First Drive: 2008 Dodge Dakota

First Drive: 2008 Dodge Dakota

While the truck's ladder frame and fully boxed main rails remain the same for 2008, sheetmetal from the A-pillar forward was revised to make the front end more chiseled, and the hood, grille, front fascia, and headlights now resemble the Nitro's. And each of the six trim levels comes with its own front-end appearance-whether you opt for ST, SXT, SLT, off-road-appearance TRX4, Sport, or Laramie determines the combination of chrome, metal, and color-matched front-fascia pieces. (The more body-color components, the better.) Aerodynamics have been improved in front, and the gaps are tighter. Rear-end changes include the addition of a spoiler. The new look works on this truck, and we wonder why the Nitro received these styling cues before the Dakota. Why didn't Dodge let the established truck lead the new design direction for its compact/midsize vehicle line?

Source: [url=http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests/pickup/163_0707_2008_dodge_dakota/]TruckTrend Magazine[/url]