A Review of 2003 Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab

 

The benefit of having a compact truck lies in its practicality. Besides being transportation from one destination to another, a compact truck comes in handy when you need to move, haul, or pull something to that destination. Because of the uncertainty and budget constrictions of the current economy, a reliable used truck can be an economic way to meet your needs. In this review, we’ll look at the 2003 Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab. After 9 years and over 115,000 miles on the road, my 2003 Dodge Dakota is still running strong, helping me with my home repair projects, and getting me outdoors for some fun on the weekends. While the Dakota Quad-Cab has a strong engine, good towing capabilities, and enough room to comfortably fit four adults, its drawbacks include gas-guzzling fuel economy and a tendency to rust. The areas covered in this review are: 

• Powertrain: The Dakota can do the Work of a Full-Size Truck.
• Handling and Interior: The Quad-Cab Offers the Four Door Comfort of a Sedan.

  

  The 2003 Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab

• Fuel Efficiency: Big Engines Mean Poor Gas Mileage.
• Maintenance: The Dakota is Mechanically Sound but Tends to Rust.
• 2003 vs. 2011 Dakota: The Biggest Difference is Cost.
   

Powertrain: The Dakota can do the Work of a Full-Size Truck.

The 2003 Dodge Dakota offers lots of power and plenty of towing capacity. When compared to other compact trucks, the Dodge Dakota’s powertrain performs more like a full size truck than a compact. Although offered in a 4.7 L and 5.9 L V8, the 3.9 L V6 engine in my Dakota has plenty of power. The Dakota is rated to tow 6,050 lbs. and has maximum payload of 1,770 lbs. When pulling a heavy load, this means fewer nerve racking moments getting up to highway speed on an on-ramp and fewer embarrassing moments spinning the wheels while trying to back up a steep driveway. When asked to move my family across four states, my 2003 2WD Dakota performed admirably. Even when pulling a 12’ trailer loaded with furniture, the powertrain was never taxed. The 5’4” bed can be a little short, but hauling a motorcycle, a bedroom dresser, or a sheet of plywood is not a problem.

Handling and Interior: The Quad-Cab Offers the Four Door Comfort of a Sedan.

Overall, I had a very positive experience with the handling and interior of the Dodge Dakota. Comfort and a smooth, quiet ride are not the typical traits of a compact truck. The Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab offers a surprisingly comfortable ride and handles bumpy roads very well. When compared to my second car, a 2004 Saturn SUV, the Dakota Quad-Cab is by far the quieter and smoother ride.

 The Dakota Quad-Cab is also one of the roomiest trucks in its class. With my 6’7” height, one of the first things I look for in a truck is leg room. Besides the Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab, the Ford Ranger is the only other compact truck that comes close to meeting my needs.

A view of the interior

Here are some of the highlights:

• Seats 4-5 Adults: The Dakota Quad-Cab is one of the roomiest compact trucks around. 4 adults fit in the cab with plenty of room to spread out and 5 adults fit if you don’t mind getting a bit snuggly.
• Durable interior: The interior is pretty durable and wears well. Other than the driver-side floor mat, the interior on my Dakota looks fairly new even where I’ve spilt coffee on the upholstery.
• Comfortable front and back seats:Although the interior is utilitarian in nature, the comfort of the front bucket seats is surprising. The rear bench is surprisingly relaxing and definitely not the cheap jumper seats you might expect to find in a compact truck.
  

  With the door open

• Smooth ride: Because the truck leans toward the heavy side, the Quad-Cab offers an extremely smooth ride. And if you experience heavy snows where you live, that extra weight means added traction in the winter. The Quad-Cab helps distribute the weight toward the rear wheels for a sure-footed ride.
• Quiet interior: The Dakota provides a quiet environment where you won’t have to fight the noise from the wind and the road to be heard.

Fuel Efficiency: Big Engines Mean Poor Gas Mileage.

The tradeoff for all the power and comfort is lost fuel efficiency. Although the Dakota can handle the workload of a full-size truck, its fuel consumption is also closer to a full-size truck. When recently testing the fuel efficiency of the 3.9 L V6 in my Dakota, my truck was averaging around 20 mpg. When compared to other trucks in its class, the 2003 Dakota is at the bottom for fuel efficiency. With a 45 minute, 38 mile commute to work, this can turn into quiet the hefty fuel bill. On average, I spend around $75 to $90 a week on gas.

Rust on the inside door panel

Maintenance: The Dakota is Mechanically Sound but Tends to Rust.

As far as maintenance goes, my 2003 Dodge has held up pretty well. After 115,000 miles, I’ve experience only the expected maintenance such as tires, brakes, and mufflers. No engine or transmissions problems to speak of (knock on wood). I was however disappointed to find that the emergency brake is broken and the driver side power window is starting to stick.

When looking at a used Dakota, check for rust. I’ve notice plenty of rust on Dakotas in general. My truck still looks pretty good but the rust is starting to show on the inside door panels and between the bed and tail gate. Around 10 years, expect the rust holes to start.

Rust on the tailgate

 

2003 vs. 2011 Dakota: The Biggest Difference is Cost.

Very little has changed on the Dakota Quad-Cab since 2003. When compared to the newer 2011 Dakota Quad-Cab, the 2003 model stacks up quite similarly. Outside of the body styling, not much

has changed on the Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab since 2003. When comparing the powertrain, cab interiors, wheel base, and bed length, the 2003 model is almost identical to the 2011 model. Although, the 2011 Dakota offers slightly better gas mileage and a good boost in horsepower, the big difference is price.

Related Links:

• Compare the 2003 Dakota Quad-Cab specification against the 2011 Dakota Quad-Cab specifications.
• Compare the 2003 Dakota Quad-Cab against the 2003 Toyota Tacoma, 2003 Nissan Frontier, 2003 Ford Ranger, and 2003 Chevy S10.
• Kelly Blue Book value
• Kelly Blue Book Owner Reviews