ROAD TEST | DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB

One automotive critic recently observed that the third-generation 2005 Dodge Dakota drives like a "darn truck." Well, it is a truck. But if you compare the revamped '05 with the Dakota of the last decade, that harsh view doesn't hold up. Back home in Texas, my 1999 single-cab Dakota ("Baby" is her name) does indeed drive like a "darn truck" on the relatively flat roads of El Paso. And it turns into an out-of-control galloping horse when it hits a mild bump. So it came as quite a surprise when the 2005 model nicely handled the monstrous road craters of wintry Manhattan like a sedan.

Handling aside, though, the redesign is disappointing. The embossed edges along the rear look nice, but not with the truck's slim, boxy face. Dakota's profile now has an unattractive underbite. Inside, the finish on the console and door handles looks cheap--as if the paint will rub off. If practicality's more important to you than drop-dead beauty, the Dakota is a good buy. It's heavier and bigger (the single cab has been discontinued): 3.7 inches in length overall, with a cabin that's 2.7 inches wider. It is a pickup, after all.

Tip: Dodge says it has fixed the upper-ball-joint issues that recently forced it to recall 2000-03 Dakotas.

© 2005