2007 Dodge Dakota Review
2007 Dodge Dakota Review
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Used Dakota for sale
Appraise This CarDodge Dakota model years
Dodge Dakota types
- Quad Cab
- Club Cab
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Strong engine lineup, available part-time or full-time four-wheel drive, impressive towing capacity, nimble handling.
Cons
- Uninspiring use of low-grade interior plastics, high price, no long-bed model.
What’s new
For 2007, the Dodge Dakota adds some thoughtful new touches, like optional remote start and stain-resistant seat fabric. For added versatility, all Dakotas now have a standard dual-position tailgate. Mechanically, the truck is pretty much unchanged save for flex-fuel capability for the 4.7-liter V8 engine, which means it can run on gasoline or the E85 ethanol/gasoline blend.
Edmunds says
The 2007 Dodge Dakota is a capable midsize truck that does most things well. In terms of cabin quality, body configurations and overall value, however, it falls short of the segment leaders from Nissan and Toyota.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2007 Dodge Dakota ST 4dr Club Cab SB (3.7L 6cyl 6M) 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
$272/mo for Dakota ST
Dakota ST
vs
$246/mo
Avg. Compact Truck
Vehicle overview
When it was introduced in the late '80s, the Dodge Dakota's oversized dimensions made it an interesting choice among more traditional compact and full-size trucks. This midsize configuration has continued on through successive generations, as has the truck's generally solid combination of power, utility and style. For much of this decade, the Dakota has been one of our favored choices for a compact or midsize truck.
The 2007 Dodge Dakota, which represents the vehicle's third generation, features a hydroformed fully boxed frame that provides eight times more torsional rigidity than the previous design. A coil-over front suspension design and rack-and-pinion steering give the truck its nimble, carlike feel. The standard Club Cab (extended cab) comes equipped with four doors, forward-facing rear seats and a 6-foot-6-inch bed, while the Quad Cab (crew cab) model utilizes four full-size doors and a 5-foot-4-inch bed. A large crosshair grille is prominently affixed to the front of the truck, followed by the familiar dropped-fender look popularized by the previous-generation Ram.
The Dakota is aimed at pickup truck drivers who want to use their truck for work and as a daily driver, but do not want to spend the extra money for a full-size pickup's towing capability or the accompanying pricey optional features. For this purpose, it works well, and those smitten with its muscular style will no doubt be happy with a purchase. However, buyers should be aware that the Dakota does fall short in a few areas such as price, interior quality and fuel economy. You'll certainly want to check out the class-leading Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma before making any final decisions.
Performance & mpg
The 2007 Dodge Dakota offers three engine options. The base 3.7-liter V6 produces 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. There are two V8 options: a 4.7-liter that makes 230 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque and a high-output 4.7-liter that is good for 260 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The V6 is coupled to a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, with an available five-speed automatic for the V8. Full-time four-wheel drive is available, as well as the usual 2WD and part-time 4WD configurations. Towing capacity is 7,150 pounds with the high-output V8 engine.
Safety
Rear-wheel antilock brakes are standard on the Dodge Dakota; four-wheel ABS is optional. Full-length side-curtain airbags are also optional. In NHTSA crash tests, the extended-cab truck earned a perfect five stars for driver protection and four stars for front-passenger protection; the crew-cab Dakota earned five stars for both. In side-impact tests of the crew cab, five stars were awarded for both front and rear passengers. The Dakota scored an "Acceptable" rating (second best) in IIHS frontal-offset crash testing.
Driving
All of the engines offer adequate power, but opting for one of the V8s is a must if you plan to do any serious towing or hauling. Even then, only the high-output V8 matches the performance of the powerful V6 engines from Nissan and Toyota. The 2007 Dodge Dakota offers a smooth, quiet ride at any speed, and the cabin is well insulated from wind and road noise. Body roll is minimal even around tight turns, and the Dakota maintains its composure well on harsher terrain thanks to its well-tuned suspension and stiff frame.
Interior
The Dakota has a crisp, attractive interior design with simple, easy-to-reach controls and ample storage and cupholders. Stylish touches like aluminum trim and white-faced gauges help, but overall materials quality is unimpressive next to the competition, given the large expanses of low-grade plastic. The cabin is quite roomy, but sizing up to the Quad Cab is a must for carrying four adults.
2007 Dodge Dakota models
The 2007 Dodge Dakota midsize pickup truck is available in two body styles. The extended cab (Club Cab) has swing-out rear access doors and a 6.4-foot bed. The more spacious crew cab (Quad Cab) has four full-size doors, room for six adults and a 5.3-foot cargo bed. There are three trim levels: ST, SLT and Laramie. The spartan ST comes standard with cloth seats, air-conditioning, a CD player with an auxiliary jack, and in the Quad Cab, folding 60/40-split rear seats. The SLT is a better choice for most buyers, as it also has alloy wheels, cruise control, Sirius Satellite Radio, rear jump seats in the Club Cab and power windows, mirrors and locks. The top-of-the-line Dakota Laramie adds automatic headlamps, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather seats, an upgraded Alpine audio system with an in-dash CD changer, remote vehicle start and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.
A variety of options are also available for the Dakota. The TRX Package aims to give two-wheel-drive trucks the look of the four-wheel-drive trucks (4WD), while the TRX Off-Road is available for 4WD models; it includes a suspension tuned for off-road use, skid plates and a shorter rear-axle ratio. Other upgrades include leather seating (SLT models), a sunroof and a variety of appearance packages.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2007 Dodge Dakota.
5 star(42%)
4 star(33%)
3 star(13%)
2 star(10%)
1 star(2%)
83 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
My Baby
SARAH, 04/05/2006
2006 Dodge Dakota Laramie 4dr Club Cab 4WD SB (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
I love this truck. It's like I've always wanted. It's good for a first car and isn't too outrageously large. You sit high enough off the ground without feeling as if you're driving a bus.
4.63 out of 5 stars
Great Full Size Alternative
L.T., 04/24/2006
2006 Dodge Dakota ST 4dr Quad Cab 4WD SB (3.7L 6cyl 6M)
I bought this truck to downsize from an '03 1500 4x4 and have really not looked back. The gas mileage is so much better and that saves a lot of money. The only real difference is the bed space, but I rarely used all 8 ft. of my old bed anyway. The Dakota is very nimble, easy to park, and extremely quiet on the highway. I would recommend this truck to anyone that occasionaly needs a … truck for hauling, but still needs comfort, economy, agility for everyday use. Probably not the best choice for the hardcore rancher with 12,000lbs. to pull, but a great choice for the active weekender. I am very happy with my purchase!
4 out of 5 stars
2006 dodge doakta st
Jeff, 09/28/2015
2006 Dodge Dakota ST 4dr Quad Cab 4WD SB (3.7L 6cyl 6M)
I have 189,000 on my truck, it's an ok truck over all, the tranny went at 170,000 and the pcm went at 180,000 other than that it's an ok truck. It has the v6 3.7l
And lacks power, exspcally when going up hills, it's good for long drives due to the comfort, rides like a car, overall it's a good truck.
3 out of 5 stars
If you work the bugs out...
Randall, 08/06/2017
2007 Dodge Dakota ST 4dr Club Cab SB (3.7L 6cyl 6M)
What should shoppers know about Dodge Dakotas before buying one? Be prepared to have to work out the bugs to turn the truck from a dumper to a keeper. The Dakota is great on paper and during walk-around eyeballing. However, build and material quality is not up to Toyota level. Be sure to have a service warranty contract (and you have to shop and vet extensively to find a good one) before … you commit to buying the truck. Be advised that Dakotas (and perhaps Rams also) in certain years had two factory defects the symptoms of which mimic each other: 1) PCM misprogramming of engine & automatic transmission operation and 2) bent driveshaft, causing one of the U -joints to bind. Repair folks (not dealer) said the driveshaft issue was not from damage by the previous owner but was a factory defect. The common symptom between the two defects is drivetrain shudder (feels & sounds like driving on a rumble strip) during a road speed range of about 30 to 50 or so mph. It was over $700 to solve these problems. Thank goodness I didn't need a new PCM, only reprogramming as per a TSB (there are several TSBs on these). The 3.7 liter V6 water pump won't make it to 80K miles; we also have a Toyota Highlander with over 90K miles with the original water pump doing fine. The quality of interior plastic is very poor and MoPar discontinues selling plastic interior parts @ about nine years (parts distribution unavailability earns poor dealership support). We once had a 16-year-old Toyota Camry and any part I needed, including interior, was available from the Toyota dealer & aftermarket. The Dakota console cracks at a couple of stress points. I addressed this successfully with Q Bond. At least the Dodge dealer fixed the recalled airbags with no problems. Now that the defects and repairs are finished I have a decent truck. Just don't pay a Toyota price for a Dodge; I was able to buy this clean 71K-mile '07 Dakota for way under book and it was for a reason. Now with the nagging issues behind me I can enjoy the truck's virtues, such as good handling (for a pickup), the right-size club cab, and the optional heated seat in cold weather.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2007 Dodge Dakota, so we've included reviews for other years of the Dakota since its last redesign.
2007 Dakota Highlights
Quad Cab
ST
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $22,070 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 16 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $272/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Max Towing Capacity | 3,150 lbs. |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Dakota include:
- Alarm
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5PassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
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 – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintAcceptable
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