Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
15 -16 City / 19 -20 HWY
Horsepower
210 -230
Seats
5 -6
Front angle medium view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Will v.
Unbelievable Value.
Purchased base model ST new in 2006 for just north of $15k. Other than replacing the 6 speed manual transmission with a used replacement at 200k miles I've have not needed any repairs. Maintenance in the form of tires, oil, and batteries have been my expenses. At +280K miles run great, AC is still ice cold, no body, trim, electrical issues. It simply has been a amazing little truck.
accountCircle terry
My truck is a eye catcher just want more power
I got a 2006 dodge dakota slt 4 door 4x2 3.7 motor automatic what other kind motor can i put in my truck that will fit right up more horsepower
accountCircle Jeff M
Works well, well endowed with features and will guide a future decision.
This vehicle has served me well. Now at nearly 12 years old I have had great reliability from it. It currently has 185,000 miles and still going well.
accountCircle Rolando G
My dependable vehicle that I've owned for 4 years.
A superb dependable vehicle. Has never given me a problem. Picks up speed pretty quickly and the ride is always comfortable. Dependable for hauling anything I need. It is a 2006 Dodge Dakota. And has hardly giving me any trouble at all. I can carry many things including my family in this vehicle.
accountCircle barbara c
I like that it is 4-wheel drive and has a full backseat and bedliner . I dislike that it is a 2006 wish I could afford a newer truck.
It is paid for and is very good on gas. It has more miles than I would like on it, but is very dependable.
accountCircle Virginia N
Good old truck good gets very good gas mileage keeps oil good transmission.
Needs shocks other than that it is good car drives nice well kept motor is fine tires fine battery good no accidents no dents good performance four door easy to park good for carrying heavy loads gray good color 120 mph breaks very well good pickup truck rides well heat air radio.
accountCircle Eduardo G
Best truck I have ever owned.
I bought my truck brand new in 2006 it's got over a hundred eighty thousand miles on it even though I have been terrible at keeping up with maintenance I rarely ever see a light come on the dash to tell me that something is wrong there have been a few check engine lights but they only told me about spark plug I need to be changed
accountCircle old guy
Reliable beasty
I use this truck far beyond it's design, I load the c**p out of it. Never lets me down

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Ray d crank,sr
Junk
I bought a 06 Dakota from MannChrysler it has give me nothing but trouble,,, after telling me it was a local trade when all the problems started I had it checked out,,,it was from Ohio,,,a rust bucket,brakes locked up in a week,,,trans out in a mth,,,rearend out as of now,,,I contacted the dealership,,,no help,, thenChrysler,,,,no help,,,maybe the junkyard can help me,, never buy aChrysler product,,,or that dealership again,
accountCircle Jon w
Chrysler makes a lousy vehicle, and a shopper would do well to avoid them.
That truck is undoubtedly the worst investment I have ever made. It's basically a piece of trash that can't get up enough speed to get out of it's own way, with horrible mileage. It began rusting after It's' second year of ownership. I never should have considered a Chrysler product.
accountCircle Brenda S
Chevrolet impala is very dependable and long lasting.
It is very old. The air conditioner does not work well. It is seems to be falling apart. It needs to be repaired.
accountCircle dolores k
It has low mileage. One dent in bumper. Few scratchies
It is an older model. It could break down easily because of age.i am keeping it right now
accountCircle Kathy F
White 2006 dodge Dakota truck.
It does not really get good gas mileage, and I think we've replaced the wheel bearings multiple times. We have had to replace many of the parts, and it is very top heavy. It is decent to get you short distances or to haul stuff in, but I would not recommend this vehicle if you have long distances to travel.
accountCircle Tonya W
Excellent work vehicle. Not a family vehicle.
Our main problem is it is not big enough for our family. Runs well although have had issues with the timing & brake lines have been replaced twice.
accountCircle Tina K
Great investment, dodge Dakota
It runs like a dream, the passenger window fell into the door. Air conditioner leads but still works. Really good on gas, really roomy. Love that the bed is covered. As long as it's taken care of, it will last. So happy I got it. Would definitely recommend getting one.
accountCircle Angela H
My vehicle is reliable because you can always count on it to start.
Its reliable. Had a rotor snap in half. Oil changes have to be done by a shop unless you have a special tool. The comfort of the vehicle is terrible the seats are not comfortable at all. This vehicle does not have Bluetooth or any features that new cars have.

Dodge Dakota Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
ST
210-230 HP 17-17 MPG 5-6 Seats
car
SLT
210-230 HP 17-17 MPG 5-6 Seats
car
Laramie
210-230 HP 17-17 MPG 5-6 Seats
Photos may not match model

2006 Dodge Dakota Owner Reviews

3.92
53 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 36%
4 stars 36%
3 stars 19%
2 stars 4%
1 star 6%
accountCircle terry on June 27, 2021
My truck is a eye catcher just want more power
I got a 2006 dodge dakota slt 4 door 4x2 3.7 motor automatic what other kind motor can i put in my truck that will fit right up more horsepower
accountCircle Chris Chapman on March 21, 2021
It's a nice truck
4.7 liter. Quad cab. SLT It's a decent little truck with it's cute 5 ft. Bed. The rated horse power and torque I tend to question a bit as I've seen plenty of other vehicles with less horse and tq move much better than this 103K mile truck but it does shoot out from a light, just not comparably as quick after moving. The truck is comfortable for it's size. Ease of access to controls like the AC, radio, wipers, etc is nicely placed. The comfort of the ride is very quiet, surprisingly being Mopar has been doing a lot to bring out the throaty sounds from some of the smallest of engines they sell. This one, the exhaust is silent while at highway speeds. The cruise control is some what confusing with the steering wheel controls in comparison to other brands I've driven. But, like any new cell phone I buy, everything takes a bit "getting use to". One thing I've always noticed about the Dodge/Ram brand are the sound systems. In every mopar of modern times I've driven/owned the stereo blows the competition out of the water with not only the bass feel from their sound systems but the clarity for the stock versions of their vehicles. This is no different. This little SLT/single disc, I assume a 4 speaker (one in each door) with possibly no subwoofer that I've seen sounds amazing for a stock and mid-level sound system offered at that time. I'm always impressed with them. This truck does not drive like a truck. If you're looking for a "truck feel ride", buy the Tundra or Nissan. This is a usable bed, for it's 5.5ft size with the full four doors, decent power, lesser mileage (15-18ish combined. Driving NOT like my mother) but smooth and quiet ride. I would recommend to a young family, maybe. Or someone who goes to Home Depot a few times a year for not much lumber. It's really a decent truck and ride. It has an impressive towing capacity of around 7000 pounds for the 4.7 V8 edition. I don't know if it's accurate but I did use it to pull around 3500 pounds to the dump on a trailer once. It did do well but I certainly felt the weight. The handling... Again,not really made to take on the rally races. It handles OoooooKaaaaay. It does as it's suppose to do but not as responsive as even a couple year newer Tundra I recently purchased for my wife. All in all, with the $3500 I paid for this truck, replacing the exhaust gaskets, front struts, rear bumper and cleaned up nicely, it was well worth the money spent. I looked up the pricing on KBB this morning listing a "fair price" at around $6500 for a "good" price but I've not seen one going for nearly that price online with only a few to choose from. The value certainly doesn't hold itself like the toyota or NIssan, let alone that other cute "truck" from Honda. I'll likely get rid of this in some time sooner, rather than later and keep my 06 Ram 2500 5.9 Cummins for my daily and travel trailer puller.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Tori M.

Pros are. Four wheel drive. Cruise Control. Air conditioning. Heating. Four doors. Four Winds. Child protection locks on back door. Aux Cord. FM and Am radio. CD Player. Automatic locks. Clock. Automatic seats. Storage under the back seat.

likeFilled Lante C.

It is safe, the truck is up off the ground, has a lot of legroom,comfortable to sit in, can haul a lot in the back. Tows a trailer good has 230,000 miles still going strong low maintenance. Can be worked on by any mechanic.

likeFilled Austin O.

4 doors, simple, lots of interior room. Bed is big enough but not huge to where it is difficult to drive or park. The truck looks nice and has an aggressive, masculine appearance. Great overall truck.

likeFilled Cindy C.

Dodge is a great line of trucks. Gas mileage average for a truck. Affordable. Roomy, sits up high, different back positions. I really like my truck, large windows. Automatic window and door control on the driver door.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Tori M.

Gas, not being able to haul a lot of things when it is raining. Being only to hold 5 people at a time. Sensor in the car going bad fast. Getting parts to fix are very impossible. Is not always the best when it is raining outside.

dislikeFilled Lante C.

Wish the back seats would lean back it needs USB ports it should be 4x4 it really heavy vehicle. The seat belt to be more comfortable it should tow more weight. More places to put stuff that you need. The spare could be easier to access.

dislikeFilled Austin O.

Not having four wheel drive feature. I do wish I had 4wd to help in off-road situations. Also, the truck has manual windows and locks, which can be annoying. Finally, the truck does not get very good gas mileage.

dislikeFilled Cindy C.

It rattles now that it is 13 years old. Gas mileage is only 10 miles to gallon. Braking is soft. Do not really have any cons about this vehicle other than two I said. I actually like this truck, cannot find any real cons.

Ranks #10 Compact Pickup Trucks by Owners

The 2006 Dodge Dakota has an average owner rating of 4.00 out of 5 which ranks it #10 of 13 other Compact Pickup Trucks.

1
Tie
car
5
1
Tie
car
5
10
car
3.92

Ranks #8 Compact Pickup Trucks by Fuel Economy

The 2006 Dodge Dakota has a combined MPG of 22 which ranks it #8 of 13 other Compact Pickup Trucks.

1
car
28 MPG
2
car
27 MPG
8
Tie
car
19 MPG

Is The 2006 Dodge Dakota A Good Car?

Yes, it's lasted me a long time and it's been a really good car. I've put many miles on it and it's been with me through thick and thin!
Kyle L.
Yes it is very dependable & I enjoy it very much. Have had no major issues with it. Have had it for many years.
Sarah M.

How Reliable Is The 2006 Dodge Dakota?

It is a very reliable car. The only thing I would say is that the air conditioning sometimes acts up. That means it is very bad car in terms of the interior but the exterior is amazing!
Anna A.
It has been very reliable and no specific problems for the many years I have owned & driven it. I love it.
Mary E.

Is The 2006 Dodge Dakota A Good Value?

I got it used, so great value for me. Not sure how much a new one is. I would bet that is more than what I paid for. But I didn't pay too much for mine so we good.
Damien C.
I don't remember how much it cost since it was many years ago but it was and is a good value as far as I am concerned.
Paula W.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2006 Dodge Dakota transmission control module location?

Answer: The 2006 Dodge Dakota transmission control module location is found by watching: https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=LE9fcFbMflE The transmission fluid needs to be replaced every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. Along with...

What's the 2006 Dodge Dakota power steering fluid type?

Answer: The 2006 Dodge Dakota power steering fluid type is Prestone. The power steering fluid needs to be changed every 75,000 miles. Along with changing fluids, You will come across noises from steering parts. A...

What's the 2006 Dodge Dakota cabin air filter location?

Answer: The 2006 Dodge Dakota is not equipped with a cabin air filter. Most trucks in 2020 are outfitted with one under the dashboard behind the glove compartment box, but many older brands and models are not. Many...

What's the 2006 Dodge Dakota 3.7 Oil capacity?

Answer: A 2006 Dodge Dakota equipped with a 3.7L V6 engine is going to need to run on 5W-30 motor oil. It will have a capacity of 5 US quarts when the filter is included in this measurement. The oil drain plug is going...

What's the 2006 dodge dakota wheel bolt pattern?

Answer: The 2006 Dodge Dakota has A5 lug by 5 ½-inch (5X139MM) wheel bolt pattern. This means that there are 5 wheel studs evenly spaced 5 ½-inches from the center of the wheel hub. The truck originally came...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety