Driving Impressions
reviewed by
Our Dodge Dakota Sport 4X4 Quad Cab offered impeccable road manners during the four-hour journey north from Los Angeles to the Owens River in northeastern California. The new 4.7-liter V8 quickly spoiled us, and the smooth ride made the journey a pleasure. There was a considerable amount of wind noise, which was overpowered by that wonderful sound system. Once in the Owens Valley we hooked up with a couple of fly fishers and headed for the river.
The driver and front seat passenger had tons of legroom. Fortunately, our backseater was on the short side, so he was relatively happy in his space. The rear doors are fairly wide - about 37 inches. That, coupled with the fact that there is no cutout in them for the rear wheel-well (like there is in many SUVs), makes getting in and out of the rear seat relatively easy. It also means the rear windows roll all the way down.
The floor-mounted transfer case lever (Dodge doesn't offer push-button 4WD on the Dakota) is easy to reach and operate. We hit one particularly sandy section and slipped easily into 4WD without dropping speed. Later, on a steep hill, we pulled the transfer case into 4WD-low and easily walked up a hill that had a good 15-degree grade.
On washboard sections of hard-packed dirt roads in 2WD, the backend had a tendency to fishtail - common in unloaded pickups. It exhibited similar tendencies in radical transient maneuvers on dry pavement. The brakes delivered straight and true stopping power. Our Quad Cab had the optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes ($495). We were impressed with the Quad Cab's turning radius. For a truck its length, it makes relatively tight turns.
Dodge claims its new 4.7-liter V8 ($590), designed from a clean sheet of paper, is the most refined V8 ever offered on a Dodge truck. It's a powerful little devil, rated at 235 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. It offers all the power and torque you expect from a V8.
The 4.7-liter engine can be paired with a five-speed manual or Dodge's new "multi-speed" automatic transmission. It's a fully electronic four-speed automatic with a dual-ratio second gear. This transmission was designed in tandem with the 4.7-liter engine and they are precisely calibrated to each other. Its onboard computer continuously adjusts the shift pattern to match the way the truck is driven. A tall first gear ratio gives the driver better initial acceleration. It selects one of two second-gear ratios based on load and driver input. Its reverse gear uses a ratio equal to the first gear, beneficial when backing up with a heavy trailer.
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