Consider: 250-plus horsepower, 300-plus lb/ft of torque, 7,150 lbs. of towing capacity, and a gross combined weight rating of 11,700 lbs.
Yup, that’s thinking big.
Class-Leading Powertrain
So, is all the swagger backed up with some beef, or is this a simple matter of yet another truck putting on airs? In fact, the beef is there. Of all the mid-size pickups on the market (to which we concede there aren’t that many), the Dakota stands as the only one with available V8 power. We’re not talking about a token eight-cylinder, either. This year Dodge is offering two V8s.
The first is one you’re likely familiar with, as it was part of last year’s powertrain mix — the 4.7L Magnum. This is what Dodge is calling a “standard output” engine. It receives a 230 horsepower rating and gives up 290 lb/ft of torque. Although this is a carryover V8, it does enter the remade Dakota with a few minor improvements to enhance its performance — most notably fuel efficiency. There’s a new converter clutch that’s electronically modulated to give the 5-45RFE automatic partial torque converter lock-up at lower speeds. Dual knock sensors have been installed to provide an increase in spark advance when needed for engine safety. Friction is also minimized through the use of reduced-tension piston oil rings.
It's this little number right here which gives the Dakota bragging rights in the mid-size pickup class. It's the only mid-size with a V8 offering, and the Dakota offers two — the 4.7L Magnum and the 4.7L Magnum H.O.
The big dog in the pack is the 4.7L High Output Magnum V8. Dodge bills this smaller engine as a replacement for the 5.9L V8 (which was last seen on the Dakota in 2003), and the H.O. Magnum actually delivers more horsepower and improved fuel economy (no surprise there) than its 5.9L predecessor, with 250-plus horsepower and 300-plus lb/ft torque ratings.
The H.O. Magnum, which is available only on the SLT and Laramie trim models, is fundamentally the same as the standard output 4.7L version, with a few tweaks thrown in. These tweaks include a forged steel crankshaft, higher 9.0:1 compression pistons, full-floating wrist pins and a more aggressive camshaft. Allowing the lumpier cam to do its thing are new valve springs and a newly engineered combustion chamber profile designed to boost airflow intake volume.
Back for another round in the Dakota is the standard issue 3.7L Magnum V6, which was introduced in the 2004 model line-up. The output is the same as last year, at 210 horsepower and 235 lb/ft of torque, but it has been upgraded with subtle valvetrain and combustion chamber modifications to better smooth engine idle, reduce noise, and deliver more low-speed torque.
With the demise of the Regular Cab configuration, cargo box space is now at a premium. The Club Cab offers a 6.5-foot long bed, while the Quad Cab bed measures five feet, four inches.
The transmission offerings continue to be one manual and two automatics, depending on the engine selected. The 42RLE four-speed automatic is optional on the 3.7L Magnum engines, while the 4.7L and 4.7L H.O. engines can be mated to the 5-45RFE five-speed auto.
You can't find much to complain about when it comes to the Quad Cab's rear seating. The individual buckets are downright comfortable, and the seat cushions flip up for increased storage capacity.
The big news in the tranny department is the introduction of the six-speed Getrag 238 manual gearbox. This sweet number is standard on all Dakotas, and replaces the NV3500 five-speed manual. It not only boasts optimized torque capacity and efficiency when compared to the old five-speed, thanks to more refined engineering and internal materials, but also smoother shifting and reduced NVH is part of the package.
On the transfer case end of things, the NV233HD part-time two-speed transfer case (2WD, 4WD Hi, 4WD Lo) continues as the base unit when the 4x4 option is selected. The up level transfer case, optional with the Laramie or SLT package, is the carryover NV244HD system. This is a full-time case that allows the user to run either 2WD or 4WD high regardless of the road conditions or speed. This it does courtesy of a center differential that allows the front and rear drive shafts to rotate at different speeds. What is new for 2005 is the center diff is about 2.5 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Both the part-time and full-time 4WD cases are electronically shifted.
Sturdy Platform
The front console is ergonomically designed, and incorporates three cupholders and a small, open storage compartment in addition to the closed compartment.
With every new truck or SUV makeover, a stiffer ladder frame or uni-body construction is a guaranteed upgrade, and the 2005 Dakota is no different. Improvements in materials and manufacturing technology is ongoing, and allows the engineers to design platforms which provide for greater torsional, bending and lateral stiffness to not only strengthen the vehicles, but allow for refinements in suspension geometry and tuning.
In the world of Dodge trucks, such platform improvements as fully-boxed hydroformed frames, roll-formed frame rails and octagonal front rail tips were first introduced into the new Ram pickups and Durango SUV. These same engineering enhancements are now enjoyed by the Dakota. In addition to the improved ride quality and suspension tuning all of these tweaks bring to the table, the bigger and stronger frame also gives the Dakota better crash performance.
Refined Underpinnings
Since everything about the 2005 Dakota is different from its predecessor, it’s tough to identify the more standout changes. If forced to play that hand, good money would have to be placed on the suspension.
The revised interior delivers style and comfort a'plenty. Perhaps the most pleasing feature, aside from the elegant center console design, is the instrument panel, with its large white-faced gauges.
In the Dakota’s previous incarnations, the front suspension came in two flavors, depending on the driveline configuration. Two wheel-drive models received coil springs while four wheel-drive versions were fitted with torsion bars. Now both varieties share a common-architecture comprised of a short and long-arm independent front (upper and lower A-arms) with coil springs over gas shocks. These work with a taller steering knuckle design and specially tuned stabilizer bars and bushings which deliver more sophisticated handling on the road, and a more confident off-highway gait.
One of the interesting benefits of the taller steering knuckle is less change in camber and toe as the suspension travels through its arc. This is a result of the increased distance between the control arms. In addition to giving the Dakota more predictable manners on- and off-highway, the reduction in camber and toe changes reduces tire wear.
The rear suspension is also all-new, but in a sense there’s really nothing new about it. Continuing in the tradition is the familiar live-axle rear combined with leaf springs, staggered shocks and a link-type stabilizer bar. The leaf packs are of the dual-stage variety, allowing for a comfortable ride when unloaded, or the grit to safely handle payloads up to 1,740 lbs.
Two transfer cases are available with the Dakota. The NV233HD is a part-time, two-speed unit, while the NV244HD is a full-time case that also comes with 4WD Hi and 4WD Lo ranges.
In all, the stiffer frame foundation, combined with SLA coil-over front suspension, gives the Dakota a decidedly pleasant...dare we say, sporty (?) feel on the road. Leaving the asphalt behind, the truck offers a more graceful and connected feel to the dirt trail than the old torsion bar design.
Cozy Digs
OK, enough of the gritty, greasy talk. The new Dakota, while high on mechanical aptitude and muscle, also has a softer, gentler side.
The interior is completely redesigned for 2005, and reflects much of the same styling brush that was applied to the Ram and Durango makeovers. That means there is a decidedly edgy nature to things like door panels, center console, dash and other interior trim. Fortunately, it’s not as annoying as some of the contemporary “angular” designs found in today’s trucks and SUVs.
An all-new suspension is found up front. Now both the 2WD and 4WD Dakotas receive double A-arm coil fronts with a taller steering knuckle that minimizes camber and toe changes as the suspension travels up and down.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, the 2005 Dakota doesn’t feel more spacious than the 2004 model, but in reality the cab is proportionally larger — 55.8 cubic feet versus the former 55.3 cubic feet dimensions. Dodge plays this up quite aggressively, and is quick to note that the Dakota has the largest interior space of any truck in its class. We’ll concede the fact on technicality, but there’s not that much of an increase in cabin space to get that hyped about.
Dodge has simplified the Dakota lineup as well. Gone is the Regular Cab. The entry level model is now the Club Cab, with the Quad Cab continuing as the line leader. Both versions can seat two adults comfortably up front (or uncomfortably seat three). The Club Cab seats two adults in back courtesy of individual seat cushions. These can be folded to deliver 30 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seats. The Quad Cab offers the best rear passenger seating, of course, as well as easy ingress/egress thanks to forward-opening doors. Three can fit back here, or the seat cushions can be folded to create 37.1 cubic feet of storage space.
Crispy Business
Dodge sheetmetal artists certainly didn’t smooth the edges when they carved out the new Dakota profile. Crisp lines are the dominant feature of the truck’s exterior. Some may call it gaudy, others might say it’s aggressive and muscular. Whatever, the front and rear fenders exhibit a pronounced bulge that advances the venerable Dodge truck tradition. These lines carry on to the hood, tailgate, rear fenders and grille trim with pleasing continuity. And while we admit that aesthetics are subjective, it seems to us that the round headlight and taillight treatment somewhat clashes with the angular lines found everywhere else on the vehicle. Still, it’s a sharp-looking vehicle from any angle.
All told, the 2005 model year remake sends the Dakota miles down the trail in terms of handling sophistication, comfort and style. As a dual-purpose street/trail rig it’s got all the credentials you could ask for — providing you add some decent tires. As a compact work mule, this is the truck to beat.
