- Dodge first introduced its mid-size Dakota pickup in 1986; it was the industry's first pickup truck of its size. In 2000, Dodge equipped all of its Dakotas with a standard 3.9-liter V6 engine or an optional 4.7-liter V8. Only four trims--the Quad Cab Sport 4WD, the Quad Cab Sport 2WD, the Regular Cab 2WD and the Club Cab 2WD--could be purchased with an optional 5.8-liter V8 engine.
- Two 5.8-liter engines were available for the 2000 Dakota, both of which were very similar. Both had single overhead camshafts, a bore of 4 inches, a stroke of 3.58 inches and a compression ratio of 8.9:1. The 5.8-liter engines in the Quad Cab Sport 4WD and 2WD produce 245 horsepower at 4,000 RPM and 335 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3,200 RPM. The same engine in either the Regular Cab 2WD or the Club Cab 2WD generates 250 horsepower at 4,400 RPM and 345 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3,200 RPM.
- These trucks all have four disc brakes and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). All models have independent, wishbone front suspensions with a stabilizer bar and torsion springs and a rigid beam, rear suspension with leaf springs.
- The Quad Cab Sport 4WD and 2WD, with their 24-gallon fuel tanks, get an EPA-estimated 12 miles per gallon in the city and 17 MPG on the highway. The other two-wheel drive models with the 5.8-liter engine have a 22-gallon fuel tank and an estimated fuel economy of 12 MPG in the city and 17 on the highway.
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