Roomy, Powerful Dodge Dakota Quad Cab is No SUV - Thankfully

By Vince Bodiford
Automotive Editor

Get ready for the next body style to take over the pickup - the Quad cab, or four-door pickup. Not a new idea at all, the "crew cab" has been offered on pickups for years, mostly on commercial pickups. The craze was in it's height among pickup owners in the 1980's, then lost favor, mostly due to the rising popularity of the sport utility vehicle.

What is new, however, is the crew cab configuration on the compact pickup. Leading the pack is the new 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab, which has found success among a broad base of consumers, many of whom may have never considered a pickup truck before.
Already the largest and widest truck in its class, the all-new Dakota Quad Cab creates a whole new segment in the compact class with a reproportioned four-door cab and cargo box. "Existing truck owners will love it because it lets them do more than their current vehicle," said Jim Julow, Vice President, Dodge Division. "But Dakota Quad Cab also appeals to people who are not traditional truck buyers, but always wanted one. "There's an expanding market of people who in the past would not consider buying a truck," said Rich Ray, General Product Manager - Truck Operations. "However, in this case the appeal is that Dodge is offering a truck that does everything. People are looking for a flexible, conveniently sized truck. The family car traditionally had to do everything. Today, buyers are finding that a truck may do it better."

The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab enhances the versatility of the Dakota even more by adding to its people-carrying capacity, without detracting from its power and payload.

The Dakota cab is extended to incorporate full-size, front-hinged rear doors, along with rear seats that will comfortably accommodate three adults. The box has been re-sized, yet still delivers the best payload-carrying capacity -1,450 lbs. - of any compact domestic pickup. Dakota Quad Cab's pickup bed wraps around the passenger cab for a more integrated look, while the vehicle retains the same overall length as the Dakota Club Cab. That makes for a more stable pickup, and it shares most of the same mechanical components as the Club Cab, including the powerful 245 horsepower engine.

Wide-opening rear doors with full roll-down windows offer unrestricted passenger ingress and egress, and make loading and unloading large packages easy. Moreover, Dodge Dakota Quad Cab features the most interior room in its class. As many as six adult passengers can enjoy more total interior volume, more front and rear shoulder room and more front and rear hip room than any other compact pickup. "We've maximized the utility of a compact pickup by combining the power and capability of a Dodge Dakota with six-passenger seating in a full four-door configuration," said Julow. "We've developed a pickup that can fit any need - whether it's people, payload or power. In short, if you're a pickup buyer, the Dakota is all the truck you need." But the Dakota Quad Cab, a truck-based extension of the Dakota line, should not be mistaken for a sport-utility vehicle. Quad Cab is first and foremost a pickup truck, but is sure to win converts looking for more utility than their current SUV can provide. Dodge opted for the re-sized five-foot, three-inch box because they say that compact segment customers typically use the full length of a 6.5-foot box less than 10 percent of the time. For those times, the installation of a Mopar bed extender will allow the tailgate to be left open, effectively lengthening the bed by 18 inches. That solves the bed size problem, but the load shifts the center of gravity rearward, possibly effecting handling.

"Extended cabs have seen a 30 percent segment growth since 1993, with Dakota Club Cab having the highest extended-cab mix in the segment," said Julow. "It seems only natural to introduce a package that maximizes interior volume without sacrificing practicality and sportiness." Up front, a 40/20/40 cloth split seat with folding armrest is standard equipment. Sporty high-back bucket seats with a full-feature floor console are available. An all-new rear seating design delivers versatility for any combination of people and cargo. Additional rear seat room creates more interior space and gives the Dakota Quad Cab standard six-passenger seating. The rear compartment can be quickly adapted to accommodate passengers on one side and cargo on the other, or provide secure interior storage for large packages. Rear seat grab handles above the rear doors provide easier entry and exit. A pull-out cupholder carries two drinks, while door and passenger back-of-seat map pockets and under-seat cargo loops provide storage versatility. Consumers give the Dakota high marks for its storage space, convenience of controls and convenience of cupholders. It's been ranked at the top of J.D. Powers appeal study for three years. The pickup is offered in Sport and SLT models and carries a three-year/ 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty as well as Roadside Assistance for three years or 36,000 miles.

COMPARISONS: Compare the Dodge Dakota Quad Cab to the new Ford, Mazda, Nissan, and General Motors quad cab compact pickups.

STRONG POINTS: Proven platform of the Dakota line, powerful engine, extendible bed feature, comfortable rear seating and access. Distinctive look.

WEAK POINTS: Ride is springy when the bed is loaded. Slight understeer is corrected with tire and wheel upgrade.

ENJOY THE DRIVE: Remember, always drive safely, obey all traffic laws and fasten all seat belts, even with airbags.

Copyright (c) 2000 Vince Bodiford.