1999 Dodge Dakota Review
1999 Dodge Dakota Review
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Used Dakota for sale
Appraise This CarDodge Dakota model years
Dodge Dakota types
- Regular Cab
- Extended Cab
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Tight turning circle. Ram styling. Roomy cab. Optional V8 engine. Optional four-wheel ABS. Standard rear-wheel ABS.
Cons
- No third door option.
What’s new
Solar Yellow paint is now available for the 1999 Dodge Dakota. Other un-pickuplike refinements include an express down feature for the driver window, extra storage space for cassettes or CDs, and remote radio controls on the steering wheel.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1999 Dodge Dakota 2dr Regular Cab LB (2.5L 4cyl naturally aspired 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$236/mo for Dakota Base
Dakota Base
vs
$246/mo
Avg. Compact Truck
Vehicle overview
The Dakota was completely redesigned inside and out in 1997, and since then changes have been kept to a minimum. That's because Dodge got it right the first time. The Dakota is an exceptional truck on and off the road. The steering is communicative, the brake pedal provides excellent feel and feedback, the ride is surprisingly quiet, the cab is roomy, and the Dakota is altogether a very likeable truck.
An R/T edition is available for anyone who prefers the ride height of a truck to the natural handling of a sports car. Still, the R/T is bound to spark interest from enthusiasts. The R/T gets the 5.9-liter Magnum V8 with 250 horsepower and 335 foot-pounds of torque, sport bucket seats, a sport-tuned suspension, attractive wheels, and various R/T decals. Though it's a blast to drive, who really needs to haul things fast?
Inside the Dakota, user- friendly controls and displays pass the same work-glove ease-of-operation test that the bigger Dodge Ram does. Seats are king-of-the-road high, and extremely comfortable. Club Cab models will carry up to six people, but the rear seat is an extremely tight squeeze, meant for small people.
The Club Cab offers no third door option. Seems odd from the company that pioneered the fourth sliding door on minivans and has a Quad Cab full-size Ram pickup. To get this convenience, you've got to buy a Chevy S-10 or GMC Sonoma. Dodge had the chance to build the perfect compact pickup, and we'll have to wait to see if they ever decide to add more doors.
Still, the Dakota is a nice piece of work. Base, Sport, SLT and R/T models are available. Regular cab 2WD models feature a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine that provides 120 horsepower. Club Cab and 4WD models get a 3.9-liter V6 good for 175 horsepower and 225 foot-pounds of torque. Optional on all models (except R/T) is a 5.2-liter V8 engine that makes 230 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque at 3,200 rpm and sucks gas like it's going out of style. Crammed into a regular cab shortbed with 2WD, the V8 transforms the Dakota into a storming sport truck.
Overall, the Dakota is quite a truck. Want the best-looking, best-performing compact pickup on the market? Look no further.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1999 Dodge Dakota.
5 star(37%)
4 star(39%)
3 star(17%)
2 star(7%)
1 star(0%)
66 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
A great truck
scott251, 10/14/2012
1999 Dodge Dakota R/T Sport 2dr Extended Cab SB (5.9L 8cyl naturally aspired 4A)
I had a solar yellow r/t and it was a great truck. That thing had tons of power and was pretty fast. I never had any issues with it. I drove great, was comfortable, parts were cheap, looked great, an all around good truck. It had 142,000 miles on it when I sold it. I sold it due to the gas mileage and gas prices but I miss that truck everyday and plan on getting another soon.
2.88 out of 5 stars
Problems, Problems, Problems
martinex, 10/21/2009
1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 2dr Regular Cab 4WD SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
I owned a 97 Dakota 2WD V8 prior to buying this one. I loved it. It got reasonable gas mileage (around 20mpg) and would leap off the line. My only problem was with all that torque (and crappy Goodyear Wranglers), the truck would spin out on slick pavement. My solution was to get a 99 Dakota Sport with the same 5.2 liter engine and 4WD. Whooboy! First of all the extra weight of the … transmission drastically cut down on performance. Secondly gas mileage dropped significantly (of course) but what was most disturbing was the repair costs. Engine, suspension, electrical...you name it. All within the first 20,000 miles.
4.13 out of 5 stars
Always a Dodge Chick :)
Sami08, 08/15/2010
1999 Dodge Dakota 2dr Regular Cab 4WD SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
This is my second Dodge Dakota and I love them! The one I have now. I'm the second owner and the truck has 247k miles on it and still all stock and running like a champ! 4x4 works awesome even when I had bad tires it got me out of the snow in my area. I have got friends hooked on this truck and now they want one! Gas mileage isnt too hateful. I'm a broke college student and it does good … for me around town and trips back home. Always will buy dodges. They are the only thing that seem to last when taken care of!
4.13 out of 5 stars
A solid pickup and nice to drive
JBsDak, 03/20/2010
1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 2dr Extended Cab 4WD SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
Only owning this truck for a year, I can't really say how reliable it's been before me, but it feels like it's been well maintained, has 100K miles now. It is a great vehicle to drive, it feels like a bigger vehicle than it really is and very comfortable and plenty of power. I have had to put all new ball joints on it but that is one of the common problems with Dakotas, the gas … mileage is pretty poor, about 15 mpg but it has a 5.2 L V8, you want great gas mileage buy something else, though I understand the newer V6 gets close to 20 mpg. It would probably be smarter get the V6 as the V8 is more power than most people need. Anyway I love this truck and would buy a new one if could afford to.
1999 Dakota Highlights
Regular Cab
Base
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 19 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $236/month |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Max Towing Capacity | 1,900 lbs. |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalPoor
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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