2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab

Photo: DaimlerChrysler

When it came to passenger comfort, the Dakota Quad Cab again came out on top. All unanimously voted the Dakota as having the best seat for legroom, comfort and ingress/egress with its four full-size doors. In summary, Four Wheeler said: "This latest Dakota simply delivers more of a good thing -- more power, more doors, more versatility. And it's this balance of talents that makes the Dakota Quad Cab our Pickup Truck of the Year for 2000."

Dodge Dakota is already the largest and widest truck in its class. However, the 2000 Dakota Quad Cab creates a whole new segment in the compact class with a reproportioned cab and cargo box.

The Quad Cab's passenger compartment is engineered to incorporate full-size, front-hinged rear doors that open wide, along with rear seats that will comfortably accommodate three adults. With three-across seating available in front, Quad Cab is the only compact truck with six passenger seating. Split-folding rear seat cushions easily fold up with one hand to make room for cargo, people or a combination of both. The box has been re-sized, yet still delivers the best payload-carrying capacity of any compact domestic pickup in the largest bed of all compact four-door trucks at five feet, three inches long. With the only V-8 engines available in the compact truck segment -- a choice of 235 horsepower 4.7-liter Magnum V-8 or 245 horsepower 5.9-liter Magnum V-8 -- Dakota Quad Cab has more power to tow heavy loads than any other compact four-door.

Four Wheeler's rigorous competition consists of four days of on- and off-highway driving, including steep hill climbs rocky trails, water crossings, dry wash running as well as other challenging terrain. Scoring is based on five categories: mechanical (25 percent), trail performance (30), highway performance (20), interior (15) and exterior (10).