Give or take a few months I guess.

I have a 2011 Dakota. I like it. But it seems Chevy is finally releasing something I've always hoped I could get out of Ram/Dodge. A small truck with a diesel. Anyone seen the new Colorado yet? If it turns out to be what I hope it is I'm afraid I'll be moving on and not looking back. This would be my fifth and likely last Dakota.

Maybe Dodge is listening? Do they care? Maybe not but hope they have a response that could interest me. I guess Dodge is just hoping all the smaller truck buyers would just upgrade to a full size instead. That won't happen. I do NOT want a full size truck. I don't need it. It isn't a price issue. It is a size issue.

 

In the end, I kind of wish i got a 90's or early 2000's dodge ram for the price i paid for my Dakota. Mines only a v6. I thought i wouldnt plan on hauling much, but there are times where I wish i had a full size.

 

I'm sad they axed the Dakota. I mean, they seriously, without a doubt in my mind, did it to themselves. With zero concern, they let sales dwindle. Never saw any commercials, and ram sales florished which was obviously their plan. A quick little revamp in 08 to waste their money and that was it.

I love my truck, but there are things I find that are inferior to the previous generation of Dakota. Such as no 4 wheel disc brakes, not having the big v8 as an option, minivan front suspension... I miss torsion bars. And I don't think they did a very good job styling the front end... Granted, the exaggerated bumper was to give 5 star crash test ratings, but they could have tried harder to make it look as good as it functions.

I was looking forward to the Italian guys statement when he said a midsize pickup would be back. But it looks like there's nothing going on in that department. I also don't want a fullsize pickup, and I would love an ecotec diesel powered Dakota to sit next to my hemi Dakota in the garage. Maybe my next project will be something similar to EVguys Cummins swap..

But, I will say this, if I were to switch to a Chevy it wouldn't be for the new Colorado. Not a fan of the styling. I would get a Silverado and replace my Dakota, for the simple fact that there is no end to the mod list of a Chevy small block V8, think... 5.3 iron block pushing 900 horses... For about the same price as my hemi swap haha! But like I said, I love my truck. It's a family trait to develope strong attachments to vehicles we own, no matter what they are.

 

Closest thing to your criteria is the Ram 1500 V6 diesel option if they offer it in single cabs which I'm sure they do. I think a single cab Ram is very close to a Dakota in size if you really think about how big this thing is for a "midsize" pickup

 

I need the quad or extended cab for family. My wife, two kids and I aren't squeezing into that regular cab ram. I don't carry a lot of cargo but do tow a lot. And the trailer isn't huge. Weight can vary from 2500lbs to 6000lbs. The quad cab Dakota has been perfect for this.

Dodge needs to freshen up and re-release the 2003/2004 model Dakota with that 3.0 liter diesel used in the Jeep. Homerun.....