1997 DODGE Dakota

Just bought a '97 in 2013

Performance : 4 Comfort : 3 Fuel Economy : 5 Fun To Drive : 5 Interior Design : 5 Exterior Design : 5 Build Quality : 5 Reliability : 4 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

My model is actually a Sport 2WD 3.9 5 speed manual that I bought with about 102,500 miles. I get plenty of snow in my area, but the truck is for occasional use. I wanted a truck with a V6 and a manual transmission, something not easy to find. I think the V6 with the manual is a great combination - and a rare find. The regular cab is a little tight for me - but that's ok. I do enjoy driving the truck. It rides well, and the interior is solid. With the windows up it's quiet - there's not one rattle in the truck. My first fuel calculation, highway and around town was 18.8 mpg. Very satisfied with that. I feel good about this truck. I was asked to update my review. I no longer have the Dakota, mainly because my son was living in an off campus area where the roads were steep. He had a AWD car, but it was getting up there in miles and if he needed repairs I wanted him to borrow something suited for snow, so I bought a 4WD truck with an automatic transmission. I will say, the interior of the Dakota was solid, not one rattle. I can't say the same about the 2001 GM truck that replaced it. I'd still recommend a used Dodge Dakota. I know someone who had about 230k miles on the 3.9V6 and it was still running fine.