I bought a 2007 Dodge Dakota SLT in 20112, and regretted it once I saw that beastly 4th generation body. However, I hate that Dodge, pardon RAM (silly brand break), decided to discontinue our midsized line. Now I realize that Dakota's were probably the biggest midsize pick-up on the road. But my Dakota blows most mid's out of the water with towing, and still has decent MPG. Why did Ram discontinue this midsize? Anyone have the foggiest idea?
-Alex

 

Bad marketing. Dodge doomed the Dakota when they made it so big, expensive and gas guzzling that you could get a Ram for about the same price and gas mileage with more interior room and higher load/towing capacity. It started out as a great midsized truck and had a great following. The 3rd gen just went overboard. It was competing with their own full size truck.

 

Back when the Dakota was discontinued, I had a buddy working for a dealership and he told me sales dropped a ton because for same price you could get the bigger truck that was getting same mpg.. I believe its just Nissan and Toyota that makes mid sizes and have options of 4cyls an smaller 6cyls.. Right now I'm looking to down grade my Ram to a 4dr 4cyl 5pd Nissan Frontier cause once I have a kid on the way I'll the 4dr but also as a daily driver to work would love the gas mileage of a 4cyl.. If Dodge truly brought the Dakota back and make it look like a miniature Ram like the gen 1 and gen 2 I'd look to buy one

 

Dont waste your time on a 4cyl Frontier. The 4 struggles too much with that truck. Gets about the same real world gas mileage of the V6 with higher load and towing capacity. You will regret the 4.

 

What?

 

Even with a 5spd? I know that makes a difference since you can control the shift patterns better then an auto... But I'll look more into that for sure thanks for the tip.

 

I had a 97 nisssn with the 4cyl. and 5 speed and you would defenantly be better off with a v6 that is unless you were planning on a 2wd those in 4cyl. I think do ok

 

^^ Yeah. If yous stick with a 2wd, single cab, a 4 cylinder will be ok.

 

thats a great thing but the marketing has been a poor one to see it......

 

This segment as a whole as really shrunk. The Ranger/Mazda is gone, the Dakota is gone, the Mitsubishi Raider is gone, GM sales on the Colorado which had good EPA fuel mileage numbers were very low. My theory is they were popular with the youth whom wanted truck but didn't really need a truck for heavy work. Nowdays, the youth wants these hideous things that Scion, Kia, and other companies with no taste produces partly because they are indoctrinated with environmentalism. They are no longer needed by the ones who just want a truck because the full sized trucks offer a V6 that is actually useful and actually gets decent mileage. I believe there is still a market for it, I just think it would work better under Jeep.